BJJ prices becoming inflated?

[fourfif**]

im not saying they should earn as much although i do admit rereading my post that's what i said. the point i was trying to make is top notch lawyers and top notch doctors make a ton of money.... too much in my opinion. the reason some people justify paying an arm and a leg for their services is they spent upwards of 8 years in school and the field is very competitive...

well i would say not as competitive as the BJJ world. think of how many people wash out in the first three months of training let alone make it 15+ years in the sport.. on top of that be successful and justify themselves and their training by staying healthy and technically proficient the whole time to place well in top tier competitions.

so yeah i don't think a bjj instructor / coach should make 150,00+ a year but i also don't think its a bad thing if they ask 100-200 bucks per student per month.. if your school has 70 students signed at in a given month who each pay 150 thats 10,500 per month... how much of that actually gets into your instructors pockets after the owner gets a cut, the front desk guy is paid, light bill / cleaning supplies / water is paid for and so on and so on...

I get what your saying, and respect your point of view,

however,

I'm just posting from the perspective of someone who's trained in two grappling sports besides BJJ, both with former US Olympic team coaches, one in Judo, one in Wrestling. One is 40 a mo, and the other was like 65 a yr.

I know it's a different sport, but still, it's just grappling like judo and wrestling but for some reason costs many many times more.

 

[lechien]

I know this judoka that is furious at BJJ instructor making a living of teaching.

Why don't wrestling and Judo people not make a living of teaching?

 

[chunglii]

$20 per lesson baby! wo0t

 

[fourfif**]

I know this judoka that is furious at BJJ instructor making a living of teaching.

Why don't wrestling and Judo people not make a living of teaching?

college wrestling coaches and judo gym owners get by okay.

 

[Irishspirit]

I want to know where the guy who thinks rent is $2-4k per month everywhere. We lucked out with our rent in an old building being close to that but a gym down the street pays around $13k per month for their space. And that rate is more common for space in our area. I can't imagine what it would be like in NYC.

Then you add on full-time instructor salaries, insurance, website fees, other advertisement fees, student database fees, plus upkeep of the gym and equipment and you can see why rates are high. Most judo and wrestling clubs aren't run by full-time instructors, they do it in their spare time so they can keep rates low. BJJ instructors tend to do it as their main gig. So they need to be able to live by making a decent salary.

 

[Kenny from MD]

Another reoccuring, beyond idiotic thread. Gym owners should not have to sacrifice anything or inconvenience themselves to appeal to a bunch of nerds just looking for something else to whine about on a message board. 100-200 is more than appropriate if the training environment is on par with the price. Go support yourself running a business in SoHo and charging judo prices. Get real.

 

[fourfif**]

I'm being admittedly selfish here, but this is a (currently down) capitalist economy.

there's always going to be a market for high end elite training, but the individual component gyms have always been alot less for all other forms of training, pretty much with few exceptions. even still, when I had the money I was training at fairtex wrestling/mma/bjj/mt for damn near 200 noooo problem... totally worth it.


and yeah I'm bitching about it because now I'm gonna be a broke mofo driving a taxi or some shit trying to pass the bar, not able to do bjj.



it's all good though. back to judo I guess. unless I land a gig around here real quick. heads up if anyone is hiring in SF!


and I agree, about running a judo gym in the City.

in this case in the sunset/outer richmond of sf http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f12/russian-style-judo-sf-1088112/

out of business.

damn.

 

[nefti]

hey there is nothing wrong with realizing what your socio economic lvl is and living life within your means. But just don't make it like someone is "ripping you off" because you can't afford it.

 

[Andrew Green]

hey there is nothing wrong with realizing what your socio economic lvl is and living life within your means. But just don't make it like someone is "ripping you off" because you can't afford it.

It just becomes a question of priorities, most people can afford it, problem is there are lots of other things we want to have and end up prioritizing.

If training and staying in good physical health is a high enough priority, it will be afforded. But maybe you give up cable tv, the smart phone, eat out less, etc. A month of classes is usually about the same as going out for dinner (for 2) every other week. Or less then the cost of going out for lunch instead of paper bagging it.

Even the top end of the scale, the $200+ / month schools are only costing you $7 / day or so, most are $3-4 / day. Compared to other things we spend money on, it's not that expensive.

 

[Aethyr]

Nobody wants to wrestle. Wrestling programs are on the chopping blocks from schools all over the country. You want to know why wrestling is cheap? Because nobody wants to wrestle. Unfortunate but true. So the few remaining supporters of wrestling make it cheap and available and volunteer their time to keep the flame alive.

I don't understand this whining about something being too expensive. Do you also whine about Ferraris and Lambos being too expensive and how Hyundais and Kias are so much cheaper? Do you go to the grocery store, grab the store brand and throw a fit to the checkout lady how the name brand is too expensive?

