Dues/tuition

[Chris Correia]

I'm curious:

What kind of monthly (or other) dues/tuition people have paid or just know about. What's the cost, what do you get, what is the market/location/city, what is the size and enrollment of the school/gym, what are the amenities?

[Jokerz]

I'm in the process of changing schools. But I paid $75 a month for 4 days, 2+ hours a day for Aikido. No real amenities what so ever lol. The BJJ school im going to is 1000x better. The instructors are probably some of the best in Kansas. We have Muay Thai, BBJ and Military hand to hand combat (for those at fort riley). $80 a month for either, BJJ, MMA/MT. But the it's worth it. the class size is pretty small, mainly because it is a really competitive bunch. Theres 2 gi, and 2 no gi classes each week, open mat on Friday

[kuri]

The market I'm in is vastly different than Northern Minnesota but of the places I know:

(as of last year)Rickson Gracie's School is $90 a month for one class a week, 110 or 120 for 2 classes etc... standard locker room. But he's the rock star of BJJ so...

Legends Gym in Hollywood (Bas Rutten) is around the same as above. Better facilities and wider range of classes though.

Your garden variety schools without known instructors are obviously a bit cheaper and most I've seen don't offer anything spectacular in regards to facilities.

Big John McCarthy's place in addition to MMA also has a Crossfit gym inside and has kettlebell classes etc... Not sure how much they charge but Alwyn & Dos were going there.

[mikeyc1972]

My wife and I exchanged our christmas presents last night(we couldnt wait any longer!) adn she got me a membership to an Alliance school(started by Jacare BTW) that is also a Miltech fighting system school with classes in BJJ, Muay Thai, and conditioning. One yr is $80 a month. I am stoked! I now have to decide whether to keep lifting at my traditional gym($30/mo) as well or just to do MMA and BW+GPP(sleds tire flips sledge work sanbags etc) at home...?

[Chris Correia]

Originally Posted by mikeyc1972

My wife and I exchanged our christmas presents last night(we couldnt wait any longer!) adn she got me a membership to an Alliance school(started by Jacare BTW) that is also a Miltech fighting system school with classes in BJJ, Muay Thai, and conditioning. One yr is $80 a month. I am stoked! I now have to decide whether to keep lifting at my traditional gym($30/mo) as well or just to do MMA and BW+GPP(sleds tire flips sledge work sanbags etc) at home...?

Cool present. Good for you. Whether you keep both depends on your budget and your time, I suppose. You CAN get a great workout a home, so you could put the $30/mo toward stuff you'll need there.

[mikeyc1972]

yes, It will all depend on the budget...I would loved to be able to keep lifting and training MMA. I have recently seen some great gains while following NROL, and hate to lose that momentum. I did consider buying Ross Emanait's Infinite Intensity and Never Gymless, I believe the change of pace would do my shoulders and knees a world of good. We will see what 08 brings!

[Chris Correia]

Originally Posted by mikeyc1972

yes, It will all depend on the budget...I would loved to be able to keep lifting and training MMA. I have recently seen some great gains while following NROL, and hate to lose that momentum. I did consider buying Ross Emanait's Infinite Intensity and Never Gymless, I believe the change of pace would do my shoulders and knees a world of good. We will see what 08 brings!

I just recently started using Infinite Intensity, and really like it. As a martial artist, it provides a good balance for a fighter to use. It's not so strictly weight lifting oriented, which I've alway found to be a challenge to integrate with my various practices. I'd recommend it, hands down. Drop the membership, get the manual, buy some dumbbell bars and plates at Walmart and a chin up bar and you're on your way. (I've also found the sledge hammer swinging on a tire to be fun, and tough; the used truck tire's free at a local dealer, and a sledgehammer's about $15-$20 bucks if you don't have one). A bag or two of sand are about $4 each.

[wylothar]

Originally Posted by kuri

The market I'm in is vastly different than Northern Minnesota but of the places I know:

(as of last year)Rickson Gracie's School is $90 a month for one class a week, 110 or 120 for 2 classes etc... standard locker room. But he's the rock star of BJJ so...

Legends Gym in Hollywood (Bas Rutten) is around the same as above. Better facilities and wider range of classes though.

Your garden variety schools without known instructors are obviously a bit cheaper and most I've seen don't offer anything spectacular in regards to facilities.

Big John McCarthy's place in addition to MMA also has a Crossfit gym inside and has kettlebell classes etc... Not sure how much they charge but Alwyn & Dos were going there.

