Perhaps the recent martial art flicks you’ve watched has inspired you to become next Grandmaster, but since close contact are seemingly forbidden for the foreseeable future; can one still become a master at home?
Private one on one martial arts lesson ranges from $25 for a 30-minute session and up to $130 for a 60-minute session. Private group sessions of 2-4 people range between $170 to $250 for a 60-minute session depending on the style of martial arts. For the most part, private martial art lessons are not worth the price you’re paying for even with virtual lessons.
There are many reasons for why private martial arts lessons aren’t a great option.
Continue to read for the pros and cons of private lessons as well as average pricing for private lessons based on the styles of martial arts.
Private or Public Lessons?
Like I’ve mentioned earlier, private lesson aren’t worth the money and here’s why:
(Full Disclosure: There are certain scenarios where it would be worthwhile to having private lessons, read on.)
For a student in good health, a private lesson with your instructor may not be worth it, because you’ll have less exposure and practice.
Paying a Premium for the Same Thing
If it is just you and the instructor and they’re trying to teach you how to throw. It would be hard to learn it without having another person involved to show you how and where to grab, the rotation that you’re supposed to have.
The instructor “might” allow you to throw him or herself, but they risk injuries since you’re new to it all, which means they may have to hire a person to assist in the demonstration, but they’ll have to compensate that person, which then means they’ll charge you more.
With a public lesson, since all of the students that signed up for the class, some of the students are used as demonstration, which means you get to witness the same thing without paying a premium.
Less Sparring Opportunity
Unfortunately, no stand-alone martial art is a one size fits. If your instructor is 250 lbs of pure muscle and you’re a 100 lbs lightweight, you may not be able to execute certain moves or techniques due to physical restrictions.
Similarly, if you’re 6ft 7in, but your instructor is 5ft 2in, standard sparring can be very different.
If you took public lessons, there may be a student that is around the same height as you or the same weight class, which creates a better learning experience since you have variety of potential sparring partners.
Membership Perks (Why Spend Extra?)
Many gyms now are offering martial arts as an extra bonus to their monthly membership. You’re getting one on one or small group lessons for little to no charge to your monthly gym membership and thus a private lesson is not as financially sound.
Proper Equipment / Gears / Atmosphere
A private lesson doesn’t always guarantee you access to a dojo or a place to spar. In a private lesson, you might not be able to have access to proper padding, equipment, and gears should the instructor teach you one on one either at your place or their place or in a public area.
In a public lesson, you’re also a lot safer. If someone claims to be a martial arts instructor and only do private lessons, it may not be the safest or the most trustworthy option unless he or she comes from a very reputable martial art gym or have an undisputed background in the art.
Morale and Peer-Support
Just like having a private tutor, getting private lesson from an instructor removes yourself from other students. Sometime when times gets hard, all it takes is hearing a little cheer from your classmates to lift your spirit. Not to mention the bond that is formed in the dojo, you can develop life-long friendship and hey~ maybe even a sparring partner.
Why Private Lessons are Perfect for You!
Although, public lessons are better priced and have their advantages, here are some reasons to still consider private martial art lessons.
You’re Timid
When learning anything, especially in a group setting where it may require you to demonstrate or showcase your abilities in front of an audience, it can be quite daunting.
Private lessons can help you learn the art form without having stage fright and reduce the frequency and intensity of anxiety.
You have Pre-existing Conditions or Injuries
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with receiving private lessons especially if you have certain physical limitation(s) that may inhibit or make it extra challenging in learning the art form.
Having private lessons can mitigate the amount of injuries and ensure you’re always safe while you learn.
You are a Slow Learner and Need Extra Attention
Unfortunately, sometimes in a public lesson setting, the lessons taught and the pace of the class is dictated by the average progress of the class as well as how long the individual continues to pay for the class.
Sometimes a move or certain techniques can take a while to master and it can be really beneficial to get private lessons to help you learn better since you have more one on one attention with the instructor.
You Plan on Going into Competition.
When entering martial arts competition, there’s no better way to prepare yourself than to get yourself an excellent instructor.
A great instructor will help you master the techniques, point out and correct any flaws you may have, walk you through the competition rules, and teach you additional moves not taught to others.
Since competing in competition(s) will demand a lot of practice, you’ll need a reliable sparring partner and having private lessons can ensure that your training partner won’t bail on you.
