Martial Arts ~ what to expect?
Discussion
Ive just started my first martial arts class and am now in my fourth week of Wing Tsun, but im not sure what to expect. It is a small class of 6 blokes who have all done martial arts before which i havent. It is fairly hands on which i enjoy, though i got my first blackeye last night when stick fighting. However it is all getting expensive and committed very quickly. It started off at £7 a session but now im being asked for a standing order of 25 a month, being told i must grade next week £35, register with org £35, get shoes gloves and tshirt for £45. Is this reasonable after the first month? The class seems quite informal too, just get shown a few moves and exercises then slow motion sparring, or a bit more robust like the sticks last night. There doesnt seem to be much backround, the 'art' bit. Grateful for views of those more experienced. Cheers
Martial art classes vary wildly depending on the school, even within the same style. What you've described seems a bit forward in terms of fees + equipment.
For comparison, a school I train at:
Don't require monthly fees to be paid (although it's slightly cheaper if you do)
The first grading is at about 2 months (for about £25)
At which point you're licenced + get your pyjamas (about £50)
And wouldn't require you to get sparring gear for at least another 6 months - year (£50)
Not Streaky either
For comparison, a school I train at:
Don't require monthly fees to be paid (although it's slightly cheaper if you do)
The first grading is at about 2 months (for about £25)
At which point you're licenced + get your pyjamas (about £50)
And wouldn't require you to get sparring gear for at least another 6 months - year (£50)
Not Streaky either
Krag Hopper said:
a standing order of 25 a month, being told i must grade next week £35, register with org £35, get shoes gloves and tshirt for £45.
£25 a month is pretty cheap in the MA world; grading next week when you've only done one month seems a bit odd, though. Guess it depends on how much you'll be tested on. Presumably, they've split the Siu Nim Tao into 3 parts and you've learnt part 1 well enough plus you must have nailed the 8 basic moves?Edited by RemainAllHoof on Thursday 14th July 11:22
Gogoplata said:
Why do you have to pay to be graded?
You are paying towards licence, belt and above all a person or persons who know what they are looking at. Blueg33 Junior's TKD blackbelt grading panels have at least one master and 2 other blackbelts at 5th dan and above. They have to be paid, in some cases a gym or sports hall has to be hired.As for paying for equipment, I think you will find that for any sport you will have to pay for equipment like trainers, raquets, helmets, etc otherwise you cant take part.
Krag Hopper said:
Ive just started my first martial arts class and am now in my fourth week of Wing Tsun, but im not sure what to expect. It is a small class of 6 blokes who have all done martial arts before which i havent. It is fairly hands on which i enjoy, though i got my first blackeye last night when stick fighting. However it is all getting expensive and committed very quickly. It started off at £7 a session but now im being asked for a standing order of 25 a month, being told i must grade next week £35, register with org £35, get shoes gloves and tshirt for £45. Is this reasonable after the first month? The class seems quite informal too, just get shown a few moves and exercises then slow motion sparring, or a bit more robust like the sticks last night. There doesnt seem to be much backround, the 'art' bit. Grateful for views of those more experienced. Cheers
Grading seems to have come along very quick. Seems like a bit of pressure selling is going on too for the equipment (not required at either of the clubs I train with)How many techniques do you expect to be shown in a session though? Better to concentrate on getting the basics right now.
just say b
ks to the gradings and ease yourself into sparring with people who are better than you but won't take liberties.you learn a lot faster "on the job" with someone helping you along telling you what you are doing incorrectly as you go.unless you want all the different coloured belts as a sort of measure of progress.in this instance ignore my previous paragraph.
ks to the gradings and ease yourself into sparring with people who are better than you but won't take liberties.you learn a lot faster "on the job" with someone helping you along telling you what you are doing incorrectly as you go.unless you want all the different coloured belts as a sort of measure of progress.in this instance ignore my previous paragraph.blueg33 said:
Gogoplata said:
Ahh,to make money, got ya.
The point of being in business is to make money. Seems fair to me, as long as people are not conned
Yes, but for me, making money should be a "side-effect" of offering a good service that people consider to be value for money. Rather than, "Ok, move about for 20 minutes. Yep. That's fine. £40 please."blueg33 said:
Gogoplata said:
Ahh,to make money, got ya.
The point of being in business is to make money. Seems fair to me, as long as people are not connedGogoplata said:
I guess it depends on the goal of the student. There isn't much difference between the majority Martial Arts schools and LARPing, if that's what the student wants then that's fair enough. But as a lot of Martial Arts schools take the whole "self Defence" angle, then they're luring the student into a false sense of security that they can fight due to them forking out £25 for a pretty coloured belt regardless of skill.
AgreedFirst thing taught by junior's coach when it comes to self defence is run away. Mind you, junior has proven that it can help in a fight as you get used to being hit, you will be faster than a non martial artist and you know to use elbow and knees more than fists.
blueg33 said:
Agreed
First thing taught by junior's coach when it comes to self defence is run away. Mind you, junior has proven that it can help in a fight as you get used to being hit, you will be faster than a non martial artist and you know to use elbow and knees more than fists.
Depends on the Martial Art. Some MAs you can get to blackbelt without ever taking a full blown punch. First thing taught by junior's coach when it comes to self defence is run away. Mind you, junior has proven that it can help in a fight as you get used to being hit, you will be faster than a non martial artist and you know to use elbow and knees more than fists.
Take 2 guys with no MA experience at all. One does a year’s training in Wing Chun, the other does a year’s training in Boxing. If they fought one another I know who I'd put my money on.
blueg33 said:
Agreed
First thing taught by junior's coach when it comes to self defence is run away. Mind you, junior has proven that it can help in a fight as you get used to being hit, you will be faster than a non martial artist and you know to use elbow and knees more than fists.
got to agree with gogoplata here.i wouldn't want an assailant to get close enough for me to be able to throw an effective elbow.for pure self defense you can't beat a bit of real world boxing training including sparring.First thing taught by junior's coach when it comes to self defence is run away. Mind you, junior has proven that it can help in a fight as you get used to being hit, you will be faster than a non martial artist and you know to use elbow and knees more than fists.
all you need is a swift stiff jab and a degree of fleet footedness to discourage your average piss head in an alehouse attack.take a couple of jabs to the face and see how quickly you think twice about coming back in for another dose!
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