what to do?

[blown383]

Okay here is the situation, i first enrolled at my current BJJ school about 2 years ago. I signed up for a 3 month contract becuase I didn't know how long I could stay. That was the last time I paid. I took a 6 month break from BJJ but I would still show up every so often. Then recently over this past summer til now...which is roughly 6 months I have been going consistantly and my technique has been drastically impoved. My instructor has not asked me to pay. It will be about 2 years this febuary and apparently i have been his only student that has stayed this long. The issue of money has never been brought up, however i have brought him several friends that have signed up for year long contracts and they make up almost half of the team. So now my question is do i bring the issue up or do I just keep on training and say nothing? He never EVER brings up the issue. Is this common practice for students that stick around?

[Szczepankiewicz]

Maybe that's the test for your martial arts training? You must be the one to decide grasshopper...

[sccr06]

SZ is right, you must decide....BUT....I have to get on my soapbox here, NOTHING will bring you down more in the eyes of others than being irresponsible. I don't know where you go, what your situation is, how old you are, etc. But, your instructor probably feels uncomfortable bringing the issue up. My instructor had a similar problem but he is a nice guy and hoped his students would do the right thing so he wouldn't have to say anything. They didn't and now he will only accept a debit account rather than checks. So now it sucks for everybody.

My advice: be a man, do the right thing. You'll be happy you did.

[Szczepankiewicz]

Blown383? In what carriage is this? Please do tell?


Soapbox is correct!

I mean Soccer6...

It seems that the longer you train with someone, the more likely you earn their respect. My sensei doesn't even pay attention to when I pay anymore. I have to remind him that I owe him money.


It's hard to believe that you even asked that question, unless you are trolling.

[blown383]

The blown383 is in a 97' Camaro Z28.

Okay....I don't know when or how I'm gonna bring up the issue....but it's going to suck...maybe after Christmas and New years.

[SweepEm]

I'm going to give my opinion on this one and may piss you and other off but here's what I think.
First off, I don't know your whole situation but let me say that if you are going through tough times, (which there is no mention of this) then maybe to go train for free is cool but I think you are taking advantage of your instructor's good nature.

But if you are just trying to just save money or be a cheap Muther, then I would say that you owe him big time.
Sure it's cool that you brought in some guys that are regular students but look at it this way.
Anyone that has a school, has lots of expenses. There's rent, insurance,
advertising and so on for overhead.

Your instructor took a lot of time, effort and money to get HIS knowledge to be where he is at today. He should be compensated for what he brings to class.

I think you've used up your credits for bringing in guys to your school.

Time to pay your way like everyone else.

I would just hand the guy your money and if you don't want to bring up the past, then that is your perogative but I for one feel you owe him something fro the time in the past. I would suggest that if you can't give him payment for the past months, give him a little bit more each month from now.
"Is this common practice for students that stick around?"

NO

[Groin Grab]

I feel sorry for your instructor that you have taken advantage of his goodness for such a long time. But I can also understand how it is sometimes difficult to pay especailly when I have been raped for money by so many of my past instrutors. I trained BJJ Jui-Jitsu at a certian academy that required a year contract with a debit with drawal to train I was allowed to cancell the contract if I moved away and gave a months notice of it. So after 6 months I had to move I gave a months notice and they said they'd cancell my contract and they still took money out of my account for two more months despite my phone calls, I had to call my bank put a stop on their payments and they never recredited the account. That's just dishonest buisness. Just as a lot of students take advantage of not brining in thier check each month a lot of instructors take advatage of these debit contracts. It pisses me off.

