Gas Prices Affecting Training?

[AceHBK]

If there is another thread about this, I apologize and please place the link in here.

Has the cost of gas affected anyone when it comes to training or even when it came to choosing a new school. Do you feel it could affect how often you train in the future and even make you think about changing schools if you have a long commute?

We all know that gas is rising and rising and most people are cutting out activites that they have to travel far too and pay a good amount of money for. For owners of schools, have you seen enrollment go down to to people trying to save money?

I was watching CNN this past weekend where analysts were saying by 2012 gas could hit $7/gallon... Could we see the beginning of internet MA classes?? (turn on your web cam to teach and be taught??) *i think I see a business right there. I am taking on partners*

[Kacey]

It hasn't yet. What the future brings, I don't know... but I'm looking at scooters!

[MJS]

If there is another thread about this, I apologize and please place the link in here.

Has the cost of gas affected anyone when it comes to training or even when it came to choosing a new school. Do you feel it could affect how often you train in the future and even make you think about changing schools if you have a long commute?

Fortunately for me, at this time, my training locations are not that far from where I live. One is within walking distance, and the other 2 are within 15-20min away.


We all know that gas is rising and rising and most people are cutting out activites that they have to travel far too and pay a good amount of money for. For owners of schools, have you seen enrollment go down to to people trying to save money?

I'm sure this gas issue will effect things in the long run. Will I stop training because of it? Probably not. :) However, at a seminar last month, the attendance was not what it probably would've been, had the prices been lower.


I was watching CNN this past weekend where analysts were saying by 2012 gas could hit $7/gallon...

Man, its scarey to think about that!!!



Could we see the beginning of internet MA classes?? (turn on your web cam to teach and be taught??) *i think I see a business right there. I am taking on partners*

Well, we already have dvds, books, video testing, etc., so who knows. If that is what all schools resorted to though, I'd most likely stop going to class, and just train the material that I already have. Either that, or I'd still do my best to get to a live teacher. That, IMHO, is the only way to go. :)

[Flying Crane]

I was watching CNN this past weekend where analysts were saying by 2012 gas could hit $7/gallon...

They think it will take THAT long to get so high?

[Deaf Smith]

Yes but no.

It does not affect my martial arts practice much cause World Gym isn't far! But, it does put a crimp in my shooting practice. The outdoor range is 15 miles, so it forces me to use the indoor range (and that is limiting on what one can do, kind of like a dojo with only hand paddles but no punching bag.)

I train efficiently by doing alot of it right after work on the way home, no random driving for me! I always drive with a purpose and try to do as much in one drive as I can.

I used to drive motorcycles (gas is much cheeper as well is insurance.) Owned 3 of them. But my wife and mother both call them 'death machines' and are really unhappy if I get another one. All I'd have to do is sell a couple AR-15s (yea that will be the day) so you see I won't be getting one soon.

Deaf

[Grenadier]

Higher prices on gasoline are affecting everything these days.

However, you do bring up an interesting point. There's a school about 25 miles away from ours, and there were several of the locals who would drive that distance to attend that school. Of course, with your average vehicle getting about 25 MPG, that means it costs about 8 bucks to drive that distance and back, just to train.

In the end, that costs the driver close a good bit of money that will cost at least 60 bucks, and in some cases, closer to 100 bucks.

That's a good chunk of change, and when people try to say "well, MY school only costs the students 50 dollars per month, while you're charging 75 dollars per month," suddenly, their arguments tend to ring a lot more hollow.

[JBrainard]

Lucky for me, the school I go to is on the way home from work. That being said, on the days that I have a couple of hours to kill before class, I take a nap in my car instead of spending the gas to drive home and then back out again.

[Zeno]

I'm one of the people in a very fortunate situation, where a dojo opened very close to home (not even a 10 minute drive). I'm not saying there aren't ANY dojos but that within that driving distance, but they're all either Karate or Tae Kwon Do. A Bujinkan dojo coming so close to home was a definite Godsend for me. But going nearly every day does mean that I'm visiting the pump a little more often, but nothing too bad.

[Big Don]

No, not for me, my dojo is only a mile away, if I weren't lazy, I could walk or bicycle it...

[CrimsonPhoenix]

It's not any forseeable problem for me right now as my dojang is only about seventeen or so miles from my house. Though I can say that since prices of gas are rising so dramatically, when I'm allowed to start driving myself to class and paying for said gas with my money, then it will probably be a little tougher on me financially.

However, I do have the advantage in the fact that we aren't charged anything to come to class. Only if we want to buy belts and sparring gear and stuff do we have to pay. I guess paying for gas over there and back is like my monthly payment.

[theletch1]

Yep, it's beginning to affect mine. I live 30 minutes from work and 30 minutes from the dojo. On training days that's a lot of extra miles to be driving. We're looking at vehicles that get better mileage but really can't do anything 'til my wife finishes getting her state license testing done after graduation.