We dont have any real MMA schools around here they are TMA and they are real cheap. But in Salt Lake City near where i live the BJJ/MMA community has prices out of scope. They have a local MMA event ran weekly and the schools are really monetizing it. Even privates are astronomical. When I had privates in Oklahoma they were 55/ hr for a elite instructor who had made covers of martial arts magazine. 125/ hr in SLC for a person who has less than half the credentials in the same lineage and his school starts at 120+/- a month with no cage only mats and 4 bags. Not all schools in SLC are that way just to be fair but it seems a trend that people are paying premium for BBJ and in my opinion its not worth the costs.

[cdkrug]

My school here in GR is the same as my school in NJ: $60/month. Here, I could potentially train 4x/week, whereas in NJ, it was 3 classes/wk maximum.

OTOH, we play hard enough that 2x/week is often PLENTY.

[Emoore]

I pay $69/month at my Krav school for unlimited classes. They have a good mix of beginner, intermediate, advanced, fitness, and specialty classes.

[waynea]

My recent experiences are seriously different from the posts so far because I am currently studying Iaido in Japan. When I started training, I was surprised to find that the fees are less than $20US a month. There is one class a week and after class the club puts on green tea and Japanese snacks. The quality of instruction is amazing with a 7th Dan, two 6th Dan and a couple of 5th Dan instructors in a class that on a big night has 20 people in it including the instructors.

[ericajones80]

my kickboxing/muay thai class was $55 a month...
good facility with about 10 or 15 people there every class

[diamondpete]

OK Chris just to end ever hope of being in the low price range...

I live In Japan which as you know has one of the highest cost living indexes in the world. Parking in a city of 330,000 ranges from $3-5 per hour. In a bigger city, 6 -12.

Anyway stuff is expensive. As you know I study Shorinji Kempo. I pay $40 per month for 3, 90 minute lessons per week. (and free parking!!)

How is that for bang for your buck!!

[wylothar]

Originally Posted by diamondpete

OK Chris just to end ever hope of being in the low price range...

I live In Japan which as you know has one of the highest cost living indexes in the world. Parking in a city of 330,000 ranges from $3-5 per hour. In a bigger city, 6 -12.

Anyway stuff is expensive. As you know I study Shorinji Kempo. I pay $40 per month for 3, 90 minute lessons per week. (and free parking!!)

How is that for bang for your buck!!

I believed that my area TMA(traditional martial arts) were cheap. But if this is how much you pay in the highest index in the world. We are being ripped off. 2 -- 45 min class / week $35.00. In the not so great part of town run down 70 yr old bldg. with no mats, not even a heavy bag. We are payin out the shorts when you compare the two.

[diamondpete]

wylothar,

Actually, I was just pulling Chris' chain a bit. Our teachers are not paid. In fact they pay the same $40 per week as the students. It is a part of the philosophy of the founder. Half of the fee goes to the head office, and half is used for the local branch. Shorinji Kempo is the fastest growning MA in the world (though the most popular is Tae Kwon Do). There are already some branches in the US though mostly in Major cities, especially near Universities. Same system around the world (volunteer fee paying teachers/ $40 or so per week). In different nations the fees are cheaper. The organization has based fees on the the economy of countries so that money is not a barrier to joining.

A more fair answer to you Chris would be that Karate / Aikido / Judo Clubs/ etc that are run for profit (for example uni clubs are not ) usually run between 80 - 100 per month. This covers lessons usually 2-3 times per week. Incidentals (dogi, etc, are usually extra. I have noticed in many clubs in the US people buy their own gear. In Japan it is common for a club to provide protectors, pads, etc for use by their members. Most clubs in Japan (similar to Korea I assum) are pretty "no frills". A room, some bodies, an instructor, maybe some mirrors on the wall. People here do not have the "expectation" of a "dojo" to be a "fitness center" with pink bosu balls that make a "good gym".

Actually, I think $35 is VERY cheap because your instructors have to make a living (rent the place- electric, etc.)

waynea, $20, bet your instructors are not paid either Where are you in Japan? (I am in Shikoku) We have the same situation at your dojo (our world HQ is about a 50 min drive, and our dojo is the 2nd oldest one) Our branch master is a 7th dan, we have anther 8th dan, and the 5th dans are a dime a dozen actually not sure how many , maybe 10-15? but about 5-6 come regularly. Amazing to train in the country of origin, isn't it?

[Jokerz]

My MMA/BJJ (both Gi and No Gi) school is $100 a month, for 5 classes a week. 2 hours each session, and I'm usually there for each class.

It's not bad at all.

[waynea]

Diamond Pete

I'm near Nagoya. By the time the club supplies green tea and manju (it's a Japanese sweet for those not living in Japan) every week and pays for some great parties every year, I don't think there is a lot of money available for the instructors.

As you said, it is truly remarkable training here. I am fortunate to have been accepted into a remarkable dojo and am honoured to have been accepted as a student of a menkyo (traditional teaching licence) holder in Shinkage Ryu (a traditional sword art.)