Private Lessons and Progress in the Martial Arts: The Path to Improvement Made a Little Easier
Taking in a few private lessons with a trainer can increase your martial art's progress immensely
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), Boxing, Wrestling, Jeet Kune Do (JKD), Combatives, and Krav Maga, are currently the hot martial arts now. The arts are drawing in enthusiasts to martial arts classes all over the world. So enthused are some students about their new hobby, they embody a strong desire to increase their knowledge and skill in the arts being studied.
Among the best ways to increase talent and skill in martial arts would be to enroll in private lessons.
Private lessons are certainly more costly than group martial arts classes. Procuring the time of a qualified instructor for an hour is going to come with a fee. $50 to $85 is about average. Before making an investment in private lessons, a potential student on the proverbial bubble about signing up for one-on-one training may wonder what the actual benefits to be gained are.
There are actually quite a number of positives private lessons deliver. All of these benefits make the monetary investment in private lessons well worth it. Even one private lesson twice a year could have a pronounced effect on your learning.
The Top Benefits of Private Martial Arts Lessons
Sessions can focus on the material that is most interesting to you. Since you are the only student during a private, the session will be catered to your needs. This obviously would not be possible in a group class with 30 or more people.
The fine points of your game will improve. This is a nice way of saying you will get constructive criticism all throughout the session. Learning martial arts such as BJJ, kickboxing and boxing will center on being very technically precise. Lacking precision and good body mechanics undermines your skill. Through clear and effective corrections of your flaws, your skill in performance and technique will increase.
Private lessons allow you to train at your own pace. Whether you like to take things slow or go hard, you can do so. Do you wish to work on one or two techniques for the hour or jam a lot into an hour? Both approaches to the session can be accommodated.
Lessons can be booked at flexible schedules. There are instructors willing to offer private lessons 7 days a week and as early as 5am. For those having trouble getting to a class during the traditional 5pm to 9pm slot, private lessons are the perfect alternatives.
The Cost-Effective Strategy to Boost Progress
Not everyone will have the budget to be able to afford one or more private lessons per week. For those with a limited budget, even booking one private lesson a month or even one lesson every so often can be productive. Six private session a year are better than none. In fact, for the serious martial artist, booking a few one-on-one sessions when possible would be a very productive thing to do.
Some instructors will also offer deals on half-hour private lessons or discounts on agreements to purchase a bulk number of lessons. (i.e. 20% off for 10 lessons) These are cost-saving options well worth inquiring about. Unless the instructor has a really booked schedule, he/she will be open to these offers. Consider that a good thing because it allows you to take advantage of helpful, skill enhancing one-on-one lessons.
The Martial Arts Proverb
There is an old proverb in martial arts. It goes like this "Something is better than nothing." Okay, that is not the most profound of statements, but it is true. Also true is taking even just one or two private lessons a year is going to help you improve your skill. The two lessons are something and taking part in them gives you an edge you would never achieve if you did nothing.
Just be sure to be practice the material you learn in the lessons so you get a lot of mileage out of them.