Virtual Lessons
Now more than ever, since everyone is at home, virtual lessons are becoming increasingly popular with many martial arts schools going online with their teachings.
Virtual lessons, although is an alternative to private lessons, but that too have its pros and cons.
The Perks of Virtual Martial Arts Lessons
- It creates a social-distance safe learning environment.
- You’ll encounter less judgments from your peers.
- Pre-recordings allows you to review the material indefinitely.
- Learn from the comfort of your own home.
- Typically cost less than both private and public lessons.
- You can continue to learn and keep practicing martial arts without a gap.
- There’s no need to share equipment or gears because you’ll likely have to own your own set.
- No crowds to deal with.
- Recorded lesson allows you to practice any time you like; you make your own schedule instead of having to follow the instructors schedule.
- Multiple people can learn it with a single payment.
The Disadvantage of Virtual Martial Arts Lessons
- Zero personal feedback from your instructors.
- Learning from home is not the most optimal environment.
- Protective gears are generally not provided, meaning you’ll have to purchase them separately.
- Increase chances of injuries from lacking of proper gears, and also there might be no one to help you should you injury yourself.
- No on-site correction could lead to bad forms and inhibit the continuation of the lessons to come.
- The live training experience is completely dependent on how fast and stable your internet service is.
- Instructors generally won’t be able to answer any questions during live sessions.
- Generally speaking, the contents offered are a step-down from what it should be, so it may be more worthwhile to pay a premium and learn it face to face the first time around.
- In special cases, virtual lessons can cost more than private and public lessons.
There’s no guarantee of whether virtual lessons would be any cheaper than in person lessons, pricing will depend a lot on the style you’ve chosen, where you are learning, the instructors’ mastery, and many more factors.
For the most accurate pricing, you’ll typically have to call the instructor for the private lesson pricing. The instructor may give you free or discounted lessons depending on your commitment to their program as well as the number of people you’re signing on.
What Learning Method is Right for Me?
At the end of the day, whether or not virtual martial arts lessons are right for you will be based on your time, budget, and what you’re comfortable with.
It’s definitely worth it to pay for the full experience, but if virtual lessons are what you need or what’s available then a little something is better than nothing.
Private lessons are great for anyone that want a bit more extra care and training tailored to them.
Public lessons are cheaper and is a great way to bond with your peers and expand your horizon, but with anything that’s public, you won’t be getting that exclusivity.
Keep in mind to look for free intro lessons to see if you like the instructor and also look for online lessons that are long, extensive, and free. There’s no need to spend a pretty penny if you don’t need to.
Sometimes the free online lessons are just as rich in content and value as the one you can get with a paid subscription / membership.
The Purpose of Learning Martial Art
Before you start throwing your wad of cash at your Sensei, you should heavily consider why you are learning martial arts in the first place.
One of the dilemmas with learning martial art is choosing a style that is right for you. Due to the nature of martial art, it is an art form that takes discipline, endurance, and commitment. Therefore, choosing a particular style can be quite complex and time consuming.
And martial art can be a very expensive hobby or sport, especially if you’re planning on receive some private lessons.
Here are some reasons to consider learning martial arts:
- You want to look like you’re a bad [Insert synonyms for butt]! (All jokes aside, this is probably why many of us get intrigued by martial arts)
- Strictly Self-Defense
- For creating a harmony between body, mind, and spirit.
- Ensure the preservation and the continuation of an art form.
- Becoming a stunt double.
- Being fit and healthy.
Whatever the reasons are behind your desire to learn martial art, keeping your focus on the reason will help you push pass some intense training and make the lessons much more worthwhile.
Types of Martial Art
Even if money is not an issue, your applications and your limitations may ultimately decide on the style of martial art you learn.
Not all martial arts are created equal nor are they right for everyone. Choosing a style or a type will be dependent on the individual’s “Purpose” and the individual’s physical limitations.
The types of Martial Art can be divided into 3 primary branches with sub-branches:
- Close-Quarters Combat
- Distancing Combat
- Meditation / Non-Combative
Close-Quarters Combat
Time to get up close and personal. Close-quarters combat usually involves a lot of hand to hand exchange and like the name implies, the nature of close-quarters combat is to minimize the distance between you and your opponent where the style is most effective.
Fist Heavy
Martial Arts that are fist heavy are effective in narrow spaces when kicks are not.
