need lessons, no money...

[tei chi anarchy]

Well, here's the deal... I'm 14, and I really want martial arts lessons... The lowest price I have found, is $80 and that is too much for my parents also (we are kind of poor)... Does anyone have a solution to my problem, or some online techniques? Thanks! Peace!

[PHILBERT]

sorry dude, if nothing is cheap, gonna have to wait to get a job.

[SevenStar]

check the local community centers. they usually have something, be it karate, judo, etc. from my experience, the judo taught in community centers is pretty good. check it out - don't just write it off because it's at a community center. the price will be next to nothing, and if you find one of the good ones, you'll get good training.

[PaulLin]

For now, you can standing in ZhanZhong(standing postures) and it will be easier to get info. on how the Zhan Zhong, just on one or two of it. It can help you build foundations that you will need for Taichi and other internal arts.

If you want other kungfu, you can do: hourse stance, bow stance, sitting stance, 7 star stance, and one leg stance. You can find info on that easier, and those foundations are common in most kungfu.

[Gabriel]

hmmm.. well u can find some stuff on the net and train by yourself if you absolutely can't afford lessons, but I reccomend you check the community centers, ymca's and what not in your area. My bro goes to Shotokan for like 25 bucks a month at the Y.

[scotty1]

Keep looking little dude, you'll find it.

But if you've not done anything before, I wouldn't try to learn on line. I think I'd concentrate on being fit and strong, and that way you'll have a good base when you get into MA, rather than building bad habits through not having a teacher.

[HuangKaiVun]

One possibility that works for a lot of people is offering to work for your sifu in exchange for training.

For example, you might end up doing cleaning or even accounting.

[RAF]

Check your public libraries or blockbuster video or some martial arts shops (I know one that actually rents martial arts instructional videos).

This is a temporary solution until you can get some money and a job. You'll need someone to instruct you and make correction on technical alignments. Videos cannot do that.

Save some money and find a seminar in basics and practice them.

Ask around a college community or a China Town area of a city. Check the bulletin boards of the Chinese markets.

Find a school and be willing to trade off work time for instruction (be prepared to sweep and clean toilets).

Paul Lin offers good advice regarding stance work, however, you will eventually need someone to check and make alignment corrections.

I don't want to discourage you but without personal one on one instruction, its impossible to learn good Chinese martial arts.

If I were starting as you are, I would check out Liang Shou Yu or Dr. Yang Jwing Ming's videos and then eventually find my way to their seminars.

Good luck.;)

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by HuangKaiVun
One possibility that works for a lot of people is offering to work for your sifu in exchange for training.

For example, you might end up doing cleaning or even accounting.

Good idea - we have a couple of guys that do that

[dragontounge2]

How about you get rid of your computer at the local pawn shop to pay for some lessons and go every day, your sifu would probably admire that and just ask for work in exchange for lessons.;) ;)

[shaolinboxer]

You might also want to try a related sport, like wrestling, through your school.

And if you are sincere, there are many good teachers who will let you work for your lessons.

[Budokan]

If you really want to learn a MA then you should be willing to divest yourself from some of your material possessions like CDs, stereo, clothes, etc. to help defray the cost of training. Also, go out and get a part time job to help pay for it.

If you're not willing to make some sacrifices now (because they'll just get harder once you *do* start training, if you want to be something more than a run-of-the-mill armchair warrior...) then maybe you aren't mentally ready for MA.

Stay away from trying to learn MA from videos or (heaven forbid) on-line. You really need a flesh & blood instructor to show you your mistakes.

If all that fails there's always tae bo.

[12345]

Yes find yourself a cheap local instructor - don't know about the USA but you can usually find judo, karate and japanese arts taught very cheaply - this is just a generalisation though. I reckon a grounding in judo/jiu jitsu would stand you in good stead even if you wanted to do more of a striking art later on, personally I don't find karate that appealing but many do.

