jigmastermatt

The schools I have seen were around $1500 per year! Is this a normal price? if it is , then it would really be heard for me to start Muay Thai.

ryangruhn

Depends on the area; more or less competition brings different prices; monopolies, etc. At the school I teach at we charge $60 a month for three classes a week and a full gym membership for weights, cardio etc. We however, are feeding more off of college students then professionals.

Gruhn

__________________
---DURATTAN ~ "THE MOST DURABLE RATTAN STAND-IN" ---

jigmastermatt

Wow, thats pretty cheap, what area are you in? Is it so expensive because I'm in NYC?

ryangruhn

State College, PA. - PENN STATE UNIVERSITY.

__________________
---DURATTAN ~ "THE MOST DURABLE RATTAN STAND-IN" ---

Khun Kao

Yes, it really depends on your area. I coach in Washington, D.C. and most MuayThai starts at $1200/year and can get as expensive as $2400/year (depending on the level of instruction & number of classes).

$1500/year is about right. It includes the average of $100/month tuition, plus your registration fees & equipment costs.

__________________
Kru Brooks C. Miller
USMTA Director of DC, MD, and VA
http://khunkao.com/

muaythaiart.com

It's normal rate.

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gabbah

Holy crap.. do you get personal instruction ALL the time for that price or is that for training with a group with shared instructors?
The gyms here (sweden) charge about 370 dollars for a full year training (group). Perhaps the gyms there have better instructors and more time for each student?

Khun Kao

Thats the fee for group training with shared instructors. Don't even get me started on the costs of private instruction. I charge a lot because of my associated travel expenses. I have to drive 36 miles (about 45 min's) one direction to get to and from the gym. You're going to PAY ME!

__________________
Kru Brooks C. Miller
USMTA Director of DC, MD, and VA
http://khunkao.com/

Pork Chop

whoa cr@p I didn't even know I had an account here....

You drive that far to the new gym?!
Was it similar distance to One Spirit as well?!

Man I wasn't aware of the wear n tear you were puttin on your car, that's nuts!

Right now I'm seriously considering opening my own gym.
Probably have to import someone from back there (MD/VA/DC) to do any actual teaching.

I'm thinking of opening some place more like my old gym: http://www.bxfclub.com
ie a $50 or $60 a month fitness center that has a lot of fighter training stuff, separate beginner classes & pad work at $5 to $10 a session, and make extra money selling advertizing.

I've realized that even if my new kickboxing gym lets me do my own thing during their class hours (with no timer), I still have no desire to go down there. The coach is a good guy, but I still can't get into going down there.

I love my boxing gym, but with no kicking I don't want it to be my only spot- though I'm starting to really consider being boxing-only.

sportmuaythai

All I can say is that if you're willing to pay that kind of money, you must be really serious about muaythai. And if you can afford to pay that kind of money and you're serious, a better option would be to spend that money for a two months training in Thailand. You'll be training twice a day, six days a week, one on one, with very experienced fighters. I can guarantee you that you'll be better trained in two months than two years with group training. The good thing is there are plenty of good camps in Thailand. It doesn't need to be Fairtex, though I love Fairtex, and I drive at least an hour one way to train there,4-6 days a week. At good camps, you'll be ready to fight in two months, and you'll know sufficient muaythai to train on your own when you get back home.

Khun Kao

I disagree. (apologies in advance for my long-winded answer below, LOL!!!!)

Paying that kind of money is STANDARD here in my area. The cost of quality instruction varies from area-to-area based upon the cost of living. The cost of living in DC is pretty high (not *quite* as high as NYC or SanFran, but you get the idea). If you want to learn MuayThai, BJJ, or MMA arts, you're going to pay an average of $100/month. Compared to other sports & recreation in our area, the average cost of MuayThai is actually a little on the cheap side.

Sure, Thailand is dirt cheap, but you gotta get there first, and that AIN'T cheap! And, if you're trying to actually LEARN MuayThai, are you *really* going to get first rate instruction there?

Let's think about this a minute.... in Thailand, most (not all) camps are focused on training their fighters. Their fighters are their main source of income. If you go to train at most camps, sure, you'll get to work out with a bunch of quality pro's. But how much time are they going to spend with you to REALLY teach you? Especially since you'll only be there for a few weeks and then you're gone.

Let's not forget the language barrier. Sure, many Thai's speak English, and its possible to learn through watching and demonstration methods, but you're likely to miss out on a lot, too.

