MMA gyms are very expensive but UFC pay...

[DanAndroid]

at gyms you are paying for the prestige of martial arts, if you want self defense buy a gun.

 

[sampuncher]

In the UK it's £100 to train BJJ and Kickboxing at a run down gym with barely any equipment and trainers with hardly any credentials and that's for like 4 classes a week. It's an expensive hobby to take up.

 

[FlyingDeathKick]

You never said how much boxing gyms are just that they are cheaper lol. In my area that's about what boxing gyms cost, not sure about MMA or Muay Thai tho.

 

[KawhiDoh]

This is why you'll always see speciliasts in MMA.

Wresting is scolastic, Boxing is cheap, Kickboxing isn't that pricy either...

For the health of the sport, the pay needs to continue to rise and the cost of training needs to go down.

 

[Darkart]

Yeah, there's definitely an larger barrier to entry for this stuff, especially Jiu Jitsu. That's not even including gym equipment like gloves, a gi, etc.

I read something about that, in Brazil, that's why BJJ was considered the rich kid martial art, while no gi BJJ, Luta Livre, and Muay Thai were seen more as the "lower class" combat sports. Hence the "playboy" comment from Anderson to Maia.

I thought Anderson hating Maia was because Maia is white not because he Maia did gi-BJJ?

 

[ImmigrantMentality]

Most boxing gyms are run by inner city guys trying to give back to their community. There is none of that in the mma community, at least not in the us. Its just a bunch of guys trying to milk everything they can out of middle class kids who are more than happy to pay 200 a month

 

[method115]

I'm guessing they have to be in order to maintain some degree of steady income. The turnover rate in martial arts classes is crazy! BJJ, aside from being a very prideful art, figures only dedicated students will be willing to pay the high rates. Dedicated students = steady income.

It's just weird when you compare it to places like some cheap fitness gym. Like the new gym in our area is massive with tons of equipment and it's like $12 bucks a month. Then my BJJ gym which is much smaller and with much less equipment is over 10x that amount. I don't know though wish I could see the break down of cost for both places to understand it better.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Sounds ridiculous but I went to a full MMA gym that offered almost every applicable MA discippline and its was $250 a month for unlimited use, but I practically lived at the gym. Even weight trained, took yoga classes, and showered etc. To me it was worth it (at the time), but I cant do that anymore, I am no longer "bout that life."

If you're making use of it and investing significant time there, it's not a bad deal, but like all gyms their dream scenario is for many people to sign up and rarely make use of the service (enabling them to bill far more people than they could ever actually sustain, in practice).

Closest full scale MMA gym for me is el Nino, but it's across the city and I know I'd never really go, so to me it's $200 in the trash.

 

[grimballer]

Were only gonna see true a level athletes in mma if mma becomes like wrestling n it’s offered in schools n kids can get scholarships for it. Until then it’s mostly gonna be rich man sport or those like Conor that don’t have a real career n put all their eggs in one basket trying this mma thing

 

[josephsjoseph]

Is BJJ such a mandatory for MMA?
How much belts tests cost?
Yes, I agree, that to be enough good for ammy tournament in grappling with 2 - 3 * per 1 hour ( 2 - 3 hours per week ) doesn't looks enough.
For example guys for greco roman not rarerly does 2 classes per 1,5 hour plus 2 classes per 2 hours ( 7 hours per week ) to prepare for medium level ammy bouts in small european countries. Higher levels takes more time investment.

bjj is as mandatory as wrestling and muy thai. Some can perfect the other two and just learn defensive bjj but if you are getting into mma you need to learn to finish the fight from all positions.

belt tests depends on the school and the discipline. sometimes just 10-$50 and they are a few times a year. you dont always get promoted at many but still have to pay and are expected to show up.
also for bjj if you want to progress faster it is important to compete. thats more money in entry fees and traveling. On top of all of this a clean diet is everything and is expensive along with things like physical therapy , massage therapy, chiropractic care, ect. to do anything right and to be great at it with consistency it costs money and with this sport in particular all of these small details are extremely important for the long term health of your body because there is so much wear and tear.

mma is definitely a life style choice to do it properly. Most people who half ass it as a hobby never improve, improve to slowly or end up injured before they get anywhere.

 

[dragonclaw]

I'm 100% self trained at BJJ and regularly tap out black belts.

You don't need no damn school to teach you how to do BJJ. Everything that they teach in the schools is available on YouTube.

Back in the early 2000's, when Pride was still a thing, I used to watch the events in the living room, while at the same time rolling with a blow up doll emulating Sakuraba and Gracie. This was my stomping grounds. From there I moved on to live BJJ competitions and was a regular winner on the circuits.

