Seminar or privates?

Gorman

If you had extra cash at your disposal would you spend it on a seminar or on private lessons?

I went to a seminar by one of the Gracie Bros in my first month of BJJ, afterwards I felt it wasn't really worth it to me because I knew so little about the game anyway.

So in the time since at my club there has been seminars by Randy Couture, Bas Rutten and Jeremy Horn, but I haven't gone to any - wasn't really sure if a seminar would make a big difference to my game.

However, some people at my club do privates and it greatly improves their game, to other it doesn't seem to make a difference.

So what say you - if you had to choose, would you spend your extra cash on that big name seminar or would you just get privates with your instructor?

To those in the know what the best value for money/time?

Clive

Gorman wrote: »

So what say you - if you had to choose, would you spend your extra cash on that big name seminar or would you just get privates with your instructor?

To those in the know what the best value for money/time?

Well my instructor is a big name

It totally depends on who is giving the seminar/privates and to an extent on the student,

I would say that most people though would get more from privates.

Nothingcompares

Well seminars are something that come around only every once in a while. How much do they generally cost? 100 dollars? Suppose it depends on the name / duration. Are you asking should you do the seminar with the celeb in question or do a private with him while they're over?

Or are you asking should you take regular privates with the local black belt and not do seminars in general? I'm not sure how much they cost but surely 1 or 2 hour long privates is the same price as a seminar.

Regular training is the best, and regular privates would improve you more quickly that once off seminars but they'll cost a lot more.

Gorman

Nothingcompares wrote: »

Well seminars are something that come around only every once in a while. How much do they generally cost? 100 dollars? Suppose it depends on the name / duration. Are you asking should you do the seminar with the celeb in question or do a private with him while they're over?

Or are you asking should you take regular privates with the local black belt and not do seminars in general? I'm not sure how much they cost but surely 1 or 2 hour long privates is the same price as a seminar.

Yeah, I was thinking of a private from a local instructor, also I might be travelling a bit this year so I was thinking of trying to book a private here and there, I never had one before and would like to try it out.

Nothingcompares wrote: »

Regular training is the best, and regular privates would improve you more quickly that once off seminars but they'll cost a lot more.

I'd have to agree, going to class as often as possible is the best way to improve. I just wanted to know people experiences in general with seminars and privates.

Khannie

Gorman wrote: »

If you had extra cash at your disposal would you spend it on a seminar or on private lessons?

Privates. No question for me.

Roper

I hear Jeremy Horn is supposed to do great seminars. Just as an aside.

It would depend on the seminar giver. I wouldn't have much interest in going to a seminar hosted by a fighter, but a good coach (maybe not such a big name) can give you a lot in a 4 hour seminar. I've neve had a private lesson so I can't speak for that. A bloke I know went to a seminar with Wanderlai in Denmark or Sweden or somewhere urdy gurdy like that, and he said it was great to meet the guy, but that he didn't really get anything out of the seminar. Then another guy I know went to one with Marcello Garcia and said it was worth it just to roll with him and see how easy he makes it.

I have a terrible memory, so seminars are useless to me if I go alone. I need someone to come along with me and remember the stuff for me! I'd say I'd be worse with a private!

Nothingcompares

Roper wrote: »

I hear Jeremy Horn is supposed to do great seminars. Just as an aside.

It would depend on the seminar giver. I wouldn't have much interest in going to a seminar hosted by a fighter, but a good coach (maybe not such a big name) can give you a lot in a 4 hour seminar. I've neve had a private lesson so I can't speak for that. A bloke I know went to a seminar with Wanderlai in Denmark or Sweden or somewhere urdy gurdy like that, and he said it was great to meet the guy, but that he didn't really get anything out of the seminar. Then another guy I know went to one with Marcello Garcia and said it was worth it just to roll with him and see how easy he makes it.

I have a terrible memory, so seminars are useless to me if I go alone. I need someone to come along with me and remember the stuff for me! I'd say I'd be worse with a private!

I thought it was just me! I forget 99% percent of what happens at seminars, I'd take notes but I'm really not THAT nerdy. I suppose if it was taped you'd get that little extra. I've heard JK say he's happy if he gets just one good thing out of a seminar.

But to answer your own question. Are you going to be travelling about not training regularly and hope to just catch a private/seminar here and there on the road depending on what kinda coaching is available? I don't know how much you'd get out of just 1 private, I mean, if you do 10 private with 10 different guys you might spend 10 hours been shown 80% of the same thing. I've never taken privates either so ....... It would also be really frustrating to pay for a private class with someone who was a crap coach.

Khannie

Nothingcompares wrote: »

I thought it was just me! I forget 99% percent of what happens at seminars

You are not alone. I did a seminar with Paddy after I'd just started in bridgestone. Learned a bit, good instructor, didn't learn not as much as I would have if I was doing a private (it was a lot cheaper than a private mind you). Same for the one I did with JK at ropers place. Learned a bit, good instructor, cheaper than a private.

On Gerrys advice (come back gerry!) of how good privates were I've taken privates from two instructors in bridgestone and found them deadly.

Nothingcompares wrote: »

I'd take notes but I'm really not THAT nerdy.

Not even I'M that nerdy.

dunkamania

Khannie wrote: »

Not even I'M that nerdy.

I am that nerdy:D

Chris Peak

Definitely go for private lessons. IMHO

Sometimes, regular classes are so big the instructor is flying around all night. When he / she shows the class the next technique, you partner up with someone to practice, only to find their doing it differently to what has just been shown.

If you want to do Kung Fu, give this guy a ring. He’s excellent.
http://www.taichikongfu.net/shownews.asp?id=111