[blown383]

I brought up the subject of my tuition fees tonight at practice. I asked him if this was a good time to discuss tuition fees and the reason why he never brought up the issue of money with me. Well apparently he didn't bring up the issue of money over the summer because he knew I was tight on cash, he didn't want me to stop training due to the lack of funds. Thats totally awesome if you ask me! He also said that he loved having me around and appreciated that fact that I brought him a lot of students, he also knew that I advertised the school to the best of my ability and it was also because of my loyalty to the him and the school that he never brought up the issue. He said that he had always received students who just wanted to try out BJJ as a hobby and never stayed around long enough for competition, he said that those students just come and go. Since he started his own school noone has stayed for the long run except for me. I asked him what he wanted to do about the situation, his fiance was there when I brought up the issuse...she said that they could give me a discount rate on tuition! My instructor has been very generous with his knowlege and wanted me to succeed. In the end I think everything worked out just fine. I guess I was one of those exceptions to the case. The funny thing was that he's going on vacation to italy and would like me to teach for about 2 weeks! *sigh* I'm lucky!

[sccr06]

Glad to hear everything worked out to the satisfaction of all. As you can see, much better to put the issue on the table than just go on ignoring it.

[Groin Grab]

Wow you're really lucky to have such a great instructor. It's rare to come across a martial arts instructor that's more concerned about helping his students than making some cash off them. I wish I could of trained under more guys like that instead of all these money grubbing assholes who try to take every opportunity possible to charge me some kind of fee. I've been charged sign up fees, a contract fees, a testing fees, promotion fees, belt fees, seminar fees, Specail class fees, train this many hours and you have to pay this fee fees, Uniform fees, you have to wear our academy uniforms or pay a fee fee, you have to wear my schools T-shirt to class and they cost 25 bucks each fees -- I get sick of giving these people money they don't earn. IF YOU ARE AN INSTRUCTOR OF ANYTHING OUT THERE AND YOU ARE READING THIS MAKE SURE YOU EARN YOUR DAMN MONEY.

[blown383]

I know what you mean...the association fees, T-shirts, school Gis etc..... When I first came to my instructor I got charged these fees.....which sucked. $30 Carlson Gracie association fee......I'm not even sure where that money goes, I needed a team t-shirt for competition purposes $18, and a Ouano gi...$70, and first months payment along with a contract of either 3,6 or 12 months! Thats a total of $188 off the bat! Scared the crap out of me! But I can understand the t-shirt and gi now ...back then I thought a gi was one of those karate gis for like $25.

[SweepEm]

Originally posted by Groin Grab
Wow you're really lucky to have such a great instructor. It's rare to come across a martial arts instructor that's more concerned about helping his students than making some cash off them. I wish I could of trained under more guys like that instead of all these money grubbing assholes who try to take every opportunity possible to charge me some kind of fee. I've been charged sign up fees, a contract fees, a testing fees, promotion fees, belt fees, seminar fees, Specail class fees, train this many hours and you have to pay this fee fees, Uniform fees, you have to wear our academy uniforms or pay a fee fee, you have to wear my schools T-shirt to class and they cost 25 bucks each fees -- I get sick of giving these people money they don't earn. IF YOU ARE AN INSTRUCTOR OF ANYTHING OUT THERE AND YOU ARE READING THIS MAKE SURE YOU EARN YOUR DAMN MONEY.

Dude, I feel sorry you have to train at a school like that. Sounds bad.

Hey Blown, what school are you at?
I'm with Rey Diogo, under the same umbrella as you, Carlson.

Carlson Sr. comes by a lot since his daughter lives really close by. On Thanksgiving, we trained in the morning and Carlson came by to hang with us. No he didn't put his Gi on, instead, was just sitting around and visiting.

[blown383]

SweepEm - I train under a Rodrigo Medieros Purple Belt. Carlson visited the La Habra school about 2 weeks ago I believe. Nice guy The funny thing is that there is group of either chinese or korean guys that came from Brazil to train with Rodrigo, when they got together to take pictures Carlson called it the "Chino" shot. LMAO!

Oh btw are you still a blue belt?

[Groin Grab]

I trained under Rodrigo Mederios while I was in San Diego for a few months. Awsome guy, his Jui-Jitsu is awsome, really tight and techniquel. He was really cool because he allowed me to train for a fair and resonable price for the month or so I was in San Diego with out signing a contract or paying a ridicuouls mother load of cash. That's a guy that earns his money.

[Bond]

Hmmm- Perhaps your instructor should forget to let go after he has appied his finishing hold on you during sparring. This way youlle have an excuse for being a deadbeat-