 

[MMAGA]

It's just weird when you compare it to places like some cheap fitness gym. Like the new gym in our area is massive with tons of equipment and it's like $12 bucks a month. Then my BJJ gym which is much smaller and with much less equipment is over 10x that amount. I don't know though wish I could see the break down of cost for both places to understand it better.

Apples and oranges in terms of what you get out of them. A typical gym can charge $10 a month because it has THOUSANDS of members, whereas a BJJ studio may have less than 50 students at any given time. Also, at a martial arts studio, you're actually being instructed by someone vs. feel free to utilize our equipment at your leisure.

 

[Katsushyro]

Luckly my hometown had at least 2 places where you could train for free and one where i payd 25 reais (about 6 dollars).

Today I live in a big city but can afford paying an expesive gym. I never would have gotten in to BJJ if I had to pay what I pay today, back in my teens.

 

[TheRealWill]

Live ina favela eat acai and train all day, playboi

 

[Airdack]

this has been the case since like 2001... with all martial arts gyms for the most part. that is standard pricing if not cheap.
Not only do you have to pay the gym fee but they also require you to purchase their equipment and clothing for classes too.
they will also charge for belt testings and other things.
its a business and is ran that way. I admit it felt bad being young and constantly being told i have to pay more and more. i remember it was the reason i never connected to the coaches there. I just felt like i couldn't appreciate it at the time when i had to over pay for extremely limited training and coaching and if i wanted more i had to pay for privates. i felt like they owed me not the other way around.
to get good at something like jiujitsu you don't do it 2-3 days a week for an hour and sometimes not even roll. that is an extremely slow path but these schools run that way. They are often more family oriented and don't like the competitive side of the sport.

its not expensive though. that is typical pricing. most adults who have their shit together can afford that very easily.
you can invest in some mats gets some friends. be smart. dont get hurt and learn through youtube.

i also want to add that when i received my blue belt i lost my job around that time and they offered for me to train for free moving forward until i was in a better spot.
about a year or so later i got a new job and i had to move and joined a new gym. i get my purple belt and the same thing happens i lose the job and they offer to let me always train for free

in my experience if you establish good relationships at this place and are a dedicated student and good example they want you in there. especially with jiujitsu where most students dont even make it to blue belt they like having experienced people in there and if you speak up over time im sure you can have your dues reduced if you are actually financially struggling

No self respecting BJJ school will force you to wear their branded Gi (might just require white or blue gi). There are no belt tests in legit bjj schools like the strip mall dojo’s. Your instructor will put a piece of tape on your belt a total of 4 times. After that you become a blue belt and usually the school will provide it since belts take years apart usually and not many people stick with it to blue belt.

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

Yeah you're right, the prices are ridiculous. My son was interested in joining some BJJ classes, I was happy to hear that because its a great thing to train and he is not getting punched in the head 100 times a day. But when I checked out the local gyms for proper legit BJJ classes, I couldn't believe the prices, I nearly had a seizure.

I told him "oh interesting I'll think about it buddy" hopefully he forgets about it and just keeps playing basketball haha

 

[98bird]

It's insane how expensive mma gyms are. For example just training muay thai is $120 a month but if you want to train bjj you have to double the pay or for $ 200 month you can sign a long term contract to save 40 bucks.

In this situation you have to rely on an established wrestler and let him train for free or low cost and have him sponsor the gym. When it's too expensive you can only get rich kids who don't have to work because parent provides training fee. Assuming if parents are cool with it.

Not saying " UFC is dying" but how can you get the best talent in mma when prices are through the roof?

Meanwhile boxing is inexpensive and the pay potential is higher than ufc fighters.

What?

Kung-Fu, Karate, TKD....they all charge around $140-160/month 3x a week around here AND that's the 12-month contract price. Month to month is more. BJJ or Muay Thai, is like $150/month (for 1) w/contract. Both is like $180-200/unlimited. This is standard.

$120 month to month is CHEAP. Where the hell do you live? Boxing can be $50/month, but that's you hitting a sweaty bag by yourself. You ain't getting any training for $50/month, that's just to go into the gym. You may get some sparring when a fighter needs a feeder fish to knockout to maintain his aggression & confidence or something. That ain't fun.

Boxing pay potential is not higher than MMA. Many Pro Boxers make $500-1000/fight, and that's before gym dues, corner %, travel expense, even manager...

 

[98bird]

Also, the average MMA gym, don't make that much money. Many are barely scraping by. Most gyms are owned by people who love the sport, and they have their main job to keep their hobby going.

 

[The Merchant]

Over here it's £60 a month for unlimited classes.

 

[Ying Li]

This is one of the benefits of Wing Chun, you can practice all 3 forms at home and use a Mook Jong at home, don't need anybody else.