Re: Differences between female & male practitioners
I'd never, ever go to a dojo with segregated training. I just don't put myself into the drawer where they lock the frail, fearful females.
BUT I absolutely support the idea of separate beginner classes for women. Those women who have some qualms, who are afraid of being smashed on the tatami or get their wrists broken, why shouldn't they START comfortably? Once they gain more confidence, they would WANT to pass to the mixed class anyway. Until they don't get this confidence, why not let them in their cosy biotope?
I have seen several dojos that offer women's classes, both in Azerbaijan and in Turkey. and it was exactly with this idea. Help the women surpass the initial timidity barrier. It worked there, because the dojos are big enough to find enough women beginners without self confidence. In our small Belgian dojo, it would be one or two women per year, so it wouldn't be very sustainable...
And I don't think it is a sin to plan a dojo like a start-up business. This doesn't automatically mean you want to sell coloured belts. But still you would wish to have enough students, not only to pay the rent, but also to advance with the training and have some diversity. So where is the problem in doing a market research? It's only the word "marked" that has this vile, capitalist sound, but knowing what you do before starting is simply common sense.
Have a nice week-end!