Cheapskate training

[tyciol]

Aside from consulting free books or videos from public libraries, TV or the internet, does anyone know any other tricks to training cheap? Are there any ways to get IRL training without any money?

 

[dancingalone]

Look at sites like craigslist or meetup.com. People who are looking to start a small training group, not necessarily for profit, often advertise there.

 

[Andrew Green]

Like all things in life, to some extent you are going to get what you pay for. Really you can get a ton of information free, youtube is full of videos. But information doesn't equal good training. For that you need a good coach(es), and good training partners.

You might be able to find a small group that trains in a park free... but at the end of the day almost everyone really serious about it is going to be in a proper facility.

And it's a simple thing, a facility costs money, so even a instructor that is doing it as a hobby without drawing any income still has costs.

Some places may scholarship you if you can make a good case for yourself as to why, or let you pay your tuition through cleaning and other tasks. So you could try that?

 

[Jacky Zuki]

If you have skills you can swap for training then you might get in for free somewhere. I used to swap my accounting skills for free training at one club, doing all the bookkeeping, acting as membership secretary, preparing the accounts and annual returns. The accounts still had to be ratified by a chartered accountant but since all the leg work was done it saved the club owner about £800 per year and I got a couple of lessons a week. Smiles all round.

 

[evelbug]

I train at a club at a military base for free. Also look at community centers, YMCA, etc.

 

[ST1Doppelganger]

As previously mentioned look on meet up, craigslist, local Facebook groups, as well as church, ymca, or non profit organizations.

If your lucky like me you'll find a school or group that's free or one that charges a small fee to just cover their expenses.

I personally have found a few training partners on craigslist as well as finding the school I currently attend at a low cost of $35 since the sensei isn't about making money and is teaching out of pure passion for his art.

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[lklawson]

Aside from consulting free books or videos from public libraries, TV or the internet, does anyone know any other tricks to training cheap? Are there any ways to get IRL training without any money?

Look for a "Garage Dojo." An instructor or training group who meets/trains somewhere other than a traditional for-profit commercial school.

I wrote a whole list of these over in the Newbie's Guide to Martial Arts.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Razor]

I don't know what it's like in your location, but here in the UK universities often have a range of different martial arts on offer at a heavily discounted rate (as they're subsidised by the Student Union). Anyone is generally welcome to join these without having any affiliation to the university. You also know they will have all of the appropriate safety and insurance regulations in place which might be a bit dodgy in some less formal environments.

Like I say, don't know if it's a thing where you are, but might be worth looking if there are any universities nearby.

 

[Dinkydoo]

I don't know what your small budget is like (or if there is one) but my advice would be to build upon what Razor has said by taking up a style taught in a university or community centre - they're usually the cheapest, from my exp. From there ask around if any of the students would like to get together and train outside of class and then you guys could meetup in local parks/back gardens/free community centres....whatever. Luckily for me there is a boxing ring and bags in one of the community centres we use that the public can use for free - when a local boxing club aren't training there.

My entire weeks training is currently costing only £10 and that's with 2 kickboxing lessons, 1 kung fu class and doing sparring/padwork...etc with friends 2 sessions a week. Any other time I have to train I'm happy to do it alone.