Originally published on Bullshido: No BS MMA and Martial Arts

(Key Words: find a... MMA Gym, Martial Arts Academy, Jiu Jitsu instructor, gyms clubs)

 

Before you go to visit a particular dojo you should search on line for the websites of schools in your local area and see what sort of prices they are charging. This will give you some basis for comparison for the numbers that are thrown around when you visit a school in person. It will also help you spot if a school is charging above market value rates. There may be a good reason why an instructor is charging more then the norm for his area. The best estimate we've seen nationally for an average martial arts monthly tuition is $100 (Rob Colasanti of NAPMA). However because of regional differences in pricing, (New York City verses rural Alabama) this estimate may be totally inapplicable to your particular situation. Classes at the YMCA by someone who does not teach for a living will cost less. Classes in a school located in a strip mall with a high rent will cost more, often much more.

Many of us would also pay premium rates to study with say, Mario Sperry or someone who has world class grappling skills, but there should be a clear reason why you are paying more to attend this school. Additionally if a school lists its rates openly you are more likely to be dealing with an honest instructor and not be victimized by any one of a number of deceptive sales practices. Beware however, that a school may offer a low price on the phone and then try to upgrade your contract within 8 to 16 classes, if not sooner. So find out how many classes a week that price covers, and what it would cost if you chose to upgrade to receive additional classes for "the Black Belt Club" or "the demonstration team."

Look for other things, Is the instructor claiming to belong to any "Halls of Fame"? What does he call his Youth Class? Do the pictures on the site show techniques that look very complicated and ridiculous? How many martial arts are being offered? Do they list class times for each art offered? We will explain the importance of each of these questions below.

Look on the site to see what organization the training group is part of. Most major martial arts have professional associations that can act as a form of quality control. An instructor should generally be certified through this office. This is particularly true of Japanese arts. When you later visit the school the instructor should be able to produce his ranking certificate (or menkyo, in a koryu art) that certifies that he is able to teach, and he should have no problem allowing you to verify this directly with the home office. Tell him you are not questioning his credentials, but double-checking to make sure you've found a good place.

 

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