Best places for new karate club

[dcwado]

I've been thinking about starting a karate club without focusing on making a profit. With that said, the prices for some of the places out here are insane. $150 an hour!?

Where would be alternatives to community centers and the YMCA. I've been looking at the Boys and Girls Clubs.

[ninjanurse]

I started mine in a Community Center-cost me $1 a student per class. It was a good arrangement at the time-I am sure there are centers around DC that will negotiate something with you.

[bushido_man96]

Some churches might be willing to help out. You might check them out. Some schools may allow you to start an after-school program and use their gyms.

[JohnASE]

The above are good suggestions. To elaborate, community centers could include park and recreation facilities or Japanese cultural centers (since you're Wado Ryu). Some of our customers teach in health clubs or on college campuses, and some share space with dance academies. One even taught upstairs from a pet store in a room usually used for dog training!

[dcwado]

Just an update. I found a place at a local dance studio. We thought we were going to set up shop at a church, but insurance issues blocked us for a little bit. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[tallgeese]

Glad to hear you found space. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Kodakmint]

My first "dojo" was out of a dance studio

[Ueshirokarate]

What is everyone's thoughts about a yoga studio or health club? I have such an itch to open a club, but I am only an Ik Kyu and you aren't really a teacher until you are 3rd Dan.

[JohnASE]

Good luck with the new dojo, dcwado!

What is everyone's thoughts about a yoga studio or health club? I have such an itch to open a club, but I am only an Ik Kyu and you aren't really a teacher until you are 3rd Dan.

I know of some dojos that share space with yoga, but I haven't heard anything good or bad. It seems to work for some people.

I also know of many instructors that teach or have taught in health clubs. It seems to me that they typically don't stay that long. I'm not sure why. Sometimes it has to do with membership conflicts. Sometimes the health clubs don't maintain the area adequately. Sometimes more popular classes squeeze them out. I don't know what the most important issues usually are. I'm not saying it never works out. I suppose it a case by case thing, but it seems to me to work out less often than most other venues.

If anyone chooses to go this route, I'd be extra careful about making sure everyone is clear on the terms. Do the students need to be gym members? What facilities can they use? Is there a secure place to store equipment? Do the students pay the instructor or the gym? What about testing fees? Uniform and equipment sales? Now that I think about it, lately, I've heard about people having similar issues with YMCA programs.

[Nidan Melbourne]

speak to various places. and once you have a good student base the cost of the place won't really matter to you as much.

At my school we are using a sports complex 4 days a week (Monday & wednesday 4-9, Friday 4-8, Saturday 8-11) and we have in excess of 150 students