All materials by tag: martial arts school. How to open a sports section

12.10.2019

Boxing is a “doesn’t kill, but makes you stronger” activity. Like other martial arts, it teaches you to resist stress, improves your reaction and ability to control the situation. Excellent physical fitness coupled with balance and psychological stability – isn’t this what a modern city dweller needs? Give it to him, build a business in the unique niche of sports and fitness services.

Opening a boxing club is a highly relevant entrepreneurial idea. People are fed up with regular fitness and have already acquired a craving for a healthy lifestyle. Improving your own body today is not a luxury, but a request of the mass consumer. At the same time, Russians are ready to experiment with the format of classes.

The niche of fitness services (sports and recreation) today is relatively free in cities with a population of up to 1 million inhabitants. But even in megacities there is room to expand. Here you can successfully compete with online fitness players by occupying a narrow niche. The ideal moment has come for the opening of brutal fighting schools and cozy studios; today such establishments are increasingly attracting the audience of habitual fitness. Narrow specialization, sports business with charisma - this is the basis for the school’s success. But first things first.

Key business indicators: investments - from 500 thousand rubles, payback period - 0.5-1 year.

Business model

Boxing clubs are a type of fitness centers and belong to the fitness services market. Therefore, the same rules apply to business as to the industry as a whole. However, there are also nuances.

Boxing clubs, which train youth sports reserves and professional athletes, are educational in essence: they use additional general education and general developmental training programs, and conduct certification of students. Such activities are subject to licensing and are not discussed in this article.

The essence of business. Product

A boxing school (club) is a commercial sports and recreational institution that specializes in teaching boxing to ordinary people, not athletes. The essence of the business is to adapt professional boxing for amateurs: clients improve their physical fitness by mastering martial arts techniques. The main product is boxing classes, which include general physical training and training in fighting techniques. The degree of specialization of a club may vary.

In Russia, there are successfully operating projects tailored to one type of boxing and developing several areas at once:

classical;
Thai (Muay Thai);
French (savat);
kickboxing, etc.

The list of workouts can be supplemented with CrossFit, which is used as general physical training for fighters, and stretching, useful for kickboxing. One of the most popular trends is women's kickboxing, which is more effective for building an ideal body than regular fitness. And it's also fun.

Additional sources of income for the club: holding competitions, selling equipment (uniforms, gloves, bandages), detox bar.

Classes are divided into:

group;
mini-groups;
individual (personal).

The target audience. Center format

Clients of the boxing club are people of any age and gender with average and above average income. As a rule, successful projects are focused on working with men, but additionally recruit children's and women's groups. You can concentrate only on neophytes or conduct classes for boxers with training.

In large cities with a population of over 500 thousand residents, the format of a boxing center for white collar workers is promising. Here they practice intellectual boxing: managers/executives relieve stress after a hard day, improve their fighting qualities, ability to concentrate and self-control.

The choice of target audience entirely depends on the concept of the establishment. It is important to clearly position the club. Pricing, the level of professionalism of trainers, the location of the establishment, the specifics of advertising and marketing efforts and other important factors will depend on this in the future.

Boxing club formats:

1. Club for white collar workers

The opposite of a glamorous fitness center, although there is more than enough elitism here. Designed for managers serving their working day in the office. Located in the city center on large areas (from 500 sq. m). The format assumes high prices, the presence of a sauna, showers, massage rooms, bars (and not only with protein shakes). The target audience is men 25-50 years old with an above-average income.

Successful projects and analogues: BOBO GYM (Moscow, bobogym.com/), Boxing Club "October" (Moscow, bcoctober.com/o-klube/)

2. “Boxing and losing weight” or “Family”

The club is positioned as an alternative to fitness, a more effective way to lose weight. Therefore, the program includes crossfit, stretching, and women's kickboxing. The concept can belong to both the premium and economy segments. The format is aimed at the general public, the audience is mixed: men and women with average income and above, and their children. The quality of training and service is at a high level. Hammams and saunas are not required, a fitness bar is desirable, the opportunity to consult with a nutritionist, and fitness testing. Target audience: men and women aged 18-40, children.

Successful projects: Boxing School No. 1 (St. Petersburg, www.boxing78.ruzhenskij-boks/), “Boxing Academy” (Moscow, boxing-academy.ru).

3. Boxing for children

The club specializes in an audience of 6-17 years old. The emphasis is on strengthening the body, general physical training, but with elements of martial arts. Coaches are both good teachers and athletes. Particular attention is paid to occupational safety.

