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Anonymous
So I've been looking around at martial arts places and I figured that /fit/ would know a bit about pricing. I'm doing it to keep myself active (I have to be responsible to a group, I don't trust myself to go to the gym alone after I get a membership) and that's it, I don't really care about losing weight/toning up, I'm happy enough with my body as it is -- it's more of a health thing. I don't do much, so I figure kicking/punching/jumping/whatever a few times a week will be nice.

So pricing. I've only looked at Tae Kwon Do and their prices are kinda high:

*1 year contract
*$150/month
*$45 for testing the first few times, goes up in $10 increments as you get higher. Black belt pricing is fucking ridiculous ($600/year to KEEP the belt), but I don't think I'd ever get that good.
*Optional package with Tae Kwon Do/Kum Do/Cardio Kickboxing for $225/month

Seems kinda ridiculous to me, especially the contract that they require you to sign after 2 classes.

So what's reasonable pricing on martial arts shit? Am I just a Jew?
>> Anonymous
>>68213again

And uniforms are $80 for Tae Kwon Do, $150 for Kum Do
>> Anonymous
My Karate only costs me $50 a month, I'm going to say thats a bit pricey!
>> Guil
>>68213
600 a year to keep the belt? Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
>> Anonymous
Strip mall rip off. Run far, far away.
>> Anonymous
Look around for other schools. I don't think you should be paying more than $100 a month and definitely no contract. If you have to quit for some reason or simply don't like it, you're still obligated to pay per month for that year. A school should get paid based on how much you like it and how well they teach you. The place you're looking at looks like a McDojo (get your blackbelt fast and have to pay lots of silly fees while not really learning anything). You could probably buy a uniform online for like $40.
>> Anonymous
>>68223

Yeah, they say there's some Black Belt testing every year that you have to go through to keep your status as a black belt.

More if you want to advance from, like. first degree to second degree. Don't remember the numbers.

General idea I'm getting is that they're looking to rip off the ignorant white man. I bet if I spoke Korean, I'd get a discount.
>> Anonymous
>>68227

kk, I thought a contract sounded weird. Thanks, I'll keep that ceiling in mind while I'm shopping around.
>> Anonymous
It's overpriced bullshit.

My academy (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) is $100/month, and definitely has the best facility and instructors around. Also, as a rule of thumb, ANY martial arts school that requires you to pay for "testing" (basically paying for higher belts, not to mention blatant $$/year to keep a black belt) is Evil. Also, my school lets visitors try as many classes as they would like before signing up, offers student discounts and if you're tight on money you can work for the school to lower your rates. My place also offers four or five other martial arts (muay thai, krav maga, MMA, etc), and you pay half price to sign up for a second martial art.

tl;dr Your intuitions are correct, sir.

Some rules of thumb in finding another school, because if you sign up with these shitheads I will hunt you:
—The only thing except monthly tuition that you should be paying for is equipment; any school asking you to pay for "testing" or otherwise for each belt is ripping you off hard.
—Average prices in my area for every school I've looked at are around $100 up to $150 a month. Most will let you do a shorter contract for incrementally higher rates per month.
—You'll get a much harder workout by doing brazilian jiu-jitsu or wrestling. Grappling styles are generally more intense exercise with less risk of injury.
—Tae Kwon Do and pretty much all other traditional martial arts will not help you very much when it comes to actual fighting. Modern styles are the way to go if self-defense or fighting effectiveness are a concern at all - the main ones to look for are Muay Thai (kickboxing), american boxing/wrestling, brazilian jiu-jitsu, or maybe krav maga. Basically anything used recently in UFC/Pride/etc.
—See if the students ever socialize outside of class hours. The school I've been going to regularly meets up to watch UFC nights, go over tapes when one of our guys fights in a tournament, etc.
>> Anonymous
>>68242

Google Maps says the nearest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu place is ~30 minutes away. Metro Atlanta doesn't seem to have much variety in its martial arts crap.

Or I live in the wrong part of town.
>> Anonymous
Yeah OP, sucks to be you. You just so happen to live close to a McDojo and nothing else.

In comparison, my university gym offers like 10 different martial arts classes and clubs for about 30-50 bucks fee/club fee a month. Go check out any nearby colleges for martial arts classes and clubs, they are usually open to the public.

And no, don't take Tae kwon do. You're better off taking wrestling, BJJ, maybe Judo, kickboxing, or boxing.
>> Anonymous
>Tae Kwon Do and pretty much all other traditional martial arts will not help you very much when it comes to actual fighting.

which would matter if we were on /k instead of /fit.

If you're just in it for the exercise/fun aspect there's nothing wrong with traditional arts; they can be pretty rewarding things to study in their own right particularly if you dig on the art's culture and history. In that regard Tai-Chi can be good one to study. Doesn't seem like much of a workout when you're learning the forms but do them from a looooow stance and suddenly it's competitive with low-impact cardio.
>> Anonymous
>>68268here

Yeah I'm trying to form a MMA club with some of the people at my school, where we try to learn from each other the most efficient, physics and anatomical based fighting techniques that anyone can employ on the street. After a while, my goal is to challenge the massive Tae kwon do club at my school to a series of fights, with respect to weight category.
>> Anonymous
$15 a lesson, per student, per 1.5-2 hour lesson.

Private weekly lessons by former martial art specialist for the Brazilian Army.

Just the right price and attention.


Personally I've learned more fucking around with my friends who go to the different school then when I was in a McKarate school. Absorb a little from each, and you'll always be safe.
>> Anonymous
All you need to learn is how to shoot (take down) and pound. Ground and pound.

Ground and pound.

Ground and pound.
>> Anonymous
Reasonable pricing is what's it's worth to you.

There's Karate at my university for $100 for 8 months (!)

I train Budo, which costs ~$160/month.
>> Anonymous
learn judo!!
>> Anonymous
For self defense, carry a knife or get a permit and carry a gun.

For fun, learn Muay Thai
>> Anonymous
>>68368

Fucking moron, no one should be getting into that position in the first place. But one's better off with solid MMA than wacky Tae Kwon Do or not knowing shit at all
>> Anonymous
>>68382

MMA is for chumps. If you want to learn how real fighting works, join the military or a street gang.