[TallAdam85]

I know the gas prices are starting to hurt my pocket i spend around $45 bucks a week just going to my dojo and back 5 times a week. I wish the pres would help lower the cost.

[Shicomm]

Living in a country with allmost the highest prices in the world ( about 14 bucks a gallon... ) is tough.
No wonder people over here start getting creative ;)

Diesel drivers mix up diesel fuel with veggie oil like crazy but the petrol heads need something else :)
A few months ago i started adding pure acetone to my fuel.
It's not wonderstuff but i do get about 10-15% more milage , with current prices it's more then worth it.

Currently on the look for a small diesel car that i can convert to run on 100% veggie oil.

[girlbug2]

For owners of schools, have you seen enrollment go down to to people trying to save money?

Huh, now that I think about it that might be part of the reason attendance is down where I train!

Fortunately for me I live just close enough that I am considering biking there twice a week (but only during the morning classes, when it's not rush hour).
My dh is in fact fixing up his bicycle this weekend so he can start biking to work a few times a week to save on gas. I do hope I can convince him to wear his helmet.

I was watching CNN this past weekend where analysts were saying by 2012 gas could hit $7/gallon... Could we see the beginning of internet MA classes?? (turn on your web cam to teach and be taught??) *i think I see a business right there. I am taking on partners*

Oh please God, no...

[ktaylor75]

I and my children will continue driving the 10 miles to our dojo, 4 times a week to train, however, I will not be driving there an extra 2 times a week for the cardio kickboxing class (as much as it is a great workout). I have my own free-standing punching bag in my house, a copy of one of the p90x dvd's, and I just invested in Wii fit, so my cardio should be okay for a while.

[Ninjamom]

........Has the cost of gas affected anyone when it comes to training or even when it came to choosing a new school......?

In preparation for my black belt test, I had been taking private lessons with a very respected Master Instructor in the sword art i had been studying for four years (with the full blessing, consent, and encouragement of my original Instructor, of course). After my test, he began teaching me the material I would need for my second dan test. Unfortunately, his school was 102 miles from my home (curb-to-curb), and our family vehicle is a 12-passenger van, currently getting about 12 mpg.

There are no schools or instructors in this art anywhere closer. I am no longer taking lessons.

[Monadnock]

I think the extra cost makes the time at the dojo all the more valuable. If you have to cut classes down, to offset gas costs, make the time count. Not bragging, but, I've travelled 500 miles round trip, per class, for 2 years because the training is worth it to me.

[JoeW]

My dojo is 20-25 min away going 3 times a week driving a Hemi Dodge Ram yeah I would say it is effecting me. If the price gets as high as they say it will it might really effect me.

[chinto01]

I am fortunate enough to have both dojos I attend to be within 7 miles from my house so I do not see the cost of gas interfering with my training. On the other hand I enjoy going to Okinawa to train once every couple of years and the way it looks if the cost of jet fuel takes a big hit then my next trip might be put on hold.

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

[shesulsa]

I haven't been to training in a while and while it's not because of gas, I'm trying to figure out how exactly I'm going to afford the gas to drive my full-time 4-wheel-drive SUV 35 miles one way to training twice (maybe more) per week.

[clfsean]

Yes it has & yes it sucks.

Fortunately I can train what I have at my house so there's no problems & my basics are pretty good. Unfortunately, it means no new material which blows.

[SamT]

I live about 7 miles from my dojang, and have a '78 Suzuki GS750. So no, not really :P. One of our students drives about 60 miles, but she's taught for free, due to her being the instructors' daughter in law.

[ArmorOfGod]

It's hurting my school right now. All of a sudden, I stopped getting new students and no one is coming to any of my demos/seminars at the local libraries. The libraries around here are normally packed all summer with parents looking for free things to do with their kids, but this year the libraries are almost deserted.
I opened a second location in the neighboring city a few months ago, but could not get students despite the fact that it was in the middle of a really nice neighborhood. Whether my reputation is good or bad didn't affect that situation. I didn't get any phone calls about the class even after direct mailings and tons of newspaper coverage. It was either gas prices or the fact that it was in the middle of over a dozen very large martial arts schools. I think it was both factors.
In my home school, I have the same group of students and have not lost any of those, but the phone calls from prospective students stopped a few months ago. I have talked to other local teachers and they are dealing with the same thing.
It affects me less since I am not in a signed lease at my recreation center, but if I owned or rented a commercial building I would be really worried right now.

AoG

[Ninjamom]

.......but the phone calls from prospective students stopped a few months ago. I have talked to other local teachers and they are dealing with the same thing.......I think this has a LOT to do with the economy, in general. Harder times = less disposable income ==> people cut back on non-essentials. We are exeriencing the same decrease in new/prospective students in both our local TKD school and in the sword class I teach. Also, my husband and I are closing our store (the local Christian book and gift shop in town) this summer, after being open for almost 34 years.

