Very few martial arts websites publish prices. That is a choice, and usually the reason is that they would rather have the conversation in person.

We publish ours, so here they are in one place, along with the things that are genuinely worth asking about anywhere you are considering.

What we charge

Adults

  • 8 classes a month — $179
  • 12 classes a month — $189
  • Unlimited — $199

All three include gi, no-gi and competition classes, plus open mat.

Families

  • Family plan — $399 for two members, unlimited, with additional members at $80 each

Kids and teens have their own class-count options across the three age groups — three to six, seven to twelve, and twelve to seventeen.

Everything is month to month. There is no long-term contract, and the first class is free.

The prices are not the whole cost

This is the part worth reading whether or not you train with us.

A gi. You will need your own eventually. A perfectly good starter gi runs somewhere around $80 to $150. You do not need an expensive one, and you certainly do not need one on day one — we lend gis to people trying a class.

Belts and gradings. Ask whether promotions cost anything. At some schools each belt or stripe carries a testing fee, which adds up quickly for a child moving through a coloured-belt system. Ask before you join, not at your first grading.

Competitions. Entirely optional, and most people never compete. If your child does want to, tournament entry is typically $80 to $120 per event, plus travel. Budget for it if competing is the goal; ignore it entirely if it is not.

Sign-up and cancellation. Ask whether there is a joining fee, and what happens if you need to stop for three months. Life happens — injuries, work, a difficult school term. A gym's answer to that question tells you a great deal about how it treats people.

Comparing gyms sensibly

Price per month is a poor comparison on its own. Price per class you will actually attend is better.

An unlimited membership at $199 is expensive if you train once a week and excellent value if you train four times. Be honest with yourself about which one you are, and start on the smaller plan if you are unsure — moving up is easy, and paying for classes you do not attend is the most common way people end up resenting a membership before quitting it.

Also weigh the things that do not appear on a price list: how many instructors are on the mat, whether classes are split by age and level, whether there is anywhere to train if you have to shift your schedule, and whether the room feels like somewhere you want to spend three evenings a week.

Is it worth it?

For a family, $399 a month is a real amount of money and we are not going to pretend otherwise. It compares to two children in most organised sports, and it is less than many one-to-one coaching arrangements.

What you are buying, if it works, is several hours a week of supervised physical activity, a coach who knows your child's name, and a group they belong to. Whether that is worth it depends on what else that money is doing.

The honest advice: do not sign anything after one class. Take the free trial, take a second week if you are offered it, and decide when the novelty has worn off and you know whether your family will actually go.

Try it first

The first class at Labyrinth is free, with nothing to pay and nothing to sign. We are at 6615 West Cross Creek Bend Lane in Fulshear, or on (281) 393-7983 if you would rather ask questions first.