Martial Arts Seminars

Bill Mattocks

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Prices vary.

I have seen one-day seminars range from $25 to $100 USD. Multi-day seminars can get quite pricey.
 

geezer

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I'll give a one day seminar anywhere in North America for $10,000 plus expenses! Just don't book me on United! :D

But in truth, the seminars I attend are usually in the $25 -$100 dollar a day range, depending on who the invited instructor is and how long the seminar lasts. :)
 

Headhunter

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To much...not joking any seminar I've been to have been about 50 and are simply not worth the money I refuse to go to them now as I just don't see the point of paying all that for an 8th dan when my instructor is a 7th dan
 

Tony Dismukes

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$25-$100 for a one day seminar does seem pretty typical, but usually I see them towards the higher end of that range.

I've lost track of how many martial arts seminars I've been to over the years, I'm guessing maybe somewhere between 80 and 100. Hard to keep track at this point.

Probably not all of them were worth the cost in terms of the actual instruction received. However I always enjoy the opportunity to spend a day training and meeting new people.


It seems that most seminars are focused on presenting a bunch of new material (or sometimes the same old material mixed around a bit). At this point in my development, I'd rather have a seminar which focused on just one or two or three techniques and spent the time exploring them in depth so I could learn details I never caught before. Rener and Ryron Gracie have been doing a series of seminars along those lines, but I haven't had the chance to catch one of those yet.
 

marques

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I'd rather have a seminar which focused on just one or two or three techniques and spent the time exploring them in depth so I could learn details I never caught before. Rener and Ryron Gracie have been doing a series of seminars along those lines, but I haven't had the chance to catch one of those yet.
Me too. I would like to have instruction at that level. But or I could teach the instructors or they are there to "teach" fitness or to be fun... In fact, there is a (potentially) good BJJ club 45 min from home. But I want closer and high level for striking ART... :)
 

oaktree

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Really depends on who is teaching it and how far they have to travel how many hours they are teaching how much the venue cost many things to consider when hosting someone.
$100 a day is pretty standard. My teacher has hosted his teacher and it's usually around $300 for 3 days for 6 or so hours with a lunch break.
 

Mark Lynn

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Generally I believe the cost of seminars reflect many things.
1) How well known is the instructor and what kind of market (or how many students) can they draw.
2) How well the instructor teaches the material, is an "authority" or well versed on the subject, or is he just beginning teaching on the seminar circuit? Does he present well, does he have something extra to add to a person's interest or training experience?
3) How long is the seminar? How many days/hours does it cover?
4) Where is it held at, how expensive is rental of the venue? What were the costs associated with bringing the person to the facility; i.e. travel or plane fare, hotel costs, meals, etc. etc.

As a person who has started to host some top level instructors, I can tell you that all of these factors should come into consideration when setting prices for the person teaching. So that being said I have attended (and taught at) seminars that cost say $20-30 for 4 hours of instruction, up to $200+ for maybe 12 hours of instruction.

However I will say that the cost doesn't always reflect the quality of what was present nor how good the instruction or presentation was, rather it is what perceived value that was placed on the individual and what the market will bear.
 

Kung Fu Wang

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The following 2 hours workshop was given in Houston "World Star CMA Competition" (3/26/2017) for $65.

I. Circular walking

1. Uniform stance
2. Mirror stance
3. Counter

II. Circular Running and counter

III. Front door entering strategies:

1. Rhino guard
2. Zombie guard
3. Double spears
4. Octopus strategy
5. Upward and downward separate hands

IV. Side door entering strategies:

1. Gou Lou Cai Shou
2. Leading arm jam back arm
3. Lower arm jam upper arm
4. Arm tuck with arm wrap
5. Arm tuck with body control
 

WaterGal

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Azulx, weren't you talking a while back about starting your own school? Or am I thinking of someone else?

If so, are you asking because you want to go to a seminar and want to see if the price is reasonable, or are you planning on offering one? If it's the former, are you talking about a seminar where you train in martial arts, or are you talking about a seminar where you learn about teaching or about running a school?
 

Buka

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I've been to a lot of seminars, I've hosted quite a few, I've taught a few as well.
Some food for thought...

If you run a school, it can be incredibly helpful if you are on good terms with other schools in your area, or just outside of your area. If you host a seminar, invite, as your guests, a couple of instructors from each of these schools - for free. If you know the person teaching the seminar is top notch, you know your guests are going to love it. Then, in the following months or years, when you have the person down again, help the other school owners to set up seminars in their school on following days. With you and your top guys going for free of course.

This will help keep costs lower due to the seminar instructor not paying for multiple airfares, it will make more cash for them (which will make them want to do it), and it will allow you more training time with that particular instructor. And it can foster some really good will amongst different schools - which will only help you, your knowledge and your students in positive ways.

It will also allow you to get a heck of a lot more out of their teaching than just that one day "wasn't that nifty" thing you get from a good seminar. And some times, it can lead to a whole lot more.

If you're a student, a lot will depend on your experience. A six month white belt isn't going to get much more than the walk and chew gum ability that a six month white belt already has. But if you've got some seasoning to you, you should go and explore whatever is available in seminars within reasonable distances to you. It's good experience,(usually fun, as well) and it may open up entirely new avenues of thought, tactics, techniques and strategies to you.

Ask yourself this. Why would you go to a seminar? There's usually only a few answers, One is you want to learn, another is you always wanted to meet that guy, another is you're curious. (fill in the rest yourself) if it's lousy, the most you're out is a few bucks. But if it leads to something, or it triggers something, or if you just have a fairly enjoyable time - it's a win/win situation.

The seminars I've taught were usually in schools I was familiar with, schools I've taught classes in at one time or another. I couldn't very well charge them, it didn't seem right. But they charged the students and gave me money anyway. You know what I did with that money? I spent it on seminars. Some fair, some nuts, some awful, but some really, really good. Had some great times, learned a whole lot of things, too.

In my opinion, if you're going to do the seminar thing - work the hell out of it. And have a ball.
 

Gerry Seymour

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To much...not joking any seminar I've been to have been about 50 and are simply not worth the money I refuse to go to them now as I just don't see the point of paying all that for an 8th dan when my instructor is a 7th dan
I've gone to seminars inside and outside my primary art. I've found all of them useful, even when th instructor had less experience than me.
 

Paul_D

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How can someone "disagree" with the price I pay for seminars?
 

JR 137

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How can someone "disagree" with the price I pay for seminars?

Maybe said person thinks you're lying? Either you've never been to a seminar and want to look cool, that you paid more but lowered it because you didn't want to look like you got robbed, or maybe you paid less but you said you paid more because you're trying to act like you're living the high life.

The possibilities are endless. Then again, none of those are actually logical.
 

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