Fees
Seminar fees are as follows:
- In Colorado, $300 plus expenses for a one-day workshop.
- Elsewhere within the United States and Canada, $600 plus expenses for a weekend seminar
- Outside the United States and Canada, $1200 plus expenses (a $500 deposit in the form of a cashier's check or money order is required for all overseas events--all others pay cash unless I've already worked with the host).
Participant fee is determined by the seminar host. (As I declare my fee as income, I gladly provide a receipt, but final payment must be in cash.)
Scheduling
I limit myself to 12 seminars (one a month) each year. Most are weekend events. For weekend seminars I usually arrive Thursday or Friday and return home Sunday afternoon. (For international events arrival is usually a day or two earlier with the return trip home a day or so after the event.) Friday is open to whatever the host wants to do: play privately, share with he and some of his closest students, whatever. Saturday and Sunday seminar instruction comes to around 10 hours of actual instruction. I prefer leaving in time to arrive in Denver (DIA) no later than 8:00 PM.
Video Taping
I bring a video camera and record the event. I provide a high quality copy for the host (and him only) and usually have it back to him in a week. No one else is allowed to record the event.
Workshop Materials
I provide handouts of the material covered (material that is not already in one of my books or videos) and seminar certificates for the participants. I recommend the host limit these to prepaid participants as a means of encouraging preregistration.
Event Promotion
If the host is setting up an open event, I will list the upcoming seminar on my web site and on a couple of martial arts bulletin boards (those desiring semi-private seminars often pass on this). I only require contact information. If space is limited, I will say so in all listings and request inquirers to RSVP the host.
Additional Requirements
- All participants (male and female) must wear groin protection
Male groin protection is a hard cup (you would not believe how some guys think a soft cup will work--heck, I didn't even know they made such a thing for guys). Good groin protection is also available for the ladies. Unlike the guys, I allow the ladies to wear a soft groin pad (available from Century Martial Art Supply).
Not only is groin protection a sound training practice, in a highly litigious society like ours, it is sound risk management. (You can read all the reasons why I require this of the ladies as well in my book, Martial Arts America.)
- Female participants must also wear breast protection (a sports bra with protective inserts is fine)
I'm a real stickler about groin and breast protection (breast protection is also available at Century Martial Art Supply and from Ringside) and even though it may cost me an occassional seminar, I make NO exceptions. Scheduling a seminar far enough in advance allows sufficient time for all participants to get the required equipment before the event.
- No children participants
What we do is not for kids. If someone has a big 16 year-old who acts his size and not his age, and providing his parent signs the necessary release, then he may participate--I leave the final decision for that up to the host.
- If a participant has a cold, he cannot play.
He can observe (something I strongly recommend--you can read my thoughts on the power of observation in training in my book, Indonesian Fighting Fundamentals). If he does not wish to observe (and receive both the handouts and the certificate of participation), then he is to receive a full refund. It should be obvious why I do this--I don't want to catch a cold. Would you?.
Satisfaction Guarantee
I guarantee the seminar. If the host is not satisfied, he does not pay--simple as that. No hard feelings. Obviously I won't return, but since the host paid for my airline ticket, hotel room, meals and expenses; he shouldn't have to pay the fee for a disappointing seminar. All I require is a letter stating fully why he was dissatisfied. But I am sure you will be satisfied. (Read the testimonials of previous seminar and workshop hosts, and feel free to contact them.)
Finally, I will gladly answer any questions you might have regarding hosting a seminar. Rest assured that an inquiry does not constitute a comittment. There are many reasons why an event doesn't automatically follow an honest inquiry. Some folks object to these requirements, others have things happen in their lives that make scheduling an event impossible. I understand and respect this. For that reason, I bug no one following an inquiry and remain open to a future collaboration.
