Question to all instructors

[phillyman]

What do you charge for classes. I just called someone and they told me 100.00 per month with a one time sign up fee of $500.00. Rick Tucci doesnt even charge near that amount for the initial fee and he is a full instructor.

[StraightBlaster]

$100 a month? not too bad if he has a well setup gym and good classes.

$500 sign up fee? he is a CROOK!!! no reason at all for that kind of a sign up fee. Sign up fees should cover basic equipment you need for class and a t-shirt or two. Ask him why its so high. because no one else charges that much for sign up.

[Fighter]

I agree with StaightBlaster. the monthly fee is good if he has all the right stuff. $500 is a bit much, my very firts sign up fee was only $60-80 I would definatly tell him to lower the price. Think of how many more students hed get.

[phillyman]

I just got a bad feeling. he didnt seem to encouraged to tell me about himself and his ranking. I was once cheated when i was younger had someone tell me they were teaching me JKD when it was tae kwon do never again. ps the monthly fee isnt what bothered me it was the initial fee.

[Fighter]

Thats what I was thinking, the monthly payment wasn't that bad.

And are you saying someone try to teach you TKD when you thought it was JKD?

[phillyman]

Yes he said he was a jkd instructor but it was tkd this was in 1988 89

[Brokenmace]

Certainly I'm no instructor, but I have some experience with fees. $100 is decent with the above stated stipulations, but I have to say the pricing seems acutely regional.

For example, on the west coast of the US, you likely won't find prices any cheaper than that, unless it's a real dive. Many schools charge much more and have great facilities. In the southeast I haven't seen a school charge more than $85, even if they have good equipment, unless its in a high-populace city, like Miami.

My school is affiliated with Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts, and I pay only $65/month for four classes a week (one Saturday) and I would pay $75 if I wanted to learn two arts at once (though you end up learning some of everything anyway).

BTW: $500 for start up is the worst scam I've come across at a school. Ask for credentials and haggle the price down if you've got no other options. Ask the students what they think (preferrably outside the school). If anything seems dodgy, don't pay. And for God's sake, don't sign a contract at those prices!

There are more tips at http://www.about.com in their martial arts section.

Good luck!

[Fighter]

phillyman: Thats bad luck, do you know if the guy is stil teaching?

Brokenmace: when you say 4 lessons a week (1 saturday) do you mean that all saturaday basically is MA practice. If so thats great! and all teachers should say have one a month.