In the past I used to find good teachers that teach their art almost for free. Often you would give them donations in red envelopes, or pay a little something every month to keep renting the grounds you practiced on. It seemed like the most honorable way.
But now I notice, that a lot of martial art schools, even the older masters are charging in full. I’m talking about $99-150 a month. And sometimes they ask you to make contracts to pay for several months. Is this really worth it to you? What is the most you would pay?
These prices seem a bit ridiculous to me. It seems to me instead of paying $100 a month investing in a good knife, expendable baton, or tazer, would be a better investment if you’re worried about self defense. And then for staying in shape, gym membership goes for $20-$30 a month.
I got my training for free living at the school while away from my home but i was responsible for cleaning, chores, mantinenace and teaching the kids classes in return. My teacher is Chinese so he said usually all schools back in the day were like this.
However this is america and rent and ulities are so expensive so some fees must be charged, but too many people trr to get rich by teaching and this lead sto watered down training, kids under 18 or even 14 obtaining black belts and crappy shopping mall schoolss truing out bad product.
I charge only 60.00 a month for classes and I go month to month no contracts… I do charge 20.00 for the uniform which is bacically a t shirt with our log on it, just to look professional and I do just fine.
I pay $100 for my monthly tuition. But its still worth it since u get to train 3 days a week, 2 hours a day. That’s alot out of training in my opinion.
I guess this is dependant on what kind of training you are looking for.
At one time I looked down on contracts and is some ways I don’t fully agree with them but I understand why instructors use them. It is really no different than a fitness gym where you have a contract that comes out of your checking monthly. Would I ever join a place like this? Probably not, unless I knew the instruction was top notch. Which leads to the other point…
Good instruction often is not cheap. People like to talk about the basement masters who train you in the “uber secret deadly” but most of us realize now how much horse sh**it that really is. If i want to train with the best, I find a gym or camp that is producing champion fighters and that is where I will train. You can have an old chinese guy teach you great things for years but if you don’t have the right training partners to test it out it won’t mean all that much.
One of my favorite quotes;
“You are only as good as the people you train with” - Randy Couture
manilla, that seems a but high to me. I have classes 6 days a week 2 classes a night and 1 on saturday so we are open alots, but the more I ask the more its seems like the norm 100 bucks now a days. inflation?
Violent,
honelty I teach because I love to teach and I promised my students tradional non waterd down art and no kids classes…
.
I do have a full time job as a drainge engineer so thats where I make my monies… LOl so I have the luxury of charging just enough to keep the heat and the light on… and I am fortunate and blessed for that.
[QUOTE=EarthDragon;1051472]manilla, that seems a but high to me. I have classes 6 days a week 2 classes a night and 1 on saturday so we are open alots, but the more I ask the more its seems like the norm 100 bucks now a days. inflation?
[/QUOTE]
Not really. I mean, the training i get is waay better than the one i got from my taekwondo school in the past. Plus my last school, i only get 2 days a week…
In all seriousness I would pay what I coudl afford.
If I felt I was being undercharged, I would make up for it in some other way.
If you are in a building with good facilities don’t expect to not pay market value not only for the lessons but for the facilities.
If you are in an old mah jhong hall or a tong or kmt centre, then the prices are likely to be pretty fair if not low for good kung fu instruction.
Be reasonable, use common sense. That’s part of it as well.
manilla, if you feel like you are getting a good deal than that’s awesome and is that really all that matters, if you are happy, sometimes money doesnt buy everything.
I guess if i were trying to feed my family and make a living soley on my school I would have to do alot of changes, but I am blessed being able to keep it open spread my style to others and make a difference adn impact in peoples lives.
no amount of money can do that
yes as pointed out, it depends on the facility rent and utility bills.
5$ per hour per person for the instructor
When I was in the kuoshu club in 1970s, we only had to pay for our own uniform, and a nominal fee, b/c the instructor was paid by the school or salaried
guess instructor will receive some money from the school extra curriculum activity fund budgeted for his time, meals and travelling expense