Successful examples: no exclusively commercial projects have been found yet. The system of children's and youth sports schools is functioning, often with enthusiasts opening general strengthening boxing sections on a semi-commercial basis (parents pay a minimum fixed amount per month).

4. “Boxing for boxing’s sake”

Typically, such clubs specialize in hard types of boxing, rely on self-defense skills, and train real fighters, including women. The format is functional and quite ascetic: no nutritionists, saunas or bars. The most popular are Thai boxing and kickboxing, as well as their combination. Usually this is a “one-man show”: a professional athlete opens his own school, where he trains personally.

Successful projects: Thai boxing club “Predator” (St. Petersburg, predator.net/), Legend Fight Club Thai boxing school (St. Petersburg, legendfightclub.ru).

Pricing. Payment system for services. Seasonality

Pricing in the industry has its own peculiarities. As a rule, fitness centers implement a complex system of club cards/subscriptions, which provides a loyalty program and takes into account all types of memberships: corporate, children's, individual, family, etc.

Payment for club services is based on a combination of different options:

Subscription. The vast majority of Russian fitness clubs use a subscription system for paying for services. The client buys a club card for the duration of the contract: from one month to two years. The visitor, in essence, lends money to the establishment, receiving in return the opportunity for unlimited visits to the center with a choice of training areas. A system with a long validity period for club cards is not ideal - it is poorly adapted to the changing living conditions of consumers.
Freeze subscription. A variation of the previous payment scheme with a well-thought-out “freezing” system, when the client can temporarily interrupt the contract and renew it at will.
Payment for training. There is a fixed fee for one lesson; wholesale (10 or more sessions) is cheaper. Personal and trial training are separate price items.
Payment for training with reduced cost. The client is offered a package of classes (daily or several times a week), each subsequent training is cheaper. Payment is made weekly. The system is quite exotic for Russia, but is successfully used in the USA.

Peak sales periods in the fitness business are spring, autumn and winter. Summer is a time of decline and outflow of customers. During this period, it is advisable to apply additional discounts and promotions, as well as to forcefully attract new customers.

The main problem in the industry is customer retention, so business success is measured by the percentage of contract renewals. Clubs lose 30-50% of their clients annually, and the average cost of attracting new visitors is 5 times higher than the cost of retaining old ones. A well-thought-out loyalty system, professionalism of trainers and quality of service are extremely important.

Service

When choosing a club, the consumer focuses not only on the price level, but also on the quality of service. The establishment should be located in a place convenient for the target audience. If we are talking about an elite audience, then the club needs to be opened in a prestigious area/building. For a democratic office audience, a school in the business center of the city is suitable.

The level of club service consists of many factors:

availability of showers and convenient parking;
spacious training rooms, good ventilation, working condition of inventory and equipment, sufficient quantity;
high-quality information support for the club’s work;
ensuring a high level of occupational safety, correct selection of load intensity.

But the main thing for business is the professionalism and friendliness of the trainers, the friendliness and customer focus of the administrators.

Relevance. Time to go to the regions

Since the beginning of the 90s, the Russian market of sports and fitness services has come a long way: fitness has ceased to be a privilege of the rich, has become a mass product and is increasingly associated with investments in health. The services of fitness centers today are more in demand in the comfort, economy and low cost segments than in the premium and business segments.

Despite the crisis drop in incomes of Russians and a decrease in the average bill for the industry, according to RBC analysts, fitness services showed positive dynamics in 2015 and grew by 3.6%. The forecast for the next 4-5 years is favorable - the market will continue to grow.

Why opening your own boxing center is an event with great potential:

the percentage of coverage of the Russian population with fitness services is only 3% (in Moscow this figure is 15%, in the regions - no more than 2%);
the desire for health and beauty is a global trend, it is difficult to save on this;
The low cost segment is developing;
The popularity of the studio format is growing; regular fitness has become boring.

At the moment, cities with a population of 125-500 thousand people, where there are few or no large network projects, but where there is interest in martial arts, are promising for opening boxing clubs. But both in Moscow and St. Petersburg there is still room for development: the provision of fitness services is uneven across regions, and the middle price segment is quite empty (the cost of an annual club card is up to 50 thousand rubles). In addition, boxing clubs are a rather narrow fashionable niche with its own specific audience.

Current problems in the industry: low incomes, high rental rates and equipment prices. All this leads to a decrease in service margins.

