Getting Out and Escaping from a Schools Long Term Contract

[Area5150]

Does anyone know how to do this without ruining ones credit rating? I'm about ready to join a school for the first time ever in my life. And the difference in price between a monthly plan and a one or two year contract is pretty huge, in my book.

If I buy into the 2 year plan, I pay $65 month, with a $150 initiation.

If I go month to month, I pay $85 a month with a $250 initiation.

I'd like to get the 2 year plan, but that option is fraught with potential problems that might appear down the road.

Has anyone here had any experience with getting out of a long-term contract?

 

[Debaser]

What kind of school?

Sounds like one that's only interested in profit, and one that you should stay away from.

 

[Big Rick Rock]

What kind of school?

Sounds like one that's only interested in profit, and one that you should stay away from.

There are two sides to that coin... Yes nobody likes to be held to as contract... what if you get injured, move or need to take time off?
On the same token, some of these school see students come and go, guys sign up for 3 months and then leave... It takes time away from other students that are serious about the sport, and dilutes the quality of the training partners. Although the guy that owns the school wants to teach and breed good fighters, he also wants to pay the rent and hopefully live somewhat comfortably after having spent so many years in the sport.

I would suggest you shop around, look for a good instructor and find something in your price range. I think that a good instructor is worth the money no matter how expensive he might be (compared to the competition)… A bad instructor is too expensive even is he teaches you for free.


PS: There are gyms outhere that are only out to make a dollar... Stay away from those.

 

[digger]

First gym I ever joined, they wanted $1,250 up front. I went there maybe five times, and lost a week of work -- I was out sick for a day or two after every visit. It wasn't difficult to put two and two together, but their response was "No refunds."

Lost the whole wad, and this was back when a grand was serious money. Called up the town to report they had an illegal sign, and the town made them take it down, but that's all the satisfaction I ever got from them.

 

[Area5150]

What kind of school?

Sounds like one that's only interested in profit, and one that you should stay away from.

They're a school that's "vanilla" in nature in that they emphasize cardio with a minor in fighting technique. And that sounds bad, right?

Well, not for me, in that I want to get into Muy Thai. Something that I wanted to do for about a year or so now. But everytime I tryed to kick the one bag at my weight-lifting oriented gym, I'd come away with sore shins. And these were with half-ass kicks! I'd see other guys on a rare occasion who would cream the bag with no apparent pain.

So, I figured I wasn't cut out for the sport. But then, just today, I read many articles on shin conditioning and realized it's just a matter of practice with the resultant acclimation. And so now it's time to join a fight school.

The vanilla school is appealing not only because I can ride my bike over there, but because they have alot of equipment, including upper-cut bags! But heres the real reason why I want to endure about six months membership of a school that minimizes fight technique: to train my shins. I'll train them every other day, and maybe by around Christmas time they'll be conditioned to withstand rigorous abuse and treatment.

And by Christmas I just might want to get out of that cardio-deluxe training facility.

I could never, until today, understand how kickers could kick the bag with so much emphasis and not get hurt. And now I understand, it's just repetition after repetition, day after every other day, month after month. But it'll take several months of work, just me and the bag. I don't have a problem with that.

Hey, the person who owns this gym is a lady in her 30's who doesn't even train. And from the looks of her, she stays away from weights and treadmills, too. I was told that she lives in La Jolla, which is where all of the rich people in San Diego live, including Junior Seau. She's divorced, so maybe she got a fat settlement!

As far as disrupting the continuity of the class, ain't gonna happen! Because I'd be using the facility during the day, when they don't offer any classes. I'd just be hitting the bag on my lonesome.

Schools that offer only long-term contracts, and there are several in my area that are like that, are missing out on customers who might be a little reluctant to join. The very same ones that might have one day down the road decided to stay. Which means they're missing out, potentially, on extra profit. Long-term contracts suck, IMHO, and I would never buy into one for a gym where I do my lifting. Unless I lived in a small, little, hicktown.

If your options are limited, well then, go long term. If not, then a consumer has to go where theres better value for the dollar. Alot of business people don't like to here that, but that's life. Especially for those living from paycheck to paycheck. Fuck 'em, if they--pretend--not to understand.

BTW, this school is one of several in a chain that are located throughout San Diego County.

 

[illusionofsize]

Why not just buy your own heavy bag????
Train for 6 months and then join the club of choice.

(sooner or later you will buy one anyway, we all do. lol)

 

[Area5150]

Why not just buy your own heavy bag????
Train for 6 months and then join the club of choice.

(sooner or later you will buy one anyway, we all do. lol)

I'm hip with that, it's a good idea, but I live in an apartment. So it ain't an option.

 

[illusionofsize]

It's all good. Buy a water based one and drive the neighbors nuts. Post a sign on the door. "Thai fighter in training". they'll either believe you or think you're nuts. either way you'll be left alone. lol

Seriously man, Apartments do suck for the training.I sympathasize.(spelling?)

 

[Big Rick Rock]

I agree with illusionofsize, get your own heavy bag and do some wind sprints on your own for 6 months....
I'm sure you know somebody who can let you put a heavy bag in their garage. Your parents? Grandparents? a buddy that might want to start training with you?

That gym sounds like shit... don't waste your money.

 

[Area5150]

It's all good. Buy a water based one and drive the neighbors nuts. Post a sign on the door. "Thai fighter in training". they'll either believe you or think you're nuts. either way you'll be left alone. lol

Seriously man, Apartments do suck for the training.I sympathasize.(spelling?)

That's some funny shit, IOS. Sounds like a technique that you yourself might have already tryed.

I tend to think that stand-alone bags or free-standing bags or whatever their called wouldn't be able to handle kicks without flopping over. I could be wrong, anybody wanta set me straight on that?

To recap, I wanta start training MT, but realize that it will first take several weeks, if not months, to get my shins ready for full engagement. Or, to get them ready to be trained by an instructor. I've kicked a bag a couple of times in the last few months, and I always came away wondering how the hell anyone could do that without hurting their shins was beyond me. I took it personally, I figured it was a genetic flaw that I had that prevented me from kicking the bag with force, and minus pain.

And then, just yesterday, I went on the internet and found out that everyone goes through the "conditioning stages" of getting their shins ready for core training.

So it'd be dumb to join an MT fight school right now. I need to get my shins ready first.

Last night I got an idea. I run hills 2-3 times a week, which for me, is better than sprinting. It packs the same wallop as sprinting, but without all of that excessive force on my ligaments and cartilage. I ain't no topographer, not even close, so don't quote me on this. But I think that the park that I run in is about 100-150 feet above sea level.

While running at the park I looked at a tree and figured I could kick a tree for a couple of months so long as I wrapped it good with bungee cords, foam, or pillows. The tree is stout, but the trunk is only 5-7 inches in diameter.

So, that way I don't have to join that fight club, that really has some kick-ass equipment, (upper-cut bags, ohhh yeah!), but doesn't offer MT instruction. In fact, the real core MT instructor is just a 5 minute bike ride in the opposite direction from where the other club is. And that's where I'll wind up going, after I get my shins ready.