By business · Gyms and studios

Instagram auto-replies for martial arts schools

A martial arts school hears from parents more than from students: what age can they start, what does the uniform cost, when is the next grading. Comment-to-DM sends those answers while the class is on the mat. Below are the words, four set-ups, freebies and the safeguarding points.

Updated 6 October 2026

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Comment words for martial arts schools

Ask people to comment one word in your caption or video. Each word sends something different.

TRIAL
Your first class: which sessions suit a newcomer, what to wear, where a parent can wait or watch and how to reserve a place.
KIDS
Classes by age band: the start times, how many coaches are on the mat, what a child learns in the first term and the price.
GRADING
The next belt test: the date, the fee, what each student is assessed on and what attendance is needed beforehand.
UNIFORM
Uniform sizing and where to buy it: the gi or dobok, belt and sparring kit, the sizing chart and how long an order takes.
SELFDEFENCE
Self-defence workshops: the dates, the price, what is taught in a few hours and whether anyone with no experience can join.
TEAM
The competition squad: who can join, the tournament dates, the entry fees, the travel plans and which coach to speak to.
ADULTS
Adult beginner classes: the evenings, the mix of grades in the room, how sparring is introduced and the protective kit needed.
TIMETABLE
The weekly timetable by style and age band, with the coach for each class and the room it runs in.

4 set-ups to try

Each one shows the conversation it creates. After a comment, the first DM is plain text, as Meta requires, and the link follows once they answer.

  • Parents asking about kids' classes

    Someone comments on your post

    KIDS

    Public reply under their comment

    The kids' class details are in your DMs 🥋

    First DM (plain text)

    Thanks for the comment. How old is your child, and have they tried a martial art before? Reply and I'll send the class that fits their age and how to book a first session.Yes pleaseKids' classes by ageSee the classes

    A parent chooses on age and temperament, and a shy six-year-old needs a different class from a restless ten-year-old. Age picks the class. The experience answer tells the coach what to expect on the first day.

  • Grading date from a belt-test countdown Story

    Replied to your story

    GRADINGExciting week. Is this your own grading or your child's, and which belt are they going for? Reply and I'll send the date, the fee and what the examiner looks at.Grading day detailsSee the details

    Gradings run on fixed dates with fees and attendance rules, and the same Story is answered by students and by parents. Asking whose grade it is lets one card serve both, and nobody has to scroll the timetable for the date.

  • Self-defence workshop enquiries

    Someone comments on your post

    SELFDEFENCE

    Public reply under their comment

    Workshop dates are in your DMs, thanks for asking

    First DM (plain text)

    Thanks for the interest. Have you done any martial arts or self-defence before, and is there a friend or group you'd like to come with? Reply and I'll send the workshop dates and what it covers.Yes pleaseSelf-defence workshop datesSee the dates

    Workshop guests are often first-timers who are nervous about a mat full of strangers. The group question prompts a joint booking. A person should answer anyone who mentions a recent attack or an ongoing threat, so tell them it will be a reply from the coach.

  • Uniform sizes for new starters and growth spurts

    UNIFORMThanks for asking. Is the uniform for a new starter or for someone who has outgrown theirs, and how tall are they? Reply and I'll send the sizing chart and how to order.Uniform sizing and ordersSee the chart

    Parents ask in a new student's first week and again at every growth spurt. Height is the measurement the chart needs, and the starter answer lets you add what is needed for the first lesson.

Freebies worth commenting for

  • A parent's guide to the first class: what to wear, where to wait and how a lesson is structured
  • A plain-words guide to the styles your school teaches and how a class in each one differs
  • A belt-order chart with the syllabus for the next grade, as a one-page PDF
  • A grading-day checklist for parents: arrival time, uniform check and how results are given
  • A printable sizing chart with a step-by-step guide to tying a belt
  • A glossary of the commands and etiquette heard in class, such as bowing in and when to remove shoes
  • Five home drills a child can practise in the living room between lessons
  • A tournament-day packing list for the competition squad
  • A one-page everyday safety handout from your self-defence workshops

Who writes to a martial arts school, and what they want

Most of a school's messages are written in the first person about someone else, because the buyer is often a parent. Sort the inbox by who is writing.