But back home, where you are paying an "exorbitant" fee, you're getting multiple training sessions per week and getting actual instruction in your own language. Even though you are part of a bigger class, you are still getting individual attention throughout the class as the instructors and/or senior students take the time to help you along and give you pointers.

Now, AFTER you have learned MuayThai, going to Thailand is something I would DEFINATELY recommend to anyone who's serious. The training there is unequaled! Training alongside pro's and the occassional champion is invaluable! But again, you're realistically only going to be there for a few short weeks. You're still going to end up coming home and paying $100/month to train.

But lets take that a step further....

Let's say that you ARE a serious MuayThai student/practictioner/fighter.... A well-run gym is going to offer you some sort of incentive to keep you in-house. Reduced training fees. At-cost or even *free* equipment/apparel/gear. These incentives can even lead to FREE TRAINING!

Face it, if you have a fighter who represents your gym a few times per year in the ring, and helps teach classes, do you REALLY want to keep charging him or her?

The $100/month is aimed at the casual practitioner, who wants to train, be in shape, know how to fight, but doesn't have a real inclination to compete, teach, or go live the fighters dream life in Thailand....

__________________
Kru Brooks C. Miller
USMTA Director of DC, MD, and VA
http://khunkao.com/

gabbah

You make very good points khun kao.

And it's true what you said about reduced training fees, you can get them after a while in the same gym. In my gym, the guys that help out instructing other people get free training (I do that and get free training).
And that makes me want to stay in that gym. :P

sportmuaythai

First let me thank you for your detailed response. This is my answer to your question. This is not a rebuttle. If you shop around, it's not difficult to get a round trip ticket from NY for US$1250. Also, would you get first rate instruction in group traininig compared to just an example below?
http://www.chiangmaimuaythai.com/
This camp has co-trained Karuehas and Attachai both of whom are legendary MT fighters. Can you easily find instructors in the US who have as much experience fighting and training professional fighters as at this Thai camp? I often see MT trainees from the US with very poor form. This is not a criticism, but an observation. And when they fight, they rush into an attack. I witness this among the US team which recently compete in the World Amature Muaythai Competition ( EXPO ). If you go to see fights at Lumpinee and Rathcdamnern, you'll see fighters with much composure. This is taught and much stressed at good MT camps in Thailand.

There are many camps that fit your description, unfortunately. Yet there are also many camps that cater to foreigners, and are treating their paying students almost same as their fighters. I'd say much closer attention than the instructor could give to his group of students. Also, by observing professional fighters training along side you, you'll learn how to train as well.

MT don't have many complicated moves, and the moves are bio-mecanically correct. When you train one on one twice a day, six days a week, it'd be rare that the trainer will not let you know how to execute your weapons correctly. I've seen posters of US instructors (I won't say name, but some are welknown) who excute a round house kick with the standing foot flat on the floor, and did not roll the butt to finish the kick. How could they make such shameless pose? Language could be an obstacle, but not a barrier for training MT.

I think this is redundant. Remember, you'll be getting personal training twice a day, six days a week in Thailand. You can change trainers to learn the best tactic from each trainer, instead of getting stereo type training in group training. You also spar with your experienced trainer/fighter who'll point out right away which approach is wrong and which is correct. He will also correct your bad weapon execution. Best of all, these trainers are experienced in giving light weapon sparring, so don't worry about getting your nose bloodied by excited class mate.

You'll bring back sufficient knowledge in two months to train on your own.

I'd say that in two months, you could have an entry level real MT fight in Thailand, and with that experience, you may be offered the chance to train for free like Khunkao says above.


Like I said, If you can spare two months vacation of your dream, it will cost you less to train in Thailand than to train in group for $1500 a year. Check the website. Two months personal training for less than $400. Room with air condition and private hot shower and toilet for $150 a month +utilities. Food is cheap, and you can get your laundry ironed cheaply. Lots of sights to see and things to do. Add $1250 for the round trip air fare, and you still come out ahead of two years training in group back home. ChiangMai is really pretty and cheap city to live. Kaewsamrit and Fairtex are among other good camps available. There are plenty to choose with prices to suit your pocket.

jeff5

$1500 a year sounds about average for the Chicago area as well. But with most schools that gets you unlimited classes in all programs they offer. (say Muay Thai, BJJ, Boxing, etc.)