Steep fees!

[CountPike]

Has anyone else noticed this? I was thinking of taking up Arnis, £7 a lesson or £20 a month for 1 lesson a week!
Thought about Kendo too, £80 just to join the club, £50 a year to be part of the club, £30/month for 3 lessons a week but only if you payed the membership were you allowed to compete in tournies!
Kung-Fu Class, £5-6 a session!

Don't know about you people but these prices seem a bit shocking, Anyone else noticed this.

[TigerWoman]

I pay $7. a lesson for yoga once a week. We have a 1st dan teaching nunchuku, sai and bo for $5. a lesson. Some teachers are more qualified than others. TW

[CountPike]

In dollars that works out as $11.20 for a single 1 hour lesson.
Could be the best teacher in the world but even then that is a horrendous price imho

[Kempogeek]

Too bad it couldn't have been a 2 hour lesson then I would have paid the $11.20. Seems like more of a bargin that way. Best regards, Steve

[Paul B]

I would say it depends on the Instructor. Does he/she do this for a living? If they do,then suddenly 11 bucks an hour doesn't seem like much to make.

You also have to figure in the overhead cost if you're training in a hall with equipement,it may be a necessary evil.That's my 2 c's.

Hey Kempogeek,you're right down the road! Say hi to Sensei Dale or Sensei Mike for me! (whichever you train with):)

[CountPike]

Had it been 2 hours it wouldn't be so bad but they run a two hour session too, cant begin to figure how much they charge for that lol!
I dont think the guy does it for a living though.
I pay £3.50 Sterling for karate, up to two hours. This class is £7 an hour.
Really slapped me in the face it did because I was all ready and geard up to go.

[Kempogeek]

Hello Mr. Bladen. I train with Sensei Mike. I will definately send your regards. Good luck with your training......I understand the feeling Countpike. There's no worse feeling than being disappointed after getting excited about a class. Shame money has to be a factor but Paul B do make some good points. Best regards, Steve

[bignick]

Regarding the Kendo fees....sometimes it's more than just paying for instruction...you should ask what your money is going towards. It was probably things like insurance, etc. At least that's what you usually see when you see yearly fees like that, in my experience.

Or maybe the instructor was just pocketing it...I don't know..:idunno:

[Zepp]

The Kendo prices seem ridiculous for a beginner. Is it possible to just take lessons without being a full member?

The Kung-fu and Arnis prices look reasonable to me.

[digitalronin]

$12 bucks an hour is pretty reasonable. Compare it to what other skilled service workers will charge you. My last instructor steered people towards privates which he charged $50/hr (4xmonth). To make matters worth that fee didnt garantee undivide attention, so I figured it was time to find an instructor that was more interested in teaching the arts and less on making a profit.

[Knifehand]

I pay 79 bucks a month for four years for unlimited training until i am a Cho Dan. not bad i think

[AnimEdge]

27a month for the Gym and uh Ninjutsu is free :P (i heard the gym pays them like 5.15 a hr :P) 3 hrs a week :P

[Digger70chall]

i gladly hand over my 90 bucks a month...although not cheap by itself, if compared to other things i might do instead it becomes cheap. Also i love what i'm learning and the people i'm meeting along the way.

[jkn75]

How much do you believe fees should be? What is reasonable?


I pay $7. a lesson for yoga once a week. We have a 1st dan teaching nunchuku, sai and bo for $5. a lesson. Some teachers are more qualified than others. TW

How is the yoga teacher more qualified than the first dan? What are the differences in their training?

My opinion is this, people will pay what they think the product is worth. From what I here this is how ATA thinks. What is it worth to spend an hour with a higher rank? If you are only learning things taught in class with little more, it's not worth much. But if it's completely different from class and you pick up new training methods, techniques, or weapons then it should be worth much more.

As an instructor, to further my training I go to Illinois from Texas (I could stay in TX but the instructors in IL gel with me better), I go from Dallas to Houston to test for my next dan, I pay association fees to open a school, part of my test fees go to my association and I only have a few students. I'm lucky, on top of that I only have to pay a health club owner and taxes. If I had a studio add utility bills, and insurance. My monthly fee per student will have to cover enough of those things to make it worthwhile for me to keep the doors open. Even better, I would like to make a little profit.

I agree some fees are expensive and out of touch with reality, but I think anything under about $86 a month is a good deal and anything up to $100 a month is ok as long as there is something else included (unlimited classes and 3-4 privates a month for example).
I also understand being a new student it can be hard because you want to try a martial art but sometimes it is just too expensive.