Instructions for opening a boxing club: briefly about the important things

Before opening, you need to choose the format of the establishment and draw up a business plan. Proceed with specific steps only after you know: what, to whom and how to sell.

Since 01.01.16, GOST R 56644-2015 “Services to the public” has been in force in Russia. Fitness services. General requirements". The activities of commercial boxing clubs are subject to the standard. Certification according to GOST is voluntary, but the document is indispensable in work and preparation for visitors from authorities: it contains requirements for the safety of clubs, the quality of equipment and premises, and the qualifications of employees. Read, apply and be prepared.

Registration

For a commercial project, the legal forms of LLC and individual entrepreneur are suitable.

OKVED codes must be selected according to the OK 029-2014 classifier (NACE Rev. 2) as amended. from 08.26.16:

activities of sports clubs and fitness centers, holding sporting events - 93.12, 93.13 and 93.11;
fitness bar - code 56.30;
services of baths, showers, saunas, etc. - code 96.04;
massage parlor - 86.90.3.

The most suitable form of taxation is the simplified tax system on income (the rate is 6%; by law of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation it can be reduced to 0%). For individual entrepreneurs, there is another attractive option - a patent for the type of activity “Conducting classes in physical education and sports” (rate 0-6% depending on the region). Both taxation systems are under regional jurisdiction; we recommend that you first study the issue locally.

Licenses, permits, notices

Medical license. In general, if the club does not provide a medical worker and a massage room, then a license is not needed. Therefore, there is no need to obtain a conclusion from the SES.
If the club operates a medical and/or massage room, you will have to obtain a license for medical activities with all the ensuing consequences (according to Government Decree No. 291 dated April 16, 2012, the package of documents for applying for a license includes a SEZ for the premises, documents for medical equipment, medical staff, etc.).
Educational license. If a commercial boxing club provides sports and fitness services and is not engaged in educational activities, including training personnel for the fitness services market, then a license is not needed.
Notification from Rospotrebnadzor. According to Law No. 294-FZ of December 22, 2008 “On the Protection of the Rights of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs...” catering organizations and providers of personal services (including bathhouse and shower services) must inform regulatory authorities about the fact of starting their activities. If a club pleases visitors with a herbal bar, sauna or hammam, you need to send a notification to Rospotrebnadzor using the standard form.

No other permits are required in accordance with Law N 294-FZ, but activities must comply with sanitary, fire and other requirements (see below).

Documents regulating the activities of fitness clubs

GOST standards:
GOST R 56644-2015 “Fitness services”;

GOST 12.1.004-91 “Fire safety”;

GOST 32670-2014 “Services of baths and showers”;

GOST R 52024-2003 and 52025-2003 “Fitness, health and sports services. General requirements" and "Consumer safety requirements";

GOST R 55321-2012 “SPA services. General requirements".
Sanitary requirements:
SP 31-112-2004 “Physical training and sports halls” (parts 1 and 2);

SP No. 2.3.6.1079-01. 2.3.6. “Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for catering organizations...”;

SanPiN 1S67-76 “Sanitary rules for the design and maintenance of places of physical education and sports”, as amended. dated 10/31/1996.
Laws:
No. 2300-1 dated 02/07/1992 “On the protection of consumer rights”;

N9 329-FZ dated 04.12.07 “On physical culture and sports in the Russian Federation”;

N9 384-FZ dated December 30, 2009 “Techn. regulations on the safety of buildings and structures";

N9 123-FZ dated July 22, 2008 “Tech. regulations on fire safety requirements."

Premises and equipment

The location of the club must correspond to the chosen format. However, in all cases, premises in industrial zones are not suitable, as well as inconvenient for clients in terms of “getting there”. All over the world, fitness centers are traditionally located in rented space. Preference should be given to long-term leases in order to have time to recoup investments in repairs.

The club can accommodate 150 sq. m, but this is the bare minimum. Ceiling height is important; it is better to choose 3 m or more.

Regardless of the size of the room, you must highlight:

a gym, or better yet two: one for training, the second, with a boxing ring, for competitions and performances;
reception area;
locker rooms;
room for showers and toilets.

If the audience is not only male, you need to take care of separate locker rooms and showers for women and children.

Staff

We need coaches and administration workers. The higher the professionalism of the coaching staff, the better. Invite athletes with real achievements: masters of sports and champions, people with coaching experience and higher education in the field of physical education and sports. You cannot save on personnel; the success of the business lies in it.

