Yes! You read that right! I know you’ve all LOVED training on Zoom (!!) but there’s nothing like the REAL THING! OK, so we’ll be a long way from each other; there certainly won’t be any sparring or even pad-work for the time being, but we’re starting to get back to dojangs and actually be able to see each other (rather than just Mr Martin!).
Things will of course be different – we won’t be back inside at Hengrove until the start of September (further info on the Hengrove Classes page) but we will be continuing with outdoor classes there for now. Outdoor classes start on Wednesday 29th July and we’ll be getting back into the centre itself on Wednesday 2nd September. If the weather is dreadful we will be reverting to Zoom classes!
Southville classes have a new venue for the time being, at Ashton Park School (see the Southville Classes page for more info) but we hope you will agree that this is a good venue whilst the Southville Centre remains out of use for us until 2021. Classes start at Ashton Park school on Tuesday 28th July.
Bradley Stoke classes will be resuming as normally as they can for the time being (though the centre will be closing at 6pm on Sundays so we will be running our classes on Sunday afternoons) – again please see the Bradley Stoke Classes page for more info. Classes resume here on Thursday 6th August (some zoom sessions will be happening until then – keep an eye on the online zoom page for the timetable!).
All classes will of course be practicing strict hygeine and social distancing measures. The recommended distance for indoor training is for students to be 3m apart – in all directions! This does limit how many students we can fit into our dojangs. Until we start training again we don’t know exactly how many students will be returning. We did consider a booking system, and indeed it may come to that! But for now we are going to see how we get on! However, we do ask that you only TRAIN IN YOUR OWN CLUB. I know in the past we have always said to our students that you were free to train at any of our venues, as many times a week as you like. But I’m sure you understand our need to ensure that all students have the opportunity to train twice a week.
If any of you have a burning desire to train extra nights or do one night at one club and another night at another club, please speak to Mr Martin about it BEFORE coming to another club – or face being turned away.
On the subject of being turned away; there is the possibility that if too many students turn up on one night then we will have to turn some of you away – this is in order to KEEP EVERYONE SAFE! Obviously this would be worst case scenario – if this starts happening we would be looking, as a matter of urgency, to extend our class times and splitting the classes up so that you all get to train. We would ask for your patience and understanding whilst we ease into this new way of training. Please do bear with us!
Safe Return to TaeKwon-Do
This is an important one, so it has it’s own page – Club Covid Safety Guidelines – PLEASE READ THIS! Parents, please go through it with your children to help them understand.
The main points to remember are:
- USE THE LOO AT HOME! Please avoid using toilets at our venues as much as possible.
- Safe travel to the dojang (don’t car share or use public transport)
- Safe entry to the dojang (use the one way systems)
- wear your dobok (change at home)
- arrive 5 minutes before your class (don’t hang about!)
- keep to social distancing
- no parents / spectators in the dojang
- use hand sanitizer
- put shoes / drinks in designated spot – leave space
- go to your designated spot on the floor (grade rows!)
- adults please bring a yoga mat (you are responsible for cleaning it – bring antibacterial wipes!) or large towel in a bag for floor work (keep with your shoes/drink in designated spot until it’s time to use it)
- We won’t be sparring, or doing set sparring or other partnered work.
- We won’t be shaking hands / touching gloves.
- No kihapping (we’re not supposed to be shouting). This one will be hard…
- There will be no pad work until it is deemed safe.
- At the end of the class please use the hand sanitizer before exiting.
- You will be instructed to exit the dojang 1 by 1
- Parents please wait outside the dojang no more than 5 minutes before the end of the class – please remember to maintain 2 metres distance.
- When you get home, have a shower and wash your dobok (and for adults your towel & bag if you used them) straight away.
We will be doing our best (and would ask for your help too) to keep us all safe but we are very much hoping to still be providing you with good, fun, hard work TAEKWON-DO sessions!
