Karate is not only a fun martial art to learn but also a valuable skill. It teaches us discipline in all spheres of line and can be great for inner peace and harmony. But is Karate affordable to all?
Learning Karate requires specialized training, and Karate professionals make money from it, hence the high tuition fee. The cost for Karate is variable and depends on the level you are learning at and the expertise of the instructor you have hired to teach you.
On average, Karate costs 40 dollars per hour with a registration fee of 50-100 dollars. Each time you take a test, there is an additional fee for it.
Several factors make Karate costly. To learn more about them, keep reading this article.
How Much Do Karate Instructors Charge?
Karate instructors earn 13,711 to $70,180, with an average salary of $36,160. The middle 50% of Martial Arts Instructors make between $32,536 and $35,988, and the top 83% make $70,180. Teaching Karate is their primary source of income, and they usually charge a lot.
Even regular Karate instructors charge around 25-50 dollars per hour.
Why Do Karate Instructors Charge So Much?
Karate is an ancient Martial art that has continued for centuries. It is a technical skill that takes years to perfect. These instructors dedicate their entire lives to the practice; their high cost is simply a payment for their art. Karate is an acquired skill, and teaching it requires patience and time.
The instructors are simply charging for their time and effort.
Do Some Instructors Teach Karate For Free?
Since Karate is premised on Buddhist principles, some Karate masters don’t want to commodify their art. They believe that it is their duty to pass on the tradition of Karate to the youth, so they end up setting up Karate training classes for free.
Karate masters also engage in the practice of adopting a young pupil or disciple to pass on their tradition and art too. This is totally free of cost.
However, this practice was more common in East Asia in the 19th century and has slowly died out because most places now charge a hefty sum for Karate training.
There Is An Additional Cost For Registration
Another factor that makes Karate expensive is the additional cost of registration. Joining a Karate club is the same as joining any other club, with a registration fee.
The fee is one-time, but it still costs around 50-100 dollars.
You Have To Pay For Every Test
This contributes to an increase in the cost of Karate because each time you level up a belt, there is a test that marks your qualification. One test costs around 15-20 dollars. There are a total of 6 belts, and the chances of a student passing on the first attempt are also quite small.
There is a chance that the student might have to give the same test over and over. This also means an additional sum has to be paid each time.
Martial Arts Are Generally Costlier Than Other Sports
When starting Karate, you also have to pay an insurance cost. This insurance cost exists for most martial arts or contact sports. The reason for higher insurance is that the sport involves more risk than other activities.
A higher risk of injury means a higher insurance rate.
If you want to understand this in more detail, watch
Karate Classes Come With Their Own Additional Charges
It must be kept in mind that people who teach Karate are also running a business. When you register for a class, you also pay for the rent and the equipment. This may also include electrical costs and the cost of water etc.
The cost can vary depending on where the facility is situated and how big the facility is. Karate classes situated in commercial areas can have a monthly rent of about 100 dollars.
The fee includes these prices because providers cannot operate on a loss.
The Additional Costs Cannot Be Excluded
That being said, there are also additional costs for uniforms. The uniforms keep changing, and you must pay a fee each time. There may be costs for equipment as well.
Fuel and transport charges are also included in the additional costs and depending on how far your school is situated; the transport charges may be alot.
Is Karate Worth The Price?
This depends on how dedicated you are to the practice. Karate definitely brings about alot of perks and benefits to those who want to learn it. It is a lifetime skill, and learning it once can acquire you the ability to practice and train others.
Paying about 50-300 dollars for this does not seem too expensive if you look at the bigger picture.
What Are The Advantages Of Learning Karate?
Learning Karate can bring forth a world of benefits. These include
- Better physical health, since Karate is a form of exercise and strengthens your cardiovascular system. It can also lead to a more active lifestyle and build resilience and endurance.
- It improves mental health. Karate is based on the principles of inner peace and harmony. It incorporates Buddhist meditation techniques to teach students patience and provides them with an outlet for their emotions. It can also make you more disciplined as a person.
- The skill has a high merit value. This means that having acquired this skill and possessing a black belt often comes with a lot of prestige and honor attached.
- It equips you with vital self-defense skills. Karate teaches the students to defend themselves in case of emergency; that is how the practice originated.
The Bottom Line
While it is true that Karate may be costly, there are several reasons for this. It is definitely not the most expensive sport out there and still equips you with vital life lessons you can carry for years. For skills such as those, spending a little money is worth it.