[dearnis.com]

When people complain about what their instructors charge they tend to forget that the training area costs money, the school has bills, and that an instructor worth his or her salt has a great deal of money tied up in their own education.

[Fbettincourt]

Why does a Harvard educated Dr. charge what he charges? Or a Lawyer, or an Accountant? Why are the martial arts any different? Go to Madison Avenue in NY to find any of the above and I am willing to bet that their hourly fees are higher than someone in the suburbs. Sometimes the address can determine your fees, sometimes your education does.

What someone charges is not as important as what you get for that price.

peace,

FB

[lvwhitebir]

What someone charges is not as important as what you get for that price.

Even more, it's what you feel you get for that price. You may actually get more or less than what you *feel* you're getting. That determines if the price is "worth it" or not.

I went to a Gracie seminar and went into a semi-private instruction (only about 5 people). I paid about $50 for 1.5 hours. I thought it was worth it, although I wouldn't pay that as a regular weekly fee.

WhiteBirch

[CountPike]

I accept for the kendo and the Arnis that insurance may be part of the charge HOWEVER this is the thing that i dislike.
You MUST go on an 8 week course costing £80 to be allowed to join the kendo club. Also you must spend £20 (this is £ sterling btw) on a shinai. However once your into the club you must spend 6 months attending the club on a regular basis to be allowed to wear the armour. Dury this 6 months it costs £5 per lesson to be taught basic and obvious strikes and practice them on your own. Now I know you might hurt yourself if you were sparring but really, being relegated from the main body of the class for 6 months and watching them enjoy themselves? Psychological Trorture.

The Arnis I will consider BUT it is a matter of the repetitive cost, it will cost me £10 ($16 US) for one seesion to get the bus there, go there and get back. If I was mistaken and it is a 2 hour session than maybe it will be better but £7 for an hour is steep. Personally I would go for it but my parents are paying and considering neither are employed (Age and Medical reasons) they might have an issue of spending £10 a week for a single hour.

I mean if it was a Gracie or summit youd expect a high price but this isn't

[Sin]

$50 a month 2 scheduled classes a week....if have free time away from School or work I can go any time that my sensei is available.

[CountPike]

In britain there is far far less of this dedicated dojo stuff and hardly any dojos aare what someone earns their living from.

[bushi jon]

We charge 8.75 a class or 105 a month we offer 7 2 hour classes a week

[terryl965]

Money Money Money, what is the problem with money. most people go to work to earn a living. Most instructors need to earn a living also they need to pay the Dojaang rent utilities and insurance for the people.If you are happy with your training than money does not matter if not look else where but remember you get what you pay for, buyer beware of false promises.

[Cruentus]

There is nothing wrong with charging a reasonable fee for instruction.

If a college brings in a guest lecturer, they pay him sometimes between 10 and 20 grand for an afternoon.

We get punched at, kicked at, hit in the nuts, eyes, throat, etc. We get our bodies torques around if we're working like we should, and we get challenged often on top of it, and we always have to remain on top of our game.

Yet, people will want to whine about 10 bucks an hour? I think many people need to get their priorities straight.

If the martial arts school brings you value, then there is nothing wrong with paying them a fair and reasonable price for there services. period.

Paul

[dearnis.com]

Kendo is, quite simply, expensive and there seems to be no way to cut the cost. As far as that art goes, the shinai is the tip of the iceberg; look at the cost for decent complete kit. Then ask yourself how much training that amount of money will bring you in one of the other arts. If your choice is between training and gear....choose training!

[bignick]

...but really, being relegated from the main body of the class for 6 months and watching them enjoy themselves? Psychological Trorture.
Of course....they only want people that are dedicated to stick around. I've heard of kendo schools where you do almost nothing but learn footwork for the entire first year. I've also heard of schools that schedule their classes on nights where people normally wouldn't want to come to the dojo...i.e..Friday/Saturday night...

[Shogun]

I've always paid about $50 -$80 month, and $10 drop in fee isnt bad. Say I can only go once a week, than its $40 dollars a month. other classes, are more. so many factors......

[still learning]

Hello, 2 cents for this thought? If they are consider one of the best schools to learn from "expect higher fees" . The best will train with only the best. If it is a average school and you find the fees to high for you?....look around for something in your price range. This is a hard question to answer regarding the fees because we do not know all the details. In a big city , the cost may be higher than a rural town. Every instructor can and will set what they want to charge you for their time to teach you what they learn. The teachers background / his experience may be worth the cost/fees for the class.

