What should I expect to pay for bjj classes? Is it by the session or by the week? It looks like they have like 3 sessions a week. With my crazy job, I know I won't be able to go every session of the week. I'm a beginner.
Thanks
Where are you located?
I would say $15-$25 per class is about normal. However, a lot of school may not let you just pay per class.
anywhere from 80-140 a month
Check is correct.
TT
I guess I should expect to pay closer to the $140 for a place that says they are affiliated with a Gracie or Machado right?
What can you tell me about that, by the way? What does that really mean when they are an affiliate? Does it mean for example that one of the Gracies dropped by, checked out the training they have, and certifies it as being pure Gracie bjj, so they get to use his name?
What about all these places that say their instructor has trained or trains directly under one of the Gracies or another big name is bjj? What should I make of that?
Thanks guys
no, not necessarily. i train with a pretty big name and pay 105 for unlimited. it all depends.
rey diogo is not a big name. It's only 8 letters.
my profile is old. i train at eddie bravos now.
11 letters thats about average, still not big.
I guess if you address him by his full title -- Sifu Eddie Bravo then it is a big name after all. (15)
My appologies.
your lucky you corrected yourself
25 bucks a class is WAY too much
You have to first ask yourself what your goals are. If you plan to compete in BJJ at a high level, or have aspirations to fight MMA, you should be willing to pay quite a bit. I would say, the first thing you would have to do, is find a school which has classes more than 3 days a week.
Renzo's school in NYC charges $250 a month for unlimited, but I would consider it well worth it since there are a lot of classes and also you will find serious guys who may be willing to train with you on the side.
So while I think $250 a month would be worth it for Renzo's, I would not be willing to pay $60 for 3x/week instruction from an average or below average teacher (just a hypothetical, I have no idea what teacher or school you have in mind).
You may also want to consider crosstraining in Judo, Sambo, or Wrestling as you'll find a lot of talented guys who might be willing to train you for free, or at least roll with you with less style-specific rules. I provided tens of thousands of dollars worth of free BJJ privates to guys I met and trained with in Judo, Sambo, or Wrestling.
Good luck with your training
Ricky
Thanks guys.
RickyMMA, I am interested in bjj because I have been watching mma since UFC1 and I was blown away by Royce Gracie.
I will be 41 soon and am a little out of shape. So, no I am not looking to do compete seriously. I want to get more exercise, maybe gain some flexibility, and learn some self defense.
At the same time I am concerned about injuries since I already have a couple of joints that are hurting, probably from arthritis setting in, I had a bad motorcycle accident 20 yrs ago. So I will start off slowly, see how I like it and proceed from there.
Thanks for all your help guys.
Sounds good. I would just add one thing, because of your prior accident and arthritis, don't let them force you into a contract since you dont know whether or not you will like it and how your body holds up. Most instructors will let you train without signing a contract in this situation.
MMANHBFAN- Your best bet is to check out the school and sit in on one of the classes. Some of the best teachers do not have to be world class competitors or even black belts.
However, you do want to know their training/school lineage, so you can ensure they are not teaching you something they just made up.
Having said that, where are you located? I am sure the Underground can come up with some good schools for you too.
250 a month every thing is overpriced in Newyork.Food,drink,entertainment and now BJJ.No disrespect to Renzo and company but for a middle class person like myself from CT thats too pricey .Maybe its ok for some NY yuppie or a rich kid from NYU.
MMANHBFAN think of like this:
Bluebelt:buy a few beers and a dozen CX wings on friday night.
Purplebelt:60$
Brownbelt:75$to85$
Blackbelt:90$to120$
This is rated on having at least 4nights a week of training and openmat on Sundays for 2 hours.
Thats how the rates are in CT.
Not really, it is in NYC, and its for unlimited training- up to 16 classes a week.
All classes in NYC, martial arts, yoga, health clubs, etc, are at least 20% more expensive than other places.
"Man, there needs to be some cheaper places in Philly D:"
Most any place in Phila, even the high-priced Maxercise, is cheaper than $250/mo!
MMANHBFAN..........
Your question is a good, valid one and timely since I just moved and left one school and am now searching for a new one.
My old school was $75 a month, with classes 5 times a week. Now, while that may seem excessive, when broken out on a per-class ratio, it was only $4 a class approximately -- which is LESS than the cost of a quarter pounder with cheese, fries, and coke at McD's!
Friends at home reminded me constantly that a year's worth of classes was more costly than a year's membership at a gym. But, if I had signed up at a gym rather than taking MMA classes, I'd be one of those members that gyms LOVE (sign up and never go); however, I never missed a class (yes, I even went to class on birthdays, etc) because it was something I enjoyed.
Also, as my friends soon learned, $75 a month was a bargain because $75 a month is A LOT cheaper than therapy; going to class all the time kept me happier, grounded, saner even, than normal!!
Earlier posts mentioned that the cost should depend on the quality of instruction you'll receive. While that's all well and good, I'd suggest that the amount will depend on what YOU want from class. You should decide how much $$$ you can afford towards class, then find a school that fits within that budget.
Also, as someone pointed out previously, signing a contract may not be the smartest move when first beginning (although I had signed one and was locked into it, which originally is what made me keep on going after my disastrous first class!)
Hope that helps. Keep us informed of your progress!