Charging a visitor and asking them to teach?

Ryan Gabey · 2025-04-30T09:34:47+00:00

What are your thoughts on this situation. For context: I travel and move around a lot for work. For now I’ll be here (I’ll leave all locations and schools unnamed.) for about 10 months. I’m shopping around to find a gym that’s a good fit by doing drop ins at the local schools until I find the one I like. I generally call ahead as a courtesy before I drop in. Last night I contacted a gym to ask about drop ins and was told the fee was $25. No problem I don’t mind paying a small drop in fee. Upon arrival at the beginning of class the instructor introduces me to his students and immediately puts me on the spot and says I should teach something. Again I’m still feeling it out so I said “sure I can show something” Ended up running the warmups, teaching techniques etc. Got some good rolls in, overall a good time. At the end of the class he told me the monthly price and said that if I joined up he could use the drop in fee towards the monthly payment. Now to be clear, there was no discussion…

Ryan GabeyOP

Black belt 1st degreeVerified

184 forum posts5925/1000

1 year(s) ago

I think, as a gym owner asking a stranger that walks in with a black belt to run a class is also a kind of way to verify the belt and protect thier students.

What if they just suck at teaching?

Natalie Whitson

Black beltVerified

59 forum posts2505/1000

1 year(s) ago

Yes, lots of sub black belts can teach well and some black belts’ talents may lie elsewhere- I.e. competition

Bobby McMasters

Black belt 1st degreeVerified

1272 forum posts12800/1000

1 year(s) ago

I think, as a gym owner asking a stranger that walks in with a black belt to run a class is also a kind of way to verify the belt and protect thier students.

But wouldn't it make more sense to vet the instructor first, before just throwing them into a teaching position on the spot? And which students are being protected and how? Maybe I'm not following you...

Christian Graugart

Black belt 4th degreeVerified

4323 forum posts39315/1000

1 year(s) ago

I think, as a gym owner asking a stranger that walks in with a black belt to run a class is also a kind of way to verify the belt and protect thier students.

Verify, why? Protect from what? I’m confused 😄

Tatu Piispanen

Black beltVerified

1355 forum posts10295/1000

1 year(s) ago

I have thought the classic way of "verifying" a visitor was to spar with them, not having them take over the class reins.

John A. Byrne

Black beltVerified

1013 forum posts6370/1000

1 year(s) ago

But wouldn't it make more sense to vet the instructor first, before just throwing them into a teaching position on the spot? And which students are being protected and how? Maybe I'm not following you...

Plus with the Internet etc you could just look up their Facebook / Instagram / school's website to make sure they are what they say they are. I don't know if school's are weirder when a black belt drops in but as a brown belt (and since I've travelled and trained) I always reach out a couple days in advance, tell them where I am from, what rank and inquire about dropping in etc, that way no one is surprised and I know if I have to bring a white gi, or rent a gi etc etc.

I have had schools ask me to share something at end of class a couple times (especially overseas) and I try to show something that relates to what they taught etc. But being a black belt and traveling I haven't done yet in BJJ.

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Charging a visitor and asking them to teach?

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