Karate Studio or Timeshare?

Some of us bloggers joked around about the possibility that we'd show up to the recent SV Moms Disney party to find them trying to sell us a timeshare. As you can read, that sure didn't happen. On the other hand, the last place I expected a "timeshare sales job" was at a Karate studio. In my never ending quest to get in shape, I've decided to search for an evening kick-boxing workout, since the morning hunt never worked out.

Turns out there are two studios right near me with 7:30 classes, so I decided to check them out. One didn't have actual kick-boxing, but he said Taekwondo may work for what I want (get in shape, lose weight, gain strength, added bonus the ability to kick some loser's a$%). Maybe I should have suspected something when he didn't just say "nope, sorry no kick-boxing" but I do try to keep an open mind. We scheduled a personal trial, I got my reminder call, which of course meant I had to book on out of work since it was an hour earlier than I'd thought. Since I was still a few minutes early, I thought I'd check out the kids class going on, since, as I told the women who came out to greet me, I do have to kids whom I'd eventually like to enroll in some sort of martial arts.

That was my big mistake. I swear, she would not even tell me the prices unless "my husband was there" much less give me my little lesson. She must really know my husband, as he's way more of a sucker for good deals than me. It's what they use for timeshare sales, they need you both there. She had a bunch of questions about the kids, and even when she ventured into terms like "family package" or "two kid discount" she caught herself, "but I want to give you the full information when your husband is here." It's actually an perfect setup for my kids, since the free trial period includes a uniform, 20 minute private lesson, and two weeks free. Since my son takes at least three classes to get comfortable trying something new, that works out well. But, and it's a big but, we don't want to enroll them until they're at least 6, which is a year from now. And I was there for me, not my kids. I learned absolutely nothing about the adult classes, and I called up the other place, who'll give me a weeks worth of kick-boxing classes free, and didn't even ask about kids.

This place is so darn close that I'll keep them on my list, and may even take the kids to their free class on Tuesday. The one I signed up for as it was easier to do that and call later to cancel than refuse. Think they'll turn away two adorable Power Ranger wannabes if "my husband" doesn't show up?

Cross-posted at Silicon Valley Moms Blog.