What's going to happen to martial arts and grappling gyms?

[GrahamB]

Are you returning?

The place I trained is doing similar no-contact MMA work. I can't imagine the grappling portion opening up for some time then and I honestly have little to no interest in a grappling training environment until there is a vaccine. There are safer ways to socialize.

Our Gracie JJ school has been doing online stuff but last week "softly" reopened only for no-contact "MMA striking" work (limited number of people, 3 persons per bag to maintain distance). Added extra time between classes for changing rooms, and for the cleanup/wipe-down.
He's planning to eventually add actual standup work (weapons disarm drills, etc.), and at some point resume grappling work.
Continuing with Zoom classes until then.

I'm in the same boat Pete. Without a vaccine, the idea of doing some sort of social distanced grappling class on a dummy fills me with dread. At the moment it's just teaching my kids on mats in the back garden.

Guo Yunshen supposedly spent 3 years in shackles practicing beng quan, I'm sure we can cope.

[grzegorz]

Contactless jiu jitsu is planned by this gym owner.

New York jiu-jitsu studio owner plans to defy Cuomo, open Wednesday: 'Time to start making things happen'

https://www.foxnews.com/media/new-york-jiu-jitsu-studio-reopening-wednesday

An upstate New York jiu-jitsu studio owner told "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Tuesday he plans to open for business Wednesday in defiance of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's coronavirus shutdown order.

Eddie Fyvie, who owns the eponymous jiu-jitsu academy in Malta, about 30 miles north of Albany, told host Tucker Carlson he is not trying to pick a fight with the third-term governor.

"Two months ago they ordered a lockdown and I've done everything in my power to maintain that," he said. "We've had virtual classes and we've done absolutely everything we can, as have business owners around the entire country who own martial arts academies.

"But with that said, I think it is time, especially in my local community where the curve has been beyond flattened, I think it is time that we should be able to reopen with proper safety precautions."

I am sure you will have underground gyms with tiny groups but if the gym is in a high rent area I think most will shut down even if there are a lot of FOX news viewers. In bjj you quite literally exchange sweat with lots of people. Most grapplers are not willing to take that risk as it is we are all too familiar with ring worm and we take it seriously so I doubt this gym owner's business will thrive either way since most gyms in the burbs make a lot of their cash teaching kids as it is. But to expect grapplers and wrestlers to brush off Covid 19 when are already fear getting ring worm and bleach and disinfect all things as a result is one step too far even for the most hardcore. I feel for the gym owner but doubt that his business will survive.

[grzegorz]

FOX (as the news often does) makes it sound political but looks like his bjj classes are not going to be like pre-Covid classes. He having people use sanitizer and wait outside. Sounds like it will self defense techniques in small groups which makes sense since then contact is a lot less than when you roll. Good luck to him and his gym.

Jiu-jitsu academy reopens, defying executive order

LOCAL

by: Louis Finley

Posted: May 27, 2020 / 09:46 PM EDT / Updated: May 27, 2020 / 10:18 PM EDT

MALTA, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Malta business owner Eddie Fyvie reopened his Jiu-jitsu academy on Wednesday despite not being allowed to under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “stay-at-home” executive order.

“Today’s about the people. It’s not about me. It’s not about creating a rebellion,” Fyvie said.

Fyvie’s Jiu-jitsu Academy is supposed to reopen in Phase 4 of the reopening process. His Malta studio is under the Capital Region’s reopening plan, which is still in Phase 1.

The martial arts school was transformed to accommodate safety guidelines. Fyvie consulted two doctors to help him come up with the new layout that separates the limited number of students allowed inside.

“I may be looked at in a negative light by some people, but I’m doing this as safely as possible and I dare you to walk into an essential business, big chain store, that is opening and look and see if they’re doing it better than I am,” Fyvie said.

Students must meet the requirements the academy’s set to participate, including having temperatures taken at the door and sanitizing their hands and feet.

“We flattened the curve; we did what we were supposed to do. I feel like we should be able to get back to our normal lives,” student Danielle Walter said. “I’ve been missing it. And it’s been hard to cope with the whole shutdown without Jiu-jitsu.”