Damned entitled whiners need to grow the fuck up. Not everything in life needs to be as cheap as you demand it. Don't want to pay for the name brand, then don't fucking pay. Buy the store brand and be glad you have food to eat. If you think BJJ is too expensive, then don't fucking buy it! Go buy the store brand, and wrestle. Its cheap and practically free. You have a veritable cornucopia of grappling options.

And someone said that BJJ instructors shouldn't make as much as doctors or lawyers...why the fuck not? Who the hell made you god of salaries? What about my neighbor, who doesn't even have a degree, but just worked hard and owns his own restaurant? How much should HE make? Or how about my dad who paints houses, no degree whatsoever? Should he make more or less than a doctor? A little hint, they both make more than the average doctor.

But more to the point, how much do YOU make, huh? Care to justify why you deserve the pay you do? Do feel you have to?

 

[Aethyr]

I'm being admittedly selfish here, but this is a (currently down) capitalist economy.

there's always going to be a market for high end elite training, but the individual component gyms have always been alot less for all other forms of training, pretty much with few exceptions. even still, when I had the money I was training at fairtex wrestling/mma/bjj/mt for damn near 200 noooo problem... totally worth it.


and yeah I'm bitching about it because now I'm gonna be a broke mofo driving a taxi or some shit trying to pass the bar, not able to do bjj.



it's all good though. back to judo I guess. unless I land a gig around here real quick. heads up if anyone is hiring in SF!


and I agree, about running a judo gym in the City.

in this case in the sunset/outer richmond of sf http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f12/russian-style-judo-sf-1088112/

out of business.

damn.

Ah, the truth comes out.

Yet you're going to be a lawyer. How would you feel if I found some cheap ass $40 divorce lawyer and demanded you give me the same price for your services? How would you feel if I tried to pass it off as YOUR selfishness, when in fact, the selfish entitlement attitude is mine by making such demands?

How you feel if I determined that you not only charge too much, but you simply make too much money? That you should make a comfortable, but not extravagant amount of money, where I arbitrarily determine what "extravagant" means?

 

[Kenny from MD]

Nobody wants to wrestle. Wrestling programs are on the chopping blocks from schools all over the country. You want to know why wrestling is cheap? Because nobody wants to wrestle. Unfortunate but true. So the few remaining supporters of wrestling make it cheap and available and volunteer their time to keep the flame alive.

I don't understand this whining about something being too expensive. Do you also whine about Ferraris and Lambos being too expensive and how Hyundais and Kias are so much cheaper? Do you go to the grocery store, grab the store brand and throw a fit to the checkout lady how the name brand is too expensive?

Damned entitled whiners need to grow the fuck up. Not everything in life needs to be as cheap as you demand it. Don't want to pay for the name brand, then don't fucking pay. Buy the store brand and be glad you have food to eat. If you think BJJ is too expensive, then don't fucking buy it! Go buy the store brand, and wrestle. Its cheap and practically free. You have a veritable cornucopia of grappling options.

And someone said that BJJ instructors shouldn't make as much as doctors or lawyers...why the fuck not? Who the hell made you god of salaries? What about my neighbor, who doesn't even have a degree, but just worked hard and owns his own restaurant? How much should HE make? Or how about my dad who paints houses, no degree whatsoever? Should he make more or less than a doctor? A little hint, they both make more than the average doctor.

But more to the point, how much do YOU make, huh? Care to justify why you deserve the pay you do? Do feel you have to?

On behalf of sensible individuals on messageboards worldwide, PLEASE. POST. MORE.

 

[Team Sleep]

Nobody wants to wrestle. Wrestling programs are on the chopping blocks from schools all over the country. You want to know why wrestling is cheap? Because nobody wants to wrestle. Unfortunate but true. So the few remaining supporters of wrestling make it cheap and available and volunteer their time to keep the flame alive.

I don't understand this whining about something being too expensive. Do you also whine about Ferraris and Lambos being too expensive and how Hyundais and Kias are so much cheaper? Do you go to the grocery store, grab the store brand and throw a fit to the checkout lady how the name brand is too expensive?

Damned entitled whiners need to grow the fuck up. Not everything in life needs to be as cheap as you demand it. Don't want to pay for the name brand, then don't fucking pay. Buy the store brand and be glad you have food to eat. If you think BJJ is too expensive, then don't fucking buy it! Go buy the store brand, and wrestle. Its cheap and practically free. You have a veritable cornucopia of grappling options.