If the format requires it, hire a nutritionist or massage therapist. A medical worker is welcome on the club staff - the sport is traumatic. Accounting and cleaning functions should be outsourced.

Advertising and Marketing

Potential clients are active Internet users, offer them the most complete information about the club on the website: about training, student achievements, types of boxing, teaching methods (if any), trainers, payment system, discounts and bonuses.

Franchises

The boxing area of fitness services is developing very actively, so there are many franchise offers and plenty to choose from.

1. Boxing Academy franchise

Lump sum fee: 350 thousand rubles.
Investments: 1,950 - 3,600 thousand rubles.
Payback period: 1 month
"BOXING ACADEMY" (boxing-academy.ru) is a network of premium sports clubs for women, men and children. The company has been in boxing since 2011, and was one of the invited consultants from the professional community to develop GOST standards for fitness services. Premises requirements: from 200 sq. m with a ceiling height of 3.5 m.

2. Rocky franchise

Lump sum fee: 350 thousand rubles.
Investments: 500 - 1,500 thousand rubles.
Payback period: 6 months
Rocky (rockyclub.rufranchasing) are clubs in the “boxing” format for white collar workers. The company has been in business since 2013. They use unique Rocky training methods. Premises requirements: from 200 sq. m. with ceiling heights from 2.5 m.
Boxing clubs Moscowboxing (moscowboxing.ru) and Udarnik (extrimpower.ru) also have offers, but little information has been published for franchisee partners.

Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below

Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.

Business plan

First you need to draw up a business plan for the sports section on paper. In this document, you must reflect all the intricacies of organizing your own business: decide on the size of the training room, the number of staff, the amount of start-up capital and calculate how much profit you intend to make in the end. Clearly define your goals for the near future.

Business registration

Before you open a sports section, you must make your business activity legal. What does this mean? You must register your business with the authorized authorities.

It should be noted that you have the right to register your enterprise as a commercial structure, or you can choose, for example, a non-profit partnership as an organizational and legal form. If you choose the latter option, you can count on receiving tax benefits from the state.

If you intend to make a profit, then you should obtain title documents from the tax office. If you stop at a public organization, then - in the territorial justice bodies. To simplify tax payment at the initial stage of your activity, it is better to register as an individual entrepreneur.

It should be noted that the registration procedure, as a rule, does not cause difficulties and after 5-7 days from the date of application, the necessary documents will be in your hands.

Choosing a Section Location

You must understand that in the age of high technology, humanity leads a fairly dynamic life when there is not enough time for anything. This is why people are not attracted to the prospect of standing in traffic jams for several precious hours on the way to the sports section. Therefore, your club should have a convenient location. Naturally, clients should easily reach it by public transport.

Of course, not everyone can afford to rent a room in the city center. It is optimal to choose the location of your sports section in one of the residential areas. This will provide you with a regular influx of clients. At the same time, choose places where there is convenient parking so that your club members can park their car in the right place.

Employees

At the next stage, you must decide on the staffing issue, since without qualified trainers, administrators, consultants and massage therapists, it is unlikely that you will be able to organize a business competently. Do not forget that every month you will have to pay for their work.

Advertising

In order for as many people as possible to know about your section, you need to systematically advertise your own business. Let's advertise in newspapers, on the radio, put up flyers on the streets. Organize promotions for your customers, for example, set a 5% discount when purchasing a monthly subscription.

Gym premises and equipment

When organizing the above business, you must carefully consider the issue of what your sports premises will be like (this is also relevant when developing a document such as an art school business plan).

If you intend to work with clients with low incomes, then the price of renting a gym should not be prohibitively high. As an option, we can recommend semi-basement or basement premises.

If you intend to put your business on a grand scale, as they say, thinking, for example, about how to open a martial arts section, then you will need several fairly large premises where you could provide gyms, a lobby with a wardrobe, locker rooms, toilets And so on.

As for the equipment, visitors will judge the status of your establishment by its quality and design. The range of equipment depends directly on what sports you are going to teach your clients.

For example, to organize a martial arts section you will need special carpets, mats, exercise equipment, uneven bars, and horizontal bars. Have you decided to open a basketball section? You need to take care of balls, sports uniforms, and arranging the hall with rings in advance. To play badminton you will need a net, rackets and shuttlecocks.

If you want to have only modern models of exercise machines, then when drawing up, for example, a business plan for a martial arts hall, you must provide for additional costs in the start-up capital, since modern “health machines” are quite expensive.

