Martial arts on the cheap

When I came to Roanoke from Phoenix, I quickly surveyed the area for a martial arts school to supplant my sorely-missed kung-fu school in Tempe. While the Roanoke area certainly offers an eclectic mix of martial arts, basic economics typically make the prices a little steep. That, and many schools seemed more geared toward kids, though I'm not sure why that equates to higher prices; maybe soccer and cheerleading are pricey hobbies as well.

Either way, after some searching, I may have found the answer: Roanoke County Parks and Rec. Instead of paying more than $100 a month for martial arts, I'm paying $50 for 17 weeks or $100 for the same time period twice a week. While I'm sure training more than once a week is prefarable for really learning an art, I find once a week is just right because I'll never flake on one night a week. If it were twice or three times a week, I'd make excuses half the time.

So now I'm taking Aikido, soon to be joined in the same building (Brambelton Community Center) by my wife who'll be taking kickboxing. Meaning that any marital spats should prove interesting, if a bit disconcerting for the neighbors.

Certainly any concern over how long I can keep up classes is abated by those I know personally who've taken classes in the same vein through parks and rec for several years.

So while tough times mean tighter budgets, maybe Parks and Rec has something you've always wanted to learn but didn't think you could afford the classes or had the time to dedicate to it.