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George S. Ledyard wrote:
...Anyway, it has been my experience that either Aikido people expect to pay less each month than those who do almost any other activity do, or, if they pay the same amount, they expect to get alot more for their money.
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True, but I think there is a reason for that. Most aikidoka consider it an aspect of their life. In many martial arts the idea is 'to get to black belt' or as cheap baby-sitting. Thus members can have a direct cost-benefit analysis. I personally believe aikido should be as cheap as possible (preferably free).
Karate has lost out so much by going down the profit orientated route. When your instructors are motivated primarily by profit they try to teach as early as possible and to as wider group as possible. The motivation should be to pass on aikido as sincerely as they can - thus ponteitally restricting those they target the training towards and constantly assessing themselves for their ability to adequately transfer this knowledge.
I can understand full time instructors earning a profit (to live) from aikido, but part time instructors I would think should teach as a way of paying back the experience of aikido that they have been gifted with. Ueshiba must have felt similar (thus the disupte with Takeda over dojo fees).
For profit martial arts instruction often comes over as a 'pyrimid scheme' where you have to 'big-up' your own instructor and 'diss' other instructors to ensure profits and competitveness.
Anyway, I must get back to my Forze training or I won't be 'buff' enough to 'kick arse'...