Want to learn from "Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, Superfoot, etc ..won't be cheap?
Want to learn from me " inexpensive" but you get what you pay for? ...Aloha

[still learning]

Hello, For 2 cents here are my thoughts. The best will learn only from the best, if that school is consider one of the best to learn from than expect higher fees. If it is just a aveage school and you find the fees to high for you,look else where.
Each teacher will set the rates for their experience/ background of knowledge that they will share with you. Is it worth the cost? You must decide that for your self, everyone is different in what they want out of the class.

Usually in the big cities the cost of training is higher (cost of rent,so on), in the rural towns cost is usually cheaper.

Chuck Norris,Joe Lewis, Superfoot, etc..to learn from them expect high fees.
From me expect "cheaper fee" ....Class will be at? .......Aloha

[asangria]

I pay 15 dollars for private lessons and I didn't think that was too expensive. I checked other places and it seemed they wanted to charge more but offered less.

At least where I train doesn't try to lock me down into a contract.

[Adept]

I would say it depends on the Instructor. Does he/she do this for a living? If they do,then suddenly 11 bucks an hour doesn't seem like much to make.
No, but remember it is $11.00 per student per hour. Ten students makes this $110.00 an hour. twenty students makes it $220.00

Thats a lot.

I pay $25 a month for training five nights a week, and the first sunday of every month. The price is a flat rate, and you train as often as you want.

[BrandiJo]

I pay 25 a month for 4 times a week sometimes the class is an hr sometimes 2, my Inst are well qualified but they dont do this for a liviing they charge enough to keep the lights on and the rent payed

[MJS]

Keep in mind that there are alot of things to take into consideration when talking about prices.

1- Supply and demand. This can also be translated into the art that is in question.

2- Number of times classes are offered at said school.

3- Who is the inst. that is offering the classes?

Many inst. out there have spent years and alot of money invested into their own learning, so they kind of look at it like the student, if they are truly hungry for what is being taught, will also spend much money.

Take into consideration the location of the school. If its in a prime location, the rent can be very high. The inst. I'm sure will want to make some sort of profit, even if it is not his/her sole source for money.

Who is the teacher that is teaching? Now, my BJJ inst. is a student under Roy Harris. I don't know for a fact how much Roy charges for lessons at his location, but I can also bet that its a heck of alot more than what my inst. is charging. But, thats one way to look at it...are you learning from a student or from the man himself??

As for the privates...again, depends on the person doing them. I've seen anywhere from $20-50, and as high as $100-120.

Mike

[Rob Broad]

No, but remember it is $11.00 per student per hour. Ten students makes this $110.00 an hour. twenty students makes it $220.00

Thats a lot.

I pay $25 a month for training five nights a week, and the first sunday of every month. The price is a flat rate, and you train as often as you want.


Something that has to be considered is the amount of money that comes in when the school is not open. That is Zero dollars during those hours. Most instructor take all their expenses at them all together, then divide it my average hours in a month that they have class, from there they fiure out how many students they ususally have per class and then work out a reasonable fee, plus they have to add a little in there for themselves, since they are giving up their time that they could be doing something else with such as spending it with family, working, or anything else.

For example.
The school has a total of $1200 a month in expenses such as rent insurance and utilities. But the school is only open 20 hours per week which is 80 hours per month which means there is a lot of hours in which the school is not generating cash. $1200 divided by 80 is 15/hour that the school has to generate which doesn't seem like much, when you have 10 peopel per class coming in but there is usually taxes that have to be paid on every dollar coming in the door on top of your monthly expenses. There are of lots things trying to take the money from the instructor, and $1200 would be an extrememly low operating cost.

Also, does the instructor go to seminars and training camps to gain more knowledge, if so should the school not pay for this instead of it coming out of his own pocket.

There are many things that have to be taken into consideration when a school owner sets his monthly tuitions, rent, utilities, taxes, insurance association fees, advertising, common usage fees are just a few of them.

[CountPike]

Of course....they only want people that are dedicated to stick around. I've heard of kendo schools where you do almost nothing but learn footwork for the entire first year. I've also heard of schools that schedule their classes on nights where people normally wouldn't want to come to the dojo...i.e..Friday/Saturday night...


Not meaning to be shallow but if I went to a school like that and heard id spend a year learning how to step backwards and forwards I would quit strait away. A Year of paying so much every lesson and so on, buying armour and shinai and all and all you can do is step forwards and backwards. Shows a great cost effective scheme there. :uhyeah:
I accept there are costs but if any of you come from britain you will understand

[Paul B]

I agree,Adept. That is a bit of money,I was under the impression he was spending that on "privates",though. I would be paying something like like $250US per month,then....http://martialtalk.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif

[47MartialMan]

So the higher the fee the higher the quality?