One of the advantages of having our own dedicated training space is that we can adjust our schedule to best meet the needs of our students. For some time now, I’ve gotten feedback from students that they’d like the opportunity to have a private lesson with me. In the past, I’ve tried to honor these request, but it’s been difficult to find a time that works well with the student, my work schedule, and my family.
I’m pleased to announce that, starting in January, that I will be available for private lessons every Monday from 5:30 to 6:30pm.
A private lesson provides a great opportunity for you (or your child) to get the most out of your training. Looking to understand more about our jo and bokken katas? Interested in developing better ukemi skills? Have a unique situation, and want to see how our training applies to it? A private lesson may be just the answer. Have a child or sibling that wants to study, but wants to get a head start before stepping on the mat? A private lesson can help. In short, private lessons offer me the chance to provide targeted training to those who want it.
Here are some details about this new class offering:
- Cost. A private lesson with me will cost $20 for a 30-minute session. In my experience, 30 minutes is more than sufficient for these types of classes. This fee is regardless of the number of participants. (See below.)
- Two participants required. As you know, most of aikido practice is done with a partner. To maximize the benefit of a private lesson, I require two people per class. Note that, with two people sharing a private lesson, you have the opportunity to share the fee! That means a private lesson for two people is only $10 per person! I will waive this requirement on a case-by-case basis, so if you don’t have or don’t want a partner to join you, just see me–I’ll see what I can do.
- One participant must be a current member of the dojo. Parents, this means that if you want a private lesson for your child, but are not yourself a member, you can step on the mat to help! Siblings who are not members of the dojo can also participate.
- Schedule as many or as few sessions as you want. Sometimes, only a single session might be necessary. Other times, you might want to schedule several sessions. It’s up to you.
To accommodate this new class, I’ve decided to remove our Monday kids class from the schedule. However, this still leaves us with 4 kids classes per week–more than many other martial arts schools provide.
I’m excited about this new opportunity to help students with their training. If you want to schedule a session, or have any questions, please contact me at aikido.instructor@gmail.com.
Thanks–and see you on the mat!