Parents ask

  • “What age can they start?” Send KIDS with the age bands.
  • “Can I stay and watch?” Say in the first-class guide where parents wait.
  • “How much is it?” Put the fee and the cost of the uniform on one page, so there are no surprises.
  • “When is the next grading?” Send GRADING with the date and fee.

Adults ask

  • “Am I too old or unfit?” The ADULTS card should show how mixed the room is.
  • “Do you spar?” Say when sparring starts and what protective kit is needed.
  • “Do you run women's self-defence?” Send SELFDEFENCE with the dates.

Answer yourself

  • Any message about bullying, a child who is struggling or a safeguarding worry.
  • Injuries, concussion and medical conditions. Suggest a doctor and speak to the person.
  • Fee disputes, and anyone describing an abusive situation.

Posts that earn comments from a school

  • A warm-up filmed from the back of the room, with KIDS. Show only children whose parents agreed.
  • A belt ceremony, with written parent consent, and GRADING for the next date.
  • A coach showing one technique slowly in a 15-second clip, with TRIAL for a first lesson.
  • A child tying a belt for the first time, with UNIFORM for the sizing chart.
  • Tournament-day highlights, with TEAM for how to join the squad.
  • A Story poster for a women's workshop, with SELFDEFENCE as the reply word.

Enquiries follow the school calendar: September, January and the start of summer holidays. Gradings often come at the end of a term, so set up GRADING a few weeks before each one.

Tip: Use KIDS for the children's posts and ADULTS for the others. One word per audience stops a parent receiving the adult trial page.

Following up with a parent

  1. The first DM asks the child's age or the person's experience, so the card matches the class.
  2. The card opens the class page or a trial booking form. DMFast doesn't hold places, take fees or track attendance, so those stay in your own system.
  3. Use email capture for the first-class guide, and ask for the parent's email, not the child's. Export the list as a CSV.
  4. Switch on the reminder for a parent who asked about classes and stopped, since many decide after talking to the family.

A school in India can use the DMFast store to sell a digital product such as a home-practice video pack, give a freebie for an email, and take free or paid 1-on-1 bookings, for example a call with the head coach. Payments go through Razorpay and DMFast takes no fee on sales. Class fees stay with your own billing.

Safeguarding and other things to check

  • Children's images. Get written consent from a parent or guardian before posting an identifiable child, and remember some families can't be shown for reasons they won't explain.
  • Teenagers. Instagram accounts are for people aged 13 and over. Keep a young person's messages to the automatic reply and the page, and take anything more to a parent. Follow your governing body's safeguarding policy.
  • Ranks and titles. State only the grades and qualifications your coaches hold, and the name of the body that awarded them.
  • Self-defence claims. A class can build confidence and awareness, but no workshop can promise someone will be safe in an attack.
  • Injuries. Don't advise on a sprain or a head knock. Point to a doctor and let the coach follow up.
  • Limits. One private reply per comment, within 7 days, with an Instagram cap of 750 an hour. DMFast stays under 700.

Messages to copy

Questions people ask

Can it tell a parent which class suits their child?

Keyword replies send the same card to everyone, so ask the age in the first message and let the card list the classes by age. On the Growth and Business plans, AI replies can answer from the timetable notes you provide. A coach should decide for a child with additional needs.

A teenager messages the school. Should it answer?

DMFast can't tell how old a sender is. Write the reply so it points to a page a parent can read, and keep longer conversations with under-18s to the parent. Check your own safeguarding policy for how staff handle messages from young people.

We teach three styles. Can one account handle that?

Yes. Give each style its own word, such as KARATE or BJJ, and let the first message ask which style they mean. The cards can then open the right timetable and the right grading page.

Can it tell everyone a class is cancelled?

Not in bulk. Automated messages go only to people who wrote to you in the last 24 hours, and mass DMs aren't possible with official tools. Update the TIMETABLE message, post a Story and use the email list or your school's own channel for cancellations.

Can it take the monthly fee?

No. DMFast sends people to the page where you already take fees. In India, its store can take Razorpay payments for digital products and 1-on-1 bookings, but it doesn't run class billing.

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