Rates are commensurate with the local Cost of Living.
Pensacola, FL: $40-60/month for TKD, $60/month for Judo or Aikido, $15 a semester for Shotokan (University club).
Fayetteville, NC: $50/month for Muay Thai, $5/week for Kyokushin (on-Base).
YMMV.
It really depends on what you’re aiming for. If the goal is to achieve greater fighting skills then you shouldn’t limit yourself on exploring new techniques finding new teachers. Other than the fact of how well it works, you must like what you learn. Teachers and teachers often disagree with each other at points. So what’s right is what works for you. On the other hand if you just want to master you current learnings- that works, too. But not to forget to find out what other similar martial artist are working on.
People always say there is pros and cons in every style. I think that’s rather negative. Gracie family’s jujitsu has a mix of kick boxing and boxing techniques to help them gain the edge on closing in range and getting strikes when they can’t into thier desired position. Bruce Lee combine many footwork from different styles to avoid to going into the ground. And when he is on the ground he uses his flexiblity and his direct powerful approaches. So you can see that it’s really what you develop that counts. Ground moves are often seizing or locks. Many Shaolin chin nas practice in that area on the floor.
So… again it’s really down to what works for you.
[QUOTE=lunghushan;706278]It doesn’t seem like you’ve been to a school in a while, David. You might want to go check out their rates.[/QUOTE]
actually, seriously, those rates are too high.
40-60 bucks a month is par for asian martial arts and it usually is the mma guys who charge more because it’s popular now.
When I was last in San Francisco, one of the 3 most expensive cities in the United States, the going rate was 60$ - 80$ / month for unlimited classes. There were a few places more or less expensice but the general range for most schools was in there somewhere. At YC Wong’s at the time, I think I was paying 80 but I can’t remember. I remember watching new people showing up and being told it was for 3 classes a week but really, I don’t think people actually showing up too much was a problem. lol. If you could make it 5 days a week no one would have complained.
I paid 60/month for Kuk Sool Wan in SF but then there were endless testing fees, books you had to buy, patches, you name it.
At a TKD place I paid around 60 a month too. That was just the rate and San Francisco is EXPENSIVE. The only place more expensive is Manhatten. Not “New York”. New York as a whole, at that time, was supposed to be cheaper than SF. It only came out more expensive if you just looked at Manhatten. LA would be cheaper than SF except for the car expense. You can do without in SF. Not in LA. Also, in LA you tend to put a lot of miles in. So that’s the 3. SF, LA, NY. Price in SF: 60 - 80 except for Gracie schools which were outrageuously expensive. I mean like 300$ for 2 classes a week.
Ya… San Francisco charge alot and provid tiny package.
There’s alot of fake ones out there also. Very few good teachers here. Most of the styles here are Shaolin, Judo, Kickbox/Boxing, Karate, kind of things. You can go to UC Berkeley and get a really good TDK class. The Judo class in City College of SF is also pretty decent. I live around so I know. Never really been looking into LA/SD, but I’ve heard they’ve got alot more variety down there. Alot more Taiwanese teachers down south. Most of the Kung Fu teacher in SF are from Hong Kong. And of course New York will always be a tad bit better for whole martial art business.
[QUOTE=explosiveturtle;707000]Ya… San Francisco charge alot and provid tiny package.
There’s alot of fake ones out there also. Very few good teachers here. Most of the styles here are Shaolin, Judo, Kickbox/Boxing, Karate, kind of things. You can go to UC Berkeley and get a really good TDK class. The Judo class in City College of SF is also pretty decent. I live around so I know. Never really been looking into LA/SD, but I’ve heard they’ve got alot more variety down there. Alot more Taiwanese teachers down south. Most of the Kung Fu teacher in SF are from Hong Kong. And of course New York will always be a tad bit better for whole martial art business.[/QUOTE]
I have yet to meet a Taiwanese teacher. Maybe they are hiding in LA or in San Diego.
threadstarter: arent you the one that started the thread about having an open mind.
As far as Jack of all trades master of none,to me fighting is the trade, not form collecting or lineage climbing. I have stayed with some styles exclusively for a few years and I have had a variety, I feel I have learned at least a little something from everything.
[QUOTE=Green Cloud;705772]If you run around going from style to style all that happens is that you become a jack of all trades but master at none. [/QUOTE]
I have a different theory about that one. take your average mma guy. He trains striking and grappling. period. take your average cma guy. he trains striking, kicking, chin na, iron palm/body, qigong, multiple weapons, forms…
you guys have a lot less chance of mastering everything than we do, as we train fewer aspects. Who is REALLY the jack of all trades and master of none?
[QUOTE=bodhitree;707036]threadstarter: arent you the one that started the thread about having an open mind.
As far as Jack of all trades master of none,to me fighting is the trade, not form collecting or lineage climbing. I have stayed with some styles exclusively for a few years and I have had a variety, I feel I have learned at least a little something from everything.[/QUOTE]
Strange thing is she started basically the same thread in July:
http://forum.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42392
I would like to ask what does she study now and what her goals are.
[QUOTE=SevenStar;707039]I have a different theory about that one. take your average mma guy. He trains striking and grappling. period. take your average cma guy. he trains striking, kicking, chin na, iron palm/body, qigong, multiple weapons, forms…
you guys have a lot less chance of mastering everything than we do, as we train fewer aspects. Who is REALLY the jack of all trades and master of none?[/QUOTE]
good point.
i think kung fu is not for the hobbyist. you must devote extra time to your training.
you must put in the hours, you must sacrafice personal life, you must sacrafice carreer opportunities. if you want the chance to master a real style of chinese arts, you must make it your life. with this mentality you can be come a master of many aspects.
yes granted if you practice one punch a million times, vs. 4 puches 250 thousand times. your one punch will be great while the guy who practiced the 4 punches will not be as great. but great he still will be.
at what point though is it repetition you no longer need to perfect the motion. that one punch, if you pratice it your entire life and only that. you will reach a point when you are no longer perfecting it, for it is reached its peak. at that point you can do basic maintinence to keep your skill in that punch where it is, and continue onto another punch.
if you practice one punch your whole life, and i practice four my whole life, chances are my 4 puches that are also perfect, ( though it took longer) will beat out your one punch. i have in turn mastered your punch and with enough time you wasted on that same punch needlessly, i mastered 3 more.
its a juggling act. each person will need to find thier limit. for some, basics will always be your only game, for one may not have the time or genetic ability to continue further. for others, they may be able to pass taht.
jack of all trades master of none is a saying we have, but it is not the rule.
there are jack of all trades master of many…they can, will, have, and do exist, you but only have to strive hard enough.
we have proven time and again throughout the ages, if there is a will, ther IS a way.
its not even a matter of CMA vs. MMA or any other MA, but how much can YOU personally make time for and take in and truly practice till you master it.
personal
The whole “Mastering 1 thing” thing
Circa 1992… these guys… they were tough… I mean they were the best strikers you’d imagine… these dudes were the bomb. You didn’t want to step into the ring with them.
So these other guys see this and think, “let’s not play their game”. So these other guys step into the ring, slam these awesome strikers to the mat, and proceed to choke them, beat them, bend them, and break them.
The really awesome striker dudes never got the chance to use their good stuff.
What if you master that one technique, but the opportunity to use that one technique is never there? 