I am really sorry you are having difficulty, AoG. You are not alone.

[ArmorOfGod]

I hate that you are closing your store.
God bless you for keeping it open that long.

AoG

[Aikikitty]

Ninjamom, I'm sorry you have to close your store. That's awesome how long the store has been around. :asian: I'm sure many people will miss it. :(

My Aikido class only meets once a week right now, but at the same place where I train, I want to start going to the Machado BJJ class at least twice a week. The dojo is a good 30 minutes away (with good traffic) so I have to have extra money saved up for the gas before I can even join the class. >sigh< It could easily be worse, because I'm not going to let it stop me from going, but it's going to be expensive.

Robyn :samurai:

[tellner]

Class is about forty five miles away. That means a little under three gallons of gas round trip. That means we carpool with four or five in the car every time. It sucks, but it's worth every mile.

[Big Don]

This past weekend we had Kenpo GM's Frank Trejo and Richard 'Huk' Planas up for a seminar. It was great.
In the past, we have driven from Fresno to Pasadena, picked up Mr Trejo and driven back to Fresno, which at 10 hours, give or take, makes for a LONG day, only to be repeated a few days later in reverse.
About two weeks ago I called my Sifu and told him about ExpressJet (https://xjet.com), a small airline which flies small planes between a number of airports. Express jet is CHEAP. $59 each way from Ontario California to Fresno, which, since Sifu generally rolls down there in a full size four door pick up, cheaper than gas. Not to mention, 50 minutes in the air beats the crap out of 4 to 5 hours on the road.

[kailat]

My job, my gas, My money in general has all dwendled my formal training in more ways than one.

My job has me working 12 hours a day and by the time im finished working I have to look after my son and or am too tired to do anything in the evenings.

2 local schools that Iwas involved with A) my friends karate school and B) my Sensei school have both recently closed due to lack of support and funding. It has effected me as I don't have anywhere to train now...

Me and my guys (students) thats been w/ me for a few years have beeen training outside in the park for a few weeks now. Were looking to try to get a new place but $$ is tight for all of us..

I have not been able to drive to INDY to train w/ my guro for several months, when I was going at least 2 times a month. Im hoping this ends soon.. cause im about to go thru withdrawls..LOL...

So don't think its just you all.. cause its others too.. I just missed out on one of the best seminars of the year due to my job just closed their doors 2 weeks ago.. this has really put me in a bind because now my $ has just dwendled even more....Im trying to stay positive, and im looking into a new career but unfortunetly good carreers don't just come knocking over night.. I have to go thru this training course for the next few weeks but I have several tests to pass first.. this is ok, but my finances are getting pretty low...hope i can keep my car, house and phone/internet etc... not to mention my child support is gonna get behnd.. wow.. POSITIVE, POSITIVE, POSITIVE

[bowser666]

I am sad to hear how bad this is affecting so many of you. I guess I am one of the lucky few. My school is literally 5 minutes from work. My work is about 10 minutes from my apartment. All in all everything is in a 5 mile radius. Granted I live in Plano, TX though, ( Suburb of Dallas) so everything is 5 minutes :P Time for people to look at greener alternatives. Unless you need a Truck, SUV , for your job, get rid of it ( not easy I know, cuz noone wants to buy gas guzzlers especially now) get a more efficient vehicle. I have been driving a Hyundai Elantra now for almost 3 years and it gets 30+ mpg. Since I am so close to work and my school, I go through 1 tank of gas every 2 weeks. I also drive home for lunch everyday. So if I cut that out and brought my lunch I could probably make a tank last 3 weeks or more.


I will end this before people start screaming at me for rubbing it in. ( Even though I am not really :) )

[jkembry]

Not Really...My dojo is only about 5 miles away. Where it might affect training is when I might want to go to a special seminar at another location.

- Jeff -

[MantisStyle21]

Well my dojo isn't right next to me, but it is in town. If gas prices ever got to where going to class 4 days a week was a money problem, I'd bike or jog to class. I could always hitch a ride too.

[Topeng]

We just recently changed locations and I have seen quite the difference. The first location was 9 miles from my house. The new one is 34. When possible, I carpool with my Guro and another student. As of late, I have had to drive on my own due to being on call (the wife is due to go into labor at any moment) and it hurts the wallet.
I won't be changing schools or instructors. We are like family and I don't see myself anywhere else.
In all honesty though, if I had no prior knowledge of my Guro or the training, I wouldn't have even considered going that far.

[Phoenix44]

Yes, definitely. It's getting harder and harder to justify traveling 90 minutes or more to train for an hour or so. Sometimes I can take public transportation, which works out cheaper, but it leaves me with a long walk--OK if the weather's good.

[gimgamgommetje]

Currently on the look for a small diesel car that i can convert to run on 100% veggie oil.

Making sure everybody near your car will get hungry because of the smell of french fries... you sadist :)