A Word of Encouragement to Martial Arts Academy Owners
Well, we're all shut down, and from what I've seen online there's a lot of panic and a lot of frustration. I feel you. I share your pain because I share your situation. But there's hope. There's a lot you can do, some of which I discuss here, but this isn't about that. This is about something else. Take a deep breath. Remember how you felt when you first launched your academy. When you signed your first lease. When it first started to look like this crazy thing you're doing might actually come
How Martial Arts Academies Can Survive the Coronavirus Closures
Well, I've been all over social media trying to convince academies to close while we figure out this coronavirus pandemic. To mixed results, to be honest. And I've found myself repeating some of the same points trying to tell them they'll be ok if they do. So I figure I may as well post them here. (Full disclosure, I've shamelessly lifted some from the smarter people in the community) Close now. Don't wait. If your gym supermind guru coach is telling you to stay open, close. Sooner or later (spoiler
A Word on Cleanliness and the Corona Virus
There's a lot of conflicting information and opinion circulating these days as we come to grips with the coronavirus. Understandably, many of us are asking ourselves just how safe it is to go about our daily routines. I can't speak to public transit, your office, or even your home, but I feel now's a good time to fill you in on what we do at the academy to make sure it's a safe, clean place to train. Ever since we opened, people have expressed some permutation of "the white mats look amazing,
How to coach your novice teammate in competition
So your coach can’t be in two places at the same time, and your white (or blue) belt teammate needs a corner. You’re up! But what do you do? Here are some pointers to get you through: 1) One coach per athlete. No one can make sense of five friends shouting five different instructions out. It’s stressful and, frankly, counter-productive. Pick one person to call out to the athlete – everyone else either speaks to that one person, or keeps quiet. 2) Relax. Tournaments are stressful enough without you freaking your athlete out.
Best Way to Get Started in BJJ
Ottawa BJJ | How to Find the Right Martial Arts Academy Picking a Brazilian jiu jitsu gym is an important decision. After all, you’ll be spending a lot of time there and your training partners will almost certainly become part of your social circle. This to say nothing of the effort and sweat you’ll put in chasing results. There are a lot of them out there, and let’s face it: not every gym is for every athlete. Walking into a new gym can be an intimidating thing, and it can be very