Sun Oct. 3rd 2021
The lockdown in Auckland has been a long one. I know that it's been tough on many people, and we should all take a moment to pat ourselves on the back for staying the course. It has meant that we've been unable to train for a long time now, so we wanted to touch base to give you all an update on our plans.
No fees until 2022
The senior club members got together and had a chat about club fees, and made a unanimous decision to waive all fees until next year. The club is in a good position, and it's more important to us that we get our community back to training than it is to turn a profit. Koha to the club is always welcome, of course, but that's a personal choice - and we know many people are not always in a position to do that.
When will we train again?
This is a tough one, but the short answer is that adult classes will begin again at level two. We haven't made a call about kids classes yet - but will be keeping a close eye on whether schools will be open for term 4, and government guidelines.
What about gradings?
We were absolutely gutted for our students who had a grading cancelled (yes, your instructors are totally invested in every single one of you when you grade). We can't really set any firm dates for a grading yet, but we hope to hold one before the end of the year, alert levels allowing. As for our first dan/senior belts grading, we'll coordinate with Callum as best we can around current restrictions.
Hang in there and stay fit! We’ll be back before you know it, and putting you to the test.
What will training look like When we Return?
We will be strongly policing use of the Covid tracer app, personal hygeine, and social distancing where possible. Adult classes will be split between those comfortable with some contact techniques (wrist locks & throws) and those who wish to work solely on non-contact drills (striking practice, fitness and patterns). This will come down to your personal comfort levels, and may evolve over time.
We will not be doing any grappling/ground fighting for the time being.
Some fun while we wait
Here are a couple of things to check out while we wait to open up to training again.
- KMA TV
Matt - who is an absolute hero of the club - has been keeping us all entertained by putting together fun interviews with the people and personalities of Kingsland Martial Arts, and has been posting them on our Facebook group. Check them out to learn more about some of our characters. - Burpee Annihilation challenge
It starts out very easy, but builds in intensity over the month of October. If you've been struggling for motivation, this could be the challenge that you need. The winner is the adult/child who can complete the challenge every day, for the most number of days. Visit the Facebook group for details. - Final word: if anyone wants to buy me this facemask I won't complain:
