5 RED FLAGS FOR WOMEN TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN JOINING A MARTIAL ARTS CLUB

1. NO OR VERY FEW WOMEN

Ask yourself why there aren’t more women training in the club. It is often a sign that women don’t feel comfortable and the club is not interested in creating a welcoming and professional training environment for women.

2. NO WOMEN COACHES

This shows that women are not taken seriously or catered for and a club is not willing to take necessary measures and make effortsto diversify their classes and have women representation in positions of authority. Trying to keep it a boys club ain't it!

3. INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR from coaches and teammates

Flirtacious behaviour is an absolute red flag. If a coach is making inappropriate comments, messages you privately and is overall giving you a flirtacious vibe, trust your gut and run! This goes as well for teammates as it usually reflects a coaches attitude and incapacity of creating a safe training environment for women and shows a complete lack of respect, professionalism and boundaries.

4. NO HIGH RANKED/ EXPERIENCED WOMEN

A lack of high ranked or experienced women implies that either there are no women joining, which is a concern in itself or there is a high turnover rate for women leaving the club to go elsewhere. So only seeing women beginners could potentially be a concern.

5. LOVE BOMBING

Lovebombing is a manipulative tactic where someone showers excessive attention, flattery and affection upon another person in the early stages of a relationship. A coach might use lovebombing on you at the beginning to make you feel special and establish themselves as an authority figure or someone to rely on. This is emotional manipulation and often used to distract from other issues while also creating an unbalanced power dynamic.