Contracts?

Contracts are becoming more prominent in martial arts then ever before. I remember the days when there were no contracts and there were no guarantees except you would train hard and learn a lot - over time. Today, most novices will encounter the push for one, two or three year contracts. I don't believe in the necessity of contracts.

First, when you encounter a person pushing a contract ask a this questions. 1. Will you allow me to train here for six months on  a month to month basis, without any contracts, to see if this fits my needs and goals? If the answer is no, you have to make a contract to receive the training or any other reasoning then walk away. 

Second, contracts assure steady income to the training facility. If it is part of a bigger institute you may not have the options simply because some gyms with karate or martial training must adhere to insurance and liabilities issues, walk away unless you want the full benefits of that gym to include martial arts or systems training. Buyer beware. 

Third, for most truly good instructors there is no need for contracts because they believe that their leadership and expertise will keep students actively attending (notice I didn't state enrolled). For true martial practice it is up to the individual to make a commitment to themselves, not the dojo or training facility, to take up martial arts and remain diligent with it for the duration involved - for life for me in this case. Also, if the martial instructor is this kind of guy or gal they work at other jobs for support, etc. and do martial arts as something extra and important like a hobby but not a hobby - a life style you might say.

Contracts in the case of martial arts training are simply, in my view and opinion, gimmicks to get into your wallet or purse and soak or milk you for all they can get regardless of whether you train or not or whether you get the training you should get or not. I call these MacDojo's. Money, money, money. 

I like to recommend you avoid contacts for martial arts training at all costs. I personally feel that if they require it then you are not going to get your monies worth and to get out of them if you are dissatisfied means additional court costs and personal stress for you, i.e. suing in court to get out of the contract, etc. 

In counterpoint, there are some very good martial arts schools out there that use contracts simply because it is the current thing done in the martial arts communities. Finding out which are good and which are bogus is the trick and a very tricky thing to determine so be careful and buyer beware.