# How much is too much to pay



## lonewolfofmibu (May 27, 2010)

this may seem like an odd question but in the area I am there a a Aikido dojo that is very very expensive, now I know sometimes what you pay for is what you get but when I was stationed in Japan I trained under a 7th degree black belt in aikido who only charged 1000 yen a month so what I am wondering is what is a good price for training and when should you just try to find a different school/style  

"If you aren't mad enough to bare-knuckle box, then you aren't mad."


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## dancingalone (May 27, 2010)

Depends on the location.  Most in my area are around $90-$100 a month for as many classes as the school offers.  Most dojos I am familiar with encourage you to come as frequently as you can.

If cost is a factor, you can sometimes find aikido clubs that use places like the YMCA or a gym to meet in.  Their fees are usually reduced, compared to the exclusively aikido dojo.


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## bushidomartialarts (May 27, 2010)

1. Martial arts training in a good school from an expert is literally priceless. I would pay whatever I could afford without starving my kids.

2. Lessons are less expensive in Japan. It's actually not allowed over there to just run a school for profit. It's done out of love of the art, so 10-40 bucks a month (1000-5000 yen) is common.

3. Stateside, if you're paying over $200 it had better be something pretty special.


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## repz (May 27, 2010)

In nyc- 50 and below is rare, it might be part of a program if you do find one, like beacon karate center for example, or they train like two times a week for one hour. 75 bucks a month is average, and is considered affordable and cheap priced in nyc, which means they dont have their own space, or in one example of a rarity, they train in a public landmark under a church, as is the case with the Us Ushiro shorin ryu nyc chapter. 100 is average for someone with their own space. 120 and up is usually for champions, or they trained with a champion, or they have a really sweet training area. 150 and up is mma numbers or famous teachers (though I have seen many regular kung fu schools charge as much), over 150 they are usually champions or a serious figure head of a whole organisation.


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## jks9199 (May 27, 2010)

lonewolfofmibu said:


> this may seem like an odd question but in the area I am there a a Aikido dojo that is very very expensive, now I know sometimes what you pay for is what you get but when I was stationed in Japan I trained under a 7th degree black belt in aikido who only charged 1000 yen a month so what I am wondering is what is a good price for training and when should you just try to find a different school/style
> 
> "If you aren't mad enough to bare-knuckle box, then you aren't mad."


It's hard to give a real answer.  Is it a stand alone, professional aikido dojo where that's the full time job of the instructor?  What's a typical price range for classes in various martial arts in the area?  How much is "really expensive?"  How long ago was that 1000 yen price in Japan?

As a very loose, very SWAG range, I'd say more than $100 a month is probably curiously high, without some form of justification or explanation, but that's a very loose idea.


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## Haakon (May 27, 2010)

bushidomartialarts said:


> 1. Martial arts training in a good school from an expert is literally priceless. I would pay whatever I could afford without starving my kids.



I completely agree. You can learn more from a *real* expert in one class than an average 1st dan in a year.

You might find these articles on teachers and training interesting. They were written by a 6th dan instructor I trained with for a while several years ago:
http://www.aikiweb.com/columns/gledyard/2005_11.html
http://aikieast.blogspot.com/2009/12/limiting-factor-in-students-training.html


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## Haakon (May 27, 2010)

jks9199 said:


> It's hard to give a real answer.  Is it a stand alone, professional aikido dojo where that's the full time job of the instructor?  What's a typical price range for classes in various martial arts in the area?  How much is "really expensive?"  How long ago was that 1000 yen price in Japan?
> 
> As a very loose, very SWAG range, I'd say more than $100 a month is probably curiously high, without some form of justification or explanation, but that's a very loose idea.



In western WA $100+ is common, I think $140/month is pretty common for Aikido, but that usually allows for classes 6 days a week.


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## jks9199 (May 27, 2010)

Haakon said:


> In western WA $100+ is common, I think $140/month is pretty common for Aikido, but that usually allows for classes 6 days a week.


And that's why I qualified it as a SWAG!   And said that it would take some explanation...  Frequency of training available, size of facility, qualities of the instructor, and more; these are all ways to justify higher fees.


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## Brian King (May 27, 2010)

Haakon wrote;


> You might find these articles on teachers and training interesting. They were written by a 6th dan instructor I trained with for a while several years ago:
> http://www.aikiweb.com/columns/gledyard/2005_11.html
> http://aikieast.blogspot.com/2009/12...-training.html


 
Thanks for posting George's articles. He is a great martial artists and I enjoy reading his writings and am blessed to call him friend. 

Back on topic to the OP
Are you getting your monies worth? If so keep training if not find somewhere else to train. Look around your area and see what the going rate is amongst the various clubs and schools. If you are a serious student and having difficulty paying the tuition talk to your instructor and see if there is anything that can be done.

Warmest regards
Brian King


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## Laus (Jun 14, 2010)

I have no idea what would be normal but I can tell you that I pay no fees. My dojo is not for profit, and is held at the Y. I have to of course pay for the Y membership (which I had anyway) and a gi but beyond that it is free. When it was held in a private location there was a fee, but it was just enough to cover the expense of running the place (rent, electicity and such). That was before my time however, so I don't know what the exact price was. I should note that my Sensei also has a job, so the dojo doesn't need to pay his bills. His own dojo is in a private location, his Sensei teaches full time, and there are fees. The annual rate is around $800 CAD.

Many factors go into the rates a dojo charges, from the price of rent in the area to the experience or philosophy of the Sensei. More expensive does not always mean better quality, and cheaper doesn't mean poor teaching. 

My rule - check the instructors credentials, do a thorough net search for anything sketchy and stick to short term memberships until I am satisfied a place is worth committing to.


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