if you guys remember my "guess its in the blood" thread youll know i started back in Hapkido a short while ago. soooo, naturally the gods of sweat and happiness have perched on my head and taken a dump. our classes have been cut to one-1 hr. class a week! apparently to make room for more screaming TKD tots. but thats not the part that disturbs me, my master still wants 85$ a month for this schedule. yeah,yeah i know, the money isnt the important part, right? well im having a tough time with it. what do you folks think about this? should i settle? i cant go elsewhere because there arent any other suitable schools in this area. im gonna have to give this some serious thought...............respects

I know how much you enjoyed getting back into an organized class. Wow, that cost seems awful steep. Hope things work out.

Respects,
Bill

IMHO if you started paying a certain rate for a certain amount of time on the mat,, and now that time has been cut,, then it is only fair that the price should be cut also,, anything other than this in my opinion is wrong...
Mike

hey bill, youre right of course. it IS steep. and to be honest, the quality of instruction isnt what i remember. the more i think about it the more the Korean schools in our area seem to be more about the $$$ than anything else. and thats truly depressing.

My opinion is that you should go to your instructor and let him know how you feel about the art. Tell him that you can not continue your studies there if you have to pay the same and study less. I would also talk to a few other fellow students and see how many feel the same way. Through force in numbers maybe you can help your instructor to see that he should either make the prices reasonable to the amount of time he teaches or the time he teaches reasonable to the amount of study. Good luck.

Ya talk to him but be prepared to quit. That is nothing but greed, he cut your class to make more money off of kids classes and still wants you to pay full price for half the instruction. Greedy greedy greedy, good instructors do not behave like that.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

Hey, Richard.
I would hope that your teacher would be conciderate to your problem, which is reasonable. If he isn't, would you really want to stay there?

You shouldn't have to do this, but if you really feel it necessary to stay there, you could tell him how the extra income from the childrens's classes will more than make up for the cut in Hapkdo fees.

Whatever you choose... good luck! :)
Take care

Sorry, I miplaced your number, give me a call.
Bill

SERIOUSLY????
85 a month for like maybe 5 lessons.... OUCH!!!!
I will agree and say HELL YA your instructor is greedy...
at our school its 40 a month(Canadian money to boot!!).. I can go Mon-Sat for both day and evening classes...

I hope that you can make some better arrangements with your intstructor!!!

That sounds lame.

I really have doubts if your instructor is all legit.
Sorry,that´s about all I can say,go with the flow of others...you better consider that,for that is suspicious.


:shrug: :confused: :asian:

I live in Florida, and I charge my students forty dollars a month for 2 classes a week, each class is a little over 2 hours each,, every third week we also meet on a Saturday morning a do nothing but ground work for about 4 hours and then we all go and eat chicken wings,,,
Mike

"at our school its 40 a month(Canadian money to boot!!).. I can go Mon-Sat for both day and evening classes..."

Hey eraser are you one of my students?! haha, thats exactly what I charge and my schedule.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

There are a lot of things that you must consider.Running a dojang has a lot of hidden expense's that most do not understand. And for some it is their living. Would you if you workload decreased give money Back to your employer?

I personally Do not teach as way of feeding my Family. To me it is an addiction ,That has cost me more than anyone can understand.

So to answer you with this I charge $60 per month three nights a week 2-3 a night.Children pay $45 a month for 2 times a week. And it does not get any cheaper than this in Boston.

Yet,unless I am stuck at work or out of town I teach all of my adult Hapkido class's.



Hal

"Would you if you workload decreased give money Back to your employer? "

Hal no offence but that statement was ridiculous in this context. We are talking about an instructor that in order to make more money (because kids classes always generate more money than adult classes) he cut an adult class training time in half to make room for more kids and yet doesnt want to offer a lower rate for half the services. Teaching is a service. His freaking workload didnt decrease, he told his "employer" that he was only going to work half days now and I expect same full time salary thanks!


It's soooo wrong it hurts.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

i went to see my instructor today and addressed my concerns to him in as humble and respectful manner as i could, and he reminded me that he comes from a family of martial art instructors and that i should be honored to be training with him at all. so i let that sink in, thought about my options, and walked out. i wont be going back. thankyou all for your input..........respects.

"he reminded me that he comes from a family of martial art instructors and that i should be honored to be training with him at all"

HOLY EGOTISTICAL ARROGANT FRUITLOOPS BATMAN! Run, and don't look back! I'm so glad to hear you walked out, much respect to you. Now then, NAME PLEASE. I must know what freakonaleash has such an arrogant elitist attitude that he would dare even talk that way.... you should be honored? He should be honored he's allowed to even pretend to be a martial arts instructor the loonytoon..... there's plenty of bad instructors with attitudes like that, but they are usually SMART enough not to let it show too much by talking like an idiot!

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

Sounds like you'll be better off in the long run to distance yourself from the situation,
Mike

damien, thanks bro, you put into words what i was thinking (exept a lot more foul language on my end) but im not gonna mention any names because he has shaken my faith and almost broken my heart i would just as soon forget i ever bowed to him.............respectfully, Richard.

Richard, sorry about your predictment, but I think you did the right thing. Heck if he wanted to steal(class time)from you, why didn't he use a gun.
Bob:asian:

Well in that case I'm very sad for you, I too was distraught to find out my instructor wasn't a good man. So I left him. We tend to put martial arts instructors on a pedestal and when they don't turn out to be everything we thought they were we are devastated. I try my best to be the instructor I always wanted for myself. All I can say is that in time you'll be happy to be away from him and hopefully you'll find a real instructor.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

I am so sorry to hear that you had to stop. It doesn't matter the system, there are teachers out there who just are not worth the change back on a penny. If you are ever down Hampton VA way stop by my teachers school, give it a gander.
www.hapkidokarate.com.
School Web site.

Yes ,What i stated really did nothing to help the man in trouble .but to clear the air I too would have reduced my rate,

I just returned from korea last night and my Master has not received tuition form me since 1978 yes this is rare but .I also have been to his Dojang many times in the Past and he refuses any money.


Hal

You went to Korea to train? Please tell me all about it! I'm going to Korea in a few months and am looking for a school to train at.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

yes ,this was my ninth trip to korea to train .I was also stationed there while in the army back in the mid 70's .

It is worth the trip and you should do your research before you make the decision to go.

Hal

I will also state that Master Hal Whalen doesn't teach for the money, he has given me plenty of Hapkido without the thought of me owing him a fortune,,, money is good but if that is your main ambition in life, then I personally think it causes you to do some strange things,,, thanks Hal for all the Hapkido without emptying my very limited bank account,,,
Mike:)

Thanks , mike

Hal

Damian,

HEHEHE that's too funny, it almost like we are mirrors..
I have friends that live up in Ottawa.. and darn it.. i must go visit them some time in the future.. perhaps i'll stop in to your dojo and pay a visit!!:cool:

You bet! Anytime, just let me know if you're ever coming down and I'll give you all the info.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, Richard's predicament. Richard I'm with the others, I think you did the best thing by walking away from your former master and his dojang.
The bottom line is that although he was your master instructor, more importantly, he was also working for you! You were paying him his salary to train you in your martial art. For all intents and purposes you were his client. Master or not, if he's not fulfilling his end of the deal then he doesn't deserve your business. You did the right thing by walking away. Hopefully you'll find a more hospitable dojang in which to train in your art. Good luck.