If you’ve been researching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools, you would probably have noticed that almost all of them do not list their prices. At SCJJA we do, and here is the link: https://www.scjja.com/Home/Prices
When you eventually do get another school to tell you their price, it’s normally around the $60 per week mark, direct debit, on a 2 year contract. Plus they will probably enforce a strict uniform policy forcing you to purchase gear at a ridiculous markup.
One of the main reasons for the high cost is real estate. A large Jiu-jitsu academy requires a large mat, and therefore, high rent. Plus the mats themselves are not cheap either - the entirety of our mats (inc walls and cover) cost around $20k.
So given that the average cost of training at a full-time facility is $60 per week, why are we able to off training for far less?
Let me say right from the outset, it is not to do with our quality of instructors, nor location. My credentials are well documented and worth pointing out again that for a short period of time, I held national titles in both gi and no-gi at the highest level (adult black belt). And our location is sublime with the fresh breeze coming in off Woolooware bay, and unlike our competitors, ample parking on Resolution Drive (all the factories close around 4pm).
So why? Why do I charge so much less?
Well, there are a couple of reasons, but I must stress the first one is that this is my passion. Jiu-Jitsu has done so much for me, taking me from a bullied kid to the head bouncer of one of Merivale’s top nightclubs. This means that I want it to be affordable to everyone. In fact, there are actually a few of our members who cannot afford our low prices and so we offer contra deals for them too. But essentially, this is the main reason - I want people to not have money as the reason they can’t train.
Sticking with when I was younger, my first instructor was Gordon Griffiths and he taught me for years at Sylvania Heights Youth Centre. During the day he worked as a carpenter and only taught jiu-jitsu for the passion of it. He was paid almost nothing from the youth centre, basically enough to cover his fuel. And for this bore out great relationships with his students. And as students, we knew he didn’t do it for the money, but the love, and I guess I’ve taken that to heart.
It was through Gordon I met Larry Papadopoulos who is one of the pioneers of Australian MMA. When I left school and was studying IT in the CBD he became my main coach, and still is to this day. I remember one competition circa 2010. It was a hot day in February at Sutherland basketball court. Larry was with me all day, sweating it out, looking after me and coaching me to ensure I got the best result possible. He didn’t this because I paid him (I didn’t). He did it because he had invested years of knowledge into me, and wanted to see me win.
During my first trip to Rio de Janeiro in 1998, I trained at the academy of the late master Osvaldo Alves. He charged R$20 per class. My next trip I met Andre Pederneiras and he charged me R$60 per month for unlimited classes! And both of these men - Osvaldo and Andre - were introduced to me by Assed Haddad, who was the coach of my best friend Eduardo Duarte. And guess how much Assed charged me for private tuition … $0! Again, I remained under their tutelage for my entire time in Rio, earning my black belt from Andre (as Assed was living in the USA at the time).
I guess what I’m trying to say from these stories - my relationships with Gordon, Larry, Assed and Andre - is that these are worth more to me than money. It’s like a Daniel-son to Mr Myagi thing.
Another main factor of being able to charge less, is because I still work in the IT Industry as a DBA / Developer (you can read more about this part of my career here -- www.rodneyellis.com.au). By not relying on members of SCJJA to pay the bills for my family & I, I am not beholden to the members to tell me how to run the classes, nor give out soft grades to keep them. This doesn’t mean I don’t listen to feedback, or anything like that, but it means that I am able to teach the complete art of jiu-jitsu, and not just fads or things that are in style to get money.
For example MMA - we have members who fight MMA, but I don’t advertise this as I don’t want to attract people who just “want to fight”. Because I have my IT career, if I have a student with a bad attitude or is using their jiu-jitsu to harm others, then I do not need to keep them just to keep the business lights on.
I like to lead by example and so I work in a “normal job” and then teach/train jiu-jitsu as my exercise. It just so happens that I also run the business that does the exercise. However if Gordon or Larry were teaching in the Sutherland Shire (they’re currently teaching in Coffs Harbour and Kings Cross respectively), then I’d be happy just helping them teach the next generation. But alas, as they’re not, I’ve taken the torch to run with here in The Shire.
So yeah … the short version is, that I teach jiu-jitsu because of what it’s done for me. It’s not my “job”.
I want all my students to have the same relationship with me that I have with my masters, and to wear whatever gi brand or colour they want!