[guohuen]

Lots of good suggestions. HuangKaiVun mentioned working for your tuition. Gabriel mentioned the YMCA. Also check out any youth or community centers in your area. Community Colleges usually offer something. All of the above will be inexpensive or the tuition will be on a sliding scale. Keep looking.

[Suntzu]

cut grass = $$$
wash cars = $$$
walk dogs = $$$
shovel snow = $$$
rake leaves = $$$

[Budokan]

Sell body parts = mega $$$$$$

I mean, you don't really need both lungs and kidneys. One each will be fine. Good luck with generating your money!

[Liokault]

You all got it wrong.


He should find the "master" he wants to learn under then sit out side his front door with his leggs crossed till he is taken on as a student. Of course at first some meneal taskes will be given out ....sweeping and such but soon the "master" will see the true potential in the boy and so will begin his journey as an inside the door student!!

This is the time honerd way of starting martial arts.

Is this not how you guys did it? I had to sit out side my "masters" door for 3 days.....in the rain (and in'm still only on the sweeping up stage of my training!)

[ewallace]

shovel snow = $$$
I'd like to correct that formula:
shovel snow = pain in the ass

Man I'm glad I moved to south texas. No more "boy, get up and shovel the driveway" at 5:30 a.m. from my pops. (Well, when I lived with my folks that is)

[Suntzu]

its too D A M N HOT in Tx… and now I have to shovel the snow, cut grass myself… I would gladly pay some kid to do it but they act like they don’t wanna make $$$, so…

[Black Jack]

I second Sevenstars idea, your local community centers can have a large assortment of goodies that most don't realize, and cheap to.

That or a local college or university is also great for very cheap training options.

I know the Aurora community center down by me has White Crane gung fu, 2 ryu's of karate, 1 ryu of ju jitsu, judo, tai chi ch'uan, aikido and classes on japenese bokken training!!!!

With a price tag or around $35-40 per session which runs about one and a half months!

The local COD community college has Miyami Ryu-Combat Ju Jitsu, Shotokan Karate, Hapkido, Aikido, Tai Chi Ch'uan, Freestyle Wrestling, Fencing, and weightlifting classes. All that for around $30 buck per quater which can be a almost 3 months on the college schedule.

If those prices are out of your ability my suggestion would be to start getting into shape, join a sport, wrestling, football, soccer, hockey, track and feild, what have you, work out, start running.

[tei chi anarchy]

Thanks to all of you for your help, i will definately try some of these things... Peace!

[PaulLin]

Find Mr. Miyake and you can paint the fances, wax on and off, and sweep the floor while training MA:D Just joking.

Any ways, if you find some foundations, on book, vedioes, web sites, remember that you can only use them for help. These can take you some where(better than nothing) but it will need face to face with a master to get the training correctly. And if you have training technical questions, you can post on this forum and may be you can get help too.

May be you can find some master who has a daughter, and be a boyfiend of her.

[Serpent]

Yeah man, start shagging sifu's daughter for one very up close and personal lesson in martial arts!

Lol!

[Mr Punch]

Good bunch of suggestions, but if you're gonna work for your sifu, or sit outside for a year in the rain, make sure he's a **** good sifu first! :D To do this, please start another thread (or check the archives)!!;)

If you sell body parts remember that stance work is often more difficult with one leg!

And if you do decide to go it alone (good luck, you'll need it) check the archives on Ironfist: that's the way he started in wingchun and from his first reports back from training with someone he doesn't seem to have done too badly... (be warned: he posts a lot; settle down with some snax!).

[PaulLin]

By the way, does any one know any good masters in his area at Colorado?

[SevenStar]

One of the colleges here teaches karate and judo, and another teaches tai chi, wing chun and muay thai. My first experence with judo and jiu jutsu was a class that formed at the gym I belonged to at the time.

Another place to check is church. many churches in my area teach tkd. there is one that teaches muay thai. they used to teach kyokushinkai at the YMCA.

Last thing, check with the police department. Our police dept. sponsors a boxing gym, and it costs nothing to train there.