Again, it should be noted that if your business is focused on clients with low incomes, then spending money on expensive bike paths hardly makes sense, since such investments will not be able to recoup quickly. If you want to become a worthy competitor to famous sports schools in your city, then you must have everything new and modern.

Of course, pay special attention to the quality of service in your section. Don’t forget that the client is always right: he should be as comfortable as possible at the sports school. Remember also that sport is positioned as a separate ideology. It involves a positive attitude towards people leading a healthy lifestyle.

Various types of martial arts are very popular today. What it is? Martial arts are sports in which participants compete with each other without using firearms.

Peculiarities

There are certain rules that apply to a particular type of martial arts. Martial arts should not be confused with martial arts. Martial arts are either martial or sports. Experts call martial arts and martial arts in one word, “Kempo”.

Among the visitors of such clubs there are men, women and even small children. There are plenty of people who want to learn this from scratch or improve their own skills.

In small towns, the presence of such a club can bring significant profits; the lack of competitors encourages many to open a sports organization. When starting any business, you need a well-thought-out business plan. You won’t have to invest a lot of money in implementing such a plan. In addition to the commercial side, this business project is healthy and useful.

Business registration

Opening your own club means registering it as an LLC or individual entrepreneur. After which you can legally receive money for training everyone. Since sports in some cases lead to human injuries, it is simply necessary to consult with a lawyer when preparing all documents. You should study all the nuances of the design and choose the most suitable option.

If you form a non-profit partnership, the state may provide tax benefits. Having chosen an individual entrepreneur, you will have to register with the tax office and pay taxes.

Advantageous location

You should not consider premises located far from residential areas. People value their time, so they won’t waste it on getting to the club. The optimal location for the club is a room located near the metro and bus stops.

The only disadvantage of renting in the city center is its cost, which not everyone can pay. It is better to rent premises in a residential area; the payment will be significantly lower, but the number of clients will not decrease.

It would be good if there is a parking lot near the club; for many clients this nuance is important, since the prospect of leaving the car wherever necessary is not satisfactory.

Equipment

For the martial arts hall you will need:

tatami about 120 sq. meters,
helmets,
makiwara,
gloves,
Swedish wall,
decorative elements.

You will have to spend a lot of money on sports equipment. You need to take time to find professional trainers.

They must have the highest qualifications; a prerequisite is a master’s degree in sports and extensive teaching experience. A properly organized martial arts club has an amazing atmosphere dedicated to health and improvement.

Today, gyms provide additional services. The number of visitors depends on the quality of services provided. Opening your own club is not easy; you need to be aware of all the nuances that accompany it.

Marketing move

You can save on leaflets if you design them yourself and print them on a printer at home. Special advertising agencies will do this work for you. Every whim for your money. Promote your website, and the number of visitors to your club will definitely increase. You can attract customers with various incentive offers.

Expenses and income

It is clear that the first thing an entrepreneur is interested in is how much it will cost him. Approximate costs:

It’s realistic to rent a room for 60 thousand rubles;
repairs and purchase of equipment will cost 400 thousand rubles;
staff salary (10 people) is about 200 thousand rubles;
you will have to spend about 100 thousand rubles on advertising;
possible expenses are 100 thousand, in total it is necessary to prepare about 900 thousand rubles.

The profit of the martial arts club is divided into: permanent and temporary. A permanent income is ensured if customers buy subscriptions for several months at once; its average cost is one and a half thousand rubles. Good profit is not a myth if you attract about 100 new clients every month. It’s great if the classes are group and individual.

Temporary income requires the client to pay one-time payments; the bad news is that many people visit clubs from time to time. The cost of one visit is about 150 rubles.

A small martial arts sports club generates a monthly profit of 200 thousand rubles. In this situation, the business will pay for itself within six months.

Possible options

If it is impossible to open a sports club for some reason, it is worth considering the option of opening a gym, which has some advantages.

You can open your own gym without investing a large amount. Such premises are limited to basic repairs. You will have to spend money on installing a high-quality ventilation system, locker rooms, showers, and tatami. The necessary equipment can be acquired over time; it is not necessary to buy everything new.

Such a hall will find its regular customers, because martial arts fans will purposefully come here.

The hall can be rented out and receive passive income. You will have to pay for the work of the administrator and the cleaning lady. You can open your own gym if you have the necessary knowledge and funds.