And someone said that BJJ instructors shouldn't make as much as doctors or lawyers...why the fuck not? Who the hell made you god of salaries? What about my neighbor, who doesn't even have a degree, but just worked hard and owns his own restaurant? How much should HE make? Or how about my dad who paints houses, no degree whatsoever? Should he make more or less than a doctor? A little hint, they both make more than the average doctor.

But more to the point, how much do YOU make, huh? Care to justify why you deserve the pay you do? Do feel you have to?

Brother programs might be cut because of funding, but it's not due to a lack of interest in wrestling. The same club I trained with as a kid is alive and kickin and the same coaches and guys are showing up with their kids to wrestle that I wrestled in my youth with. It's not going anywhere on a youth level. Those who want to wrestle spend a fucking ton to wrestle as well. It's at least 10-50 dollars to enter a youth tournament. Before driving, hotels, making weight, proper dieting, paying dues(albeit a fee at the beginning of the season true)... well they put out a shitload of money. And that is just the average kid who doesn't intend to ever wrestle in college.

There are actual serious athletes that are 6 and 8 years old with better knowledge of wrestling than most of Sherdog combined. Wrestling ain't dead. Public schooling and the American empire is dead. Wrestling is doin fine.

 

[Team Sleep]

I can't edit my post because of teh dubbz... but I will say that I otherwise entirely agreed with the post I previously quoted.

Just wrestling ain't dead. Wrestling season is well under way heh.

 

[dazed863]

maybe another reason wrestling is so cheap is its more geared towards the youth (atleast here in America)

not that adults don't enjoy rolling around with other sweaty dudes just as much as kids do but i don't see BJJ in the mind set of most people like i do wrestling... say wrestling and what do you automatically assume? high school or college? BJJ i think is more accepted for adults. deff would make me charge less for wrestling that i would BJJ.

i said in a previous post also that i ran across two people in my city... Orlando, Fl... that offer free wrestling programs. in both conversations it was brought up that it keeps kids off the streets and out of trouble. both took a lot of pride in their program and how tight the comradrie was and "how hard their boys work"... most of the BJJ instructors i've run across (not that many) dont really say "keep kids off the streets" as they do "teach you how to be tough / fight". two different mindsets IMO.

 

[Tha_MMAn**]

Yea, it's becoming progressively higher. I wanted to go back to training, but i think I'll settle for some Muay Thai instead.

 

[BeRGLeZ]

Most expensive I've seen is Evolva MMA which is like $400 a month or something ridiculous... also; Renzo affiliated

 

[rjthakid]

$220/mo unlimited.

Marcelo Garcia Academy NYC

Yea, I'd say rolling with Marcelo a few times a week is worth $220 per month.

 

[curb1850]

$220/mo unlimited.

Marcelo Garcia Academy NYC

Yea, I'd say rolling with Marcelo a few times a week is worth $220 per month.

Lucky bastard!!!

 

[MMA_Fan]

I might be wrong but this is the way I see it.

If your the ONLY academy in the area and have a black belt under lets use Renzo Gracie here, then your going to do VERY good. Nobody can ever say "your not a Renzo Gracie Black Belt". I assume you took pictures of when you got your Black Belt and also have taken pictures training in Renzos academy, with the other black belts, wearing the black belt. Competing is also a plus, but from what i have personally witnessed, not necessary.

IF you move into a place with many BJJ schools that are affiliated, then I can see the average person looking at "Wow Renzo Gracie Certified Affiliated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy!!??" How the hell is being affiliated going to change what you know and what you teach?

Not to say there isn't anything good that comes from affiliations. You get invited to your affiliates tournaments, it adds to your marketing (pulls in a few more people), and its always good to stay connected, networking has its pluses.

If I were to start an academy in California, I think I might have to be affiliated to benefit me. If I were to start one in a state or country that didn't have BJJ, I could run a successful BJJ academy without being affiliated I think.

Also it depends on the instructor. If hes an idiot, or has no business sense and is bad with people (ex, has Salesman written all over him) then he will go under. Running a business isn't for everybody.

I dont know exactly what the benefits of every affiliate brand is, its up to the situation and location to decide. Some also get pressured and feel like they are obligated to be affiliated or their network might outcast them or instructor might all of a sudden change his attitude towards you, who knows.

Personally, I trained from books at first and was in awe whenever I met a blue belt. If a local gym had a black belt, non affiliated, i would have trained there in a second assuming it was the only one in town. THeres just too many variables to think about here.

I agree with you that in areas where BJJ in well known, you need some sort of affiliation. Here in Central California, affiliation with Claudio Franca is VERY helpful. Our school is an affiliate of Joe Moreira, but although he is well known in BJJ circles, he is not well known to the public in my area. The funny thing is he trained Kimo, and when people see pictures of Kimo they want to train under Master Moreira.