$50, a bit much?

MJS

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Ok, so I'm learning Wing Chun from this guy who lives out here (Scott Baker's his name), and he charges $50 per lesson (About an hour's worth, or a little more). At first I thought that was a fairly hefty price, but after training with him for several months now (Going about twice a month), I really don't mind paying the price for such quality instruction.

However, everyone else I've talked to, even some fellow martial artists, consider the $50 a bit much to pay even if it is private 1 on 1 lessons.

Any thoughts?

Oh, and here's his website: http://www.wingchunkungfu.com/

Compared to what some others charge, $50 isn't bad at all. As an example, here is what Mr. Roy Harris charges. Nothing against Mr. Harris, but I just wanted to give an example. :)

Mike
 

MJS

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Man... My Wife has been giving me a hard time for years about giving this stuff away. I guess Im just too soft. :wink2:

Economics plays a big part in what people charge for lessons, private or not. The general rule of thought that was passed to me back around 1991 was to take the years of your training and times that by $1.00 a year = ie I've been training consistantly for 21yrs now - so the minimum I should charge for privates is $21.00 per hour.

Most of the time, I just work something out with the student. If they want to train we will work something out. I guess thats why Im still teaching out of my garage or at parks. :yinyang:

Nothing wrong with a garage or park. :) I've had some of my best lessons in those areas.

Mike
 

Sensei Payne

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I teach private lessons for about that...usually if its a private lesson someone is trying to get ready for a test or a tourny...but the adverage student pays 65 dollars a whole month...and thats for UNLIMITED classes...really great deal if you ask me.
 
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Nyrotic

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I actually once heard that this really great martial artist (I forgot who) would just teach in his garage ^^.

I myself am learning in his foyer, but anywho.

Thanks a bunch for the feedback guys, I no longer feel as if I'm being heavily charged (For something well worth it, anyways).
 

Rich Parsons

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Ok, so I'm learning Wing Chun from this guy who lives out here (Scott Baker's his name), and he charges $50 per lesson (About an hour's worth, or a little more). At first I thought that was a fairly hefty price, but after training with him for several months now (Going about twice a month), I really don't mind paying the price for such quality instruction.

However, everyone else I've talked to, even some fellow martial artists, consider the $50 a bit much to pay even if it is private 1 on 1 lessons.

Any thoughts?

Oh, and here's his website: http://www.wingchunkungfu.com/

I paid a little less than that per one hour lesson with my instructor in Balintawak. I went on average once a week for 8+ years.

The cost was something I would pay. I also drove just over an hour for the lesson.

As in all things, is it worth it to you?
 

IcemanSK

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I was worried about charging $25 for a 1/2 hour private lesson a few month back. A adult friend in my neighborhood told me he paid $35 for a 1/2 hour guitar lesson at a music studio. I didn't feel so bad after that.

I don't think $50 an hour for a private lesson is bad at all.
 

tsd

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I was worried about charging $25 for a 1/2 hour private lesson a few month back. A adult friend in my neighborhood told me he paid $35 for a 1/2 hour guitar lesson at a music studio. I didn't feel so bad after that.

I don't think $50 an hour for a private lesson is bad at all.

You took the words out of my mouth. $25/half hour for music lessons is typical and master's classes can be considerably more.
 

Sensei Payne

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I don't want to redirect the coversation, but 50 per lesson is incredibly high if you consider that $65 PER MONTH is the national average for having classes a couple of times per week.
That price is according to the vice president of NAPMA (read here: http://familyfun.go.com/parenting/learn/activities/feature/famf28martialarts/famf28martialarts2.html )

AoG


we are talking about Private lessons, not for normal classes...yes $50 bucks a CLASS is a whole lot of money...but for a private lession, one on one with an instructor...50 dollars is the going rate.
 

Darth F.Takeda

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we are talking about Private lessons, not for normal classes...yes $50 bucks a CLASS is a whole lot of money...but for a private lession, one on one with an instructor...50 dollars is the going rate.


Exactly!.

1 on 1 is a whole different animal than a class enviroment.

I am a Personal Trainer and I do offer private 1 on 1 self defense classes.

Why should I charge less than a fair to myself and family rate?
I can not stand how everyone wants you to train and teach them for next to nothing. Do you get paid well for your skills? Well so should I.

It's a hell of a gamble making your living off of teaching MA and or Fitness, you might not have 8-10 hours worth of work available per day, maybe 3-5, you have to be able to pay your bills. If you cant you have to do something else for a living and teach on the side, and yes devoting an hour to 1 or 2 people is work, so one should be paid.

Someone who does something for a living is usually (not always) going to put more into it, they are going to train harder themselves, and the client reaps the rewards.

Want it low cost ?(never say cheap or that's what you should get)
Train in a class, but if your schedual or other constraints make 1 on 1 the training option for you, then you should pay.

For PT it's $65 per hour at the Gym, and $40 for MA.(I have to give the gym a big chunck)
I come to you and PT is $70-$120, for MA it's $55-$100. (distance applies to cost, I'm not driving for free and gas is expenssive these days.
 

Sensei Payne

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If someone wants Private lessons, they have to give plenty of prior notice, not just same day or next day...also the student must be able to meet me at my choosing, usually at the dojo, and i charge flat 50 dollar fee an hour.
 

Skip Cooper

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The going rate for private lessons in the Houston area is around $50 and most classes are now around $90 to $150 monthly.

My wife coaches gymnastics and at her school the monthly rate for recreational classes are $62 monthly for a one hour class per week and the cost increases if you want to take more hours. For team, the rate is $130 month for Level 2 instruction at 5 hours per week. The rates escalate for each level up to $500 per month at 35 hours per week for Level 10. Private instruction, which is open to team members and those who aspire to be on the team, is available at $50 - $100 per hour.

BTW, a gymnast must be admitted to the team based on his or her performance in recreational instruction. A parent cannot just choose to have their child on the team. If they were on team at another gym, then they must pass an evaluation before they can be a member of the team.

Whatever we pay for our martial art instruction is a bargain compared to that of gymnastics.
 

Doc_Jude

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Let me rephrase that, he's not really just "some guy" : http://www.wingchunkungfu.com/content/view/36/73/ .

I'm not sure what it is, but strangely, even as a working individual, I do find it worth it. Also, I train the material I learn as much as possible to make it worth far more than $50, however I AM often labeled as a fanatic or extremists by those who know me....

What can I say...I love WC.

Oh, you're taking privates
(Right?)
For some reason, I thought you were contrasting your classes with private class prices. Sorry.

STILL, I think that $50/hr is expensive for anyone lacking the last name of Robbins. How can you feel justified charging someone that much money for an hour of your time? It just seems ridiculous to me, especially since included in my training is four 3hr privates/month & I pay $50 a month.
However, I can't imagine why a PhD would feel the need to charge such high prices, though, unless he's one of those martial arts "Doctors". He isn't supporting himself with MA training fees, is he?
 

Balrog

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As has been said, it's all in whether you think you are getting the bang for the buck.

I personally charge $40 for a half-hour private lesson, $75 for a full hour. My time is billed at $75 an hour for consulting services, and I've trained a helluva lot hard in Taekwondo than in database administration. :ultracool
 

Rich Parsons

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Oh, you're taking privates
(Right?)
For some reason, I thought you were contrasting your classes with private class prices. Sorry.

STILL, I think that $50/hr is expensive for anyone lacking the last name of Robbins. How can you feel justified charging someone that much money for an hour of your time? It just seems ridiculous to me, especially since included in my training is four 3hr privates/month & I pay $50 a month.
However, I can't imagine why a PhD would feel the need to charge such high prices, though, unless he's one of those martial arts "Doctors". He isn't supporting himself with MA training fees, is he?

Should I charge the market rate?

Should I charge what I can make in a differnet enviroment? i.e. What Iamke an hour plus the benefit cost as an engineer.

Should I charge only what a person can pay? i.e. A lot for those who have osme money or little for those have none, or more for thsoe who smoke as if they can afford a pack of cigarettes then they are better off spending the money for the private, or the people who buy $5 coffees and spend about $50 to $75 an week on coffee - I mean if you can spend that much a week on coffee or cigarettes then why not for someone's time to teach you something you hopefully enjoying.
 

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