Spokesperson for the Governor’s Office, Jack Sterne said in a statement to NEWS10ABC: “If a facility like this is open to the public, it is violating New York’s public health-based Executive Orders — putting its customers and staff at risk. We will work with the local authorities to investigate this issue and pursue formal enforcement measures if necessary, including fines.”

Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo said in a statement to NEWS10ABC: “We are making advisements only.”

“I’m not a criminal. I’ve never done anything wrong. All I’m trying to do is teach self-defense and help people become healthy,” Fyvie said.

Fines defying the executive order can go as high as $10,000.

[Steve James]

Aw, it's important that someone defy Cuomo. The only thing gym members should worry about is spreading the virus to people who don't go to their gym. If you know someone you can roll with, do it. No state forbids groups of two.

I doubt there will be a vaccine before Autumn. If you want your school to survive, continue to support it. Right. They won't reopen unless students show up.

Of course, if you can arrange to get tested --for the virus, not the antibody-- you can form small groups. The worst thing will be to ignore the warnings and end up causing a second wave. No testing means no bjj or wrestling specifically. That's your solution, not a vaccine -imo.

[Michael]

If the survival rate of the participants is effectively 100%, why not roll?

That's rhetorical because it's all been hashed out and there is nothing to support the idea that fit people under 65 should avoid contact with each other. In fact, it's precisely the opposite.

I'd be more concerned with ringworm and body odor than corona if I were not in a high-risk demographic or had significant contact with such, like a nursing home worker.

Lockdowns for healthy people and social distancing weaken the immune system, increases the time for herd immunity, and has massive negative psychological consequences now being played out in confirmed suicide rates even higher than the inflated covid death rates.

[grzegorz]

If anyone really believes all that I would like to see them roll but I won't. I already exablished that FOX news was clearly trying to create an anti-Cuomo story. Dude said people will wait outside and they will use safety measures which essentially means it will be non-competitive with little contact. In fact it will probably be more like a Karate class but unless you do jiu-jitsu how would you know?

But whatever I just have to laugh when someome who hasn't trained a day wants to tell us to all go roll. Some things never change.

I doubt they even know what ring worm is.

[grzegorz]

Anyway good to see Pete again.

If it wasn't for UPS I would be doing BJJ but after years of traveling and working low pay jobs I have to work my ass off so I can retire and pay for my kids' college.

I am blessed and grateful but sometimes sacrifices have to be made.

[Michael]

Watching BJJ is enough to know how much contact is involved. Even scientists understand that.

[grzegorz]

I doubt there will be a vaccine before Autumn. If you want your school to survive, continue to support it.

Easier said than done. When I was making $12 an hour I was paying $150 a month. There's no way I could have given that money away especially for months on end.

[grzegorz]

Watching BJJ is enough to know how much contact is involved. Even scientists understand that.

I am not quite sure we are on the same page. They are not doing that kind of BJJ there.

[grzegorz]

Here is what he is doing.

What You Need To Know

Owner Eddie Fyvie says he has guidelines in place to keep everyone safe, like a health questionnaire, temperature checks, and sanitizing hands and feet.

A maximum of eight students for each class with social distancing and no contact.

[Steve James]

I doubt there will be a vaccine before Autumn. If you want your school to survive, continue to support it.

Easier said than done. When I was making $12 an hour I was paying $150 a month. There's no way I could have given that money away especially for months on end.

I understand that people with no income can't give money away. Do what you can do. I don't know about bjj, but I know that taking care of teachers and schools often come down to student support. I don't pay for classes, but I donate to my old school just the same. In NY, the law is that businesses can't be evicted for non-payment of rent. I don't know the situation where you are.

[grzegorz]

Hi Steve,

I hear you and agree.

I can't imagine what it is like for these gym owners right now.

G

[Steve James]

Yeah, I know it will be hard, especially because people will be reluctant to go back. I think testing is necessary. Since bjj/wrestling is an exchange of bodily fluids, treat it like hiv. I think if a school could guarantee that its members have been tested, that would be great. Right now, churches are being used as testing centers. Maybe gyms could arrange for testing appointments. Anything that would reassure people would help.

[Michael]

I am not quite sure we are on the same page.

You can say that again. Maybe re-read from beginning when not driving.