Posted: 9/9/2010 7:16:28 PM EDT
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What's the going rate in your area? I did this for a couple of years when I was much younger (probably 20 years ago) and really enjoyed it. I'm way out of shape now and thought I would get back into it along with my 6 year old daughter. We just had a few free lessons (which really kicked by butt, no pun intended) They went over pricing tonight and for the two of us it will be $220 per month. Seems a bit high to me but my only point of reference is 20 years ago and I think we paid $35 per month. |
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Some folks around here call it "Take my dough".....My daugter will be a ten year old black belt next summer (if her head stays in the game). Worth the $100 bucks a month to me.
($100 includes Leadership classes, and an extra day of one on one black belt training a month) |
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They do offer a 10% discount for my daughter so it's $109 for me and about $100 for her. Seemed a bit pricey for two days a week. I found a couple more places in the area I'll call tomorrow. I have been really impressed with the instructors at this one (family business, mom and dad are both from Korea). My daughter seems to like them as well. They pushed me pretty hard tonight but did recognize when I'd reached my limit (I'm about 30lbs over weight and haven't done any structured exercise for 2-3 years). |
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It's hard to comparison shop dojos.
Different skill levels of instructors, different opportunities for classes (can I attend one class a week at a set time or do I have my choice of 6 different classes) different class sizes and what national/international organizations the dojo belongs to (which can effect insurance and what tournaments you can compete in) all effect pricing. Be careful not to end up comparing apples to oranges. You also need to watch out for other fees. Many dojos have belt fees that you have to pay everytime you test. Some of these dojos have MANY belts and do things like yellow belt- orange tip, then yellow belt - purple tip, etc. with each belt having a test and a fee. Some of these are doing this as a way to make more money off the student. Others are doing it because if they don't have advancements all the time, then there students don't see progress and quit. They charge to offset the hassle of doing the extra advancements. On the other extreme I've seen some dojos that charge you a non-refundable flat rate up front that covers every class until you reach black belt no matter how long it takes. Of course, if you drop out (as many do) you don't get your money back. I've taken classes for free (either because the instructor did it as a hobby and for the love of the art or because I helped out at the dojo) and I've taken classes for cheap (an aikido club that used the fees to pay the rent for the room) and I've paid $50 a week for 1/2 hour of private instruction. I know I haven't really answered your question, but I hope this helps. |
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They did have the option to pay up front for either a 3 year (black belt) program or a 1 year program that offered a 15% discount. If I commit to three years I can also pay a slightly lower rate per month ($99). They offer what they call a 60/40 schedule. 60% of the classes need to be the same date and 40% can float. Not sure how that adds up for two classes per week...... |
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Quoted: Is this an ATA dojo? Not sure. Here's his bio from their yellow pages ad: Meet Master Kwon:
Master Kwon is the Master in his field. You will admire and respect him for his grace, humility and insight. He is truly a special teacher and you will come away from his course with a new respect of his skill, your abilities, and depth of soul. You will love the large rooms, mirror wall and padded floor. Our location is new, clean and conveniently located for lunch, shopping or a movie ¿ stop in today to meet Master Kwon. Talk to him, take a tour, and schedule a class. You will be glad you did. |
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Quoted: That sounds like tournament-style TKD. Quoted: Is this an ATA dojo? Not sure. Here's his bio from their yellow pages ad: Meet Master Kwon:
Master Kwon is the Master in his field. You will admire and respect him for his grace, humility and insight. He is truly a special teacher and you will come away from his course with a new respect of his skill, your abilities, and depth of soul. You will love the large rooms, mirror wall and padded floor. Our location is new, clean and conveniently located for lunch, shopping or a movie ¿ stop in today to meet Master Kwon. Talk to him, take a tour, and schedule a class. You will be glad you did. My son is involved in traditional TKD, which is self-defense oriented. He's a brown belt at age 10. He has 3 more belts to go before he can test for black, and his instructor is not easy on kids (it took 3.5 years to get to brown). We pay $40/month for him to go, and class is 3days/week. The TKD is his instructor's second job. His primary job is at the local correctional facility where he teaches hand-to-hand combat to the guards and is on the special response team (breaks up riots, etc.). |