When you are really close to your opponent, legs are mainly focused on balancing and dodging and less about actual strikes.
In a scenario when you’re only a foot apart, the legs are reduced to kneeing, sweeps, and stomping for it is hard to generate the necessary distance for an effective kick.
Grappling
Prepare to get down and dirty, for grappling is all about getting your opponent on the ground where your style will really shine. When neither one of you can throw anymore punches and kicks, grappling seems to be the end results.
Certain styles of martial arts are created for this exact application and can end a match without fancy kicks or punches.
The main purpose of grappling is to seize your opponent by restraining their movement through joint locks or imposing body motion.
Takedown
Takedown is similar to grappling with one key difference, which is takedown is focused on getting your opponent flat to the ground with minimal effort, usually by using their own force or their own body against themselves.
Takedown style focus mainly on throws, joint lock, leg sweeps, and push & pulls. The style places less emphasis on physical force required to deliver a strike and more on techniques for the least amount of effort the person have to dish out.
Distancing Combat
Distancing Combat is typically described as a form of combat that is dealt with at a range. This is primarily referred to using weapons to keep the opponent at bay or to minimize the need for close-quarters combat by maximizing the range / distance.
Leg Heavy
Before I get butchered for putting martial arts that place heavy emphasis on the legs under distancing combat, I would like to make it clear that belongs to close-quarters combat as well.
Since the legs are the longest limbs we have, a style that favors the kicks more than the punches can somewhat be considered as distance combat.
Leg heavy martial arts can involve a lot of kicking such as the spin kicks or the flying kicks. Aside from fancy kicks, leg heavy martial arts may require you to perform many jumps, flips, kneeing, sweeps, and leg locks.
A martial art that relies heavily on kicks creates a wider striking range which means you’ll have to constantly evaluate the distance between you and your opponent.
Weapon-Based
A weapon-based martial art typically serves three purpose, which are keeping your opponent as far as possible, enable a strike from a distance, and reduce the strain on the body by having an object delivering and absorbing the blows.
A martial art that uses a sword or staff are sometimes taught as an extension of your body / limb. It gives the person a greater striking range, creates distance for parrying and avoid unnecessary scuffles.
Meditative / Non-Combative
Non-Combative
Not all martial arts are intended for combat purposes, some martial arts are meant to help strengthen an individual’s body, improve health, expand the human limitations, and purely for the display of the art form.
A non-combative martial art is perfect for anyone that is a pacifist, but still would like to learn a style of martial art.
Due to the nature of non-combative martial art, it’s considered a less destructive form of martial art, which becomes more of an exercise like yoga.
Choosing a Type of Martial Art
After learning about the 3 types of martial arts and their individual emphasis, you should consider the types of martial arts before you determine the style of martial arts.
For Example:
A martial art that favors the first like Wing Chun would probably not be a good fit for anyone that might have pre-existing injuries or joint pains in their hands.
Similarly, a person that have had torn an ACL or broken any leg bone should avoid martial art such as Muay Thai, which uses the legs a lot.
Deciding on the Styles of Martial Arts
Once you’ve decided on the type of martial art, it’s time to decide on the style.
There are many factors that can help narrow your decision:
- Styles based on preferences
- Cultural Significance
- Cultural Custom
- Local Offerings
- Authenticity
- Popularity
A style like Taekwondo are known for their lightning fast kicks, which can be very appealing for anyone that prefers kicks to punches.
Sometime cultural custom may be a deal breaker. If you want to learn Shaolin from the original source it may require you to shave your head and pray to a deity you might not believe in.
What you learn may also be limited by what is offered in your area; if you’re learning some obscure martial art you may want to consider that there might not be competition(s) in your region.
Popular Martial Arts to Learn
For obvious reasons, not all of the styles are listed here since there are as many styles as there are Nicholas Cage movies, but here are the top 15 most popular martial arts style.
| Karate | Taekwondo | Krav Maga | Muay Thai | Tai Chi |
| Wing Chun | MMA | Aikido | Capoeira | Shaolin |
| Judo | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | Savate | Kickboxing* | Wrestling* |
*Since there are too many variations of that style, it’s likely you’ll hear it referred to as that, unless you press for details with your instructor.
There are many martial arts that didn’t make it onto this list, but are absolutely worth looking into and learning if that appeals to you.
For an extensive list of martial arts, visit blackbeltwiki.com.
The list was made with popularity in mind, which means that it has a higher likelihood of you finding a local master or instructor rather than to make a journey of a thousand miles.
Belt Ranking System
As you mature yourself through the various stages of martial arts, it’s a common practice to have you wear something as an indicator of the level of mastery you have over that art form.
Often the students are differentiated by the belt color they wear or perhaps an arm strap or headband, with belt color being the most common.
Unfortunately, belt color is not a universal system across all the martial arts, a black belt is widely known as the highest-ranking belt color to obtain, but that’s not necessarily true across the board.
In fact, belt ranking wasn’t introduced until the early 1900s and it started with Japanese martial arts, but were quickly adopted and used by other styles as well.
Belt Ranking also have variations beyond colors. Some belts have stripes to show that the individual is a level above the standard color. While other belts have patterns or an emblem to mark the current stage of mastery.
So, for example, a brown belt with a black strip through it is one step above just a regular brown belt. Additionally, some belt ranking system have multiple stripes, usually vertically marked with more stripes being more experienced.
You may sometimes find that “Red” belt holds a higher ranking than a black belt such as the ones used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. And at other times the “green” and “purple” belt may switch positions in the ranks, with “green” belt being more advanced than “blue” belt.
In some cases, you don’t even start at the white belt, but that’s a fairly uncommon ranking system.
Once you have reached the advanced stages of your particular style, indicated by your black belt. To achieve a black belt usually takes between 3-5 years and for extensive mastery can take up to 10 years.
If you continue to master the art, you’ll obtain “degree(s)”. Once again this is not a universal rule, but it is used by a handful of styles.
The higher the number of the degree, the greater your level of mastery you’ve proven to have. In order for one to obtain a degree in their style, you’ll have to prove yourself in not just the mastery of techniques, but philosophies, teachings and have immense dedication to the art.
Earning a ‘degree’ takes years and years of practice with the highest degree bestowed to people that essentially dedicated their life to the art. Majority of the people that hold a level of degree in their style are usually elderly, some of them are still teaching and practicing way passed the age of retirement.
Training at Home
In times where an instructor may not be readily available or is all booked up for private sessions, you’ll have to rely on virtual lessons, paid or not.
Practicing martial arts at home is a lot different than when you practice at a dojo, in the ring, or on the sparring ground.
Incidents of Wii-Sports-like events tends to happen when you’re not aware of your surroundings.
Here’s a checklist to get the best training possible at home:
Always:
- Notify everyone at home of what you’re doing and when. Preferably ask them to stay away for however long you plan on practicing.
- Avoid staging your area with high foot traffic such as near doorways, hallways, stairs, and balcony.
- Buy professionally made training pad or punching bags. (Don’t use pillows, they’re not the same thing.)
Try To:
- Use the front or backyard for practice, if you don’t have a yard, use the largest open space possible.
- Train in an open area, free from any furniture or breakables.
- Watch the lessons a few times before attempting.
- Get a training partner with you.
Never:
- Overexert yourself.
- Attempt high level techniques without proper supervision.
- Use unapproved martial arts weapons.
- Practice on hard surface such as concrete.
Final Thoughts
Whether or not you’re thinking about learn martial arts or continuing martial arts, the key to becoming a great martial artist is through consistent practice and being persistent despite potential obstacles.
Whenever possible, learn from in-person classes and hire a private instructor if you need additional help. When you have access to neither, you’ll have to become self-reliant.
Practicing in class and practicing at home is still practicing regardless of where you’re at. Consider to continue your training through virtual lessons if you feel it’s to your benefit.
When training at home, you may be limited to only practicing the moves and techniques you’ve learned already, but as
Bruce Lee once said:
“I fear not the man who practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
It’s less about the numbers and more about the mastery of a technique.
Although martial arts are often viewed as physical training, it is important to not to neglect the mental side of martial art. A sharp and tempered mind is equivocally paramount to any martial artists’ journey to mastery.
Lastly, never feel like you’re too old, not good enough, wasn’t born with the knack for it. Martial art is for everyone and anyone, no matter the age, no matter the gender, nor the talents born with.
It is indiscriminate to the person, the place of your birth, the culture, and etc. It is all encompassing, so if you have an interest in learning, don’t hesitate to try and learn and most importantly: never give up when time gets hard.