Dojo life

[Shotokan_Tiger_2020]

Have any of you gone to your lessons at your school and notice how packed they are?

In the previous two classes I had at Midwest karate they were packed full and the head master (Joel Ertl) mentioned about how he had to turn students away because they were not registered for class.

I am not complaining. I am just saying how nice it feels to have things back to the way they used to be.

 

[Flying Crane]

Well, I’m just gonna put in a word of caution: we are not yet over this pandemic and the delta variant is taking over. You describe the dojo as so packed, he was turning people away. That is a lot of people working closely together, huffing and puffing and breathing heavily while working hard. I really really hope everyone there is fully vaccinated. Because if not, that is a ripe Petri dish for spreading that infection to those not vaccinated. We are not out of the woods yet.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I see the kids coming back to the kids classes. Our adult classes were always for the more serious/advanced karateka anyway; we have a core that doesn't change a whole lot. New students join, they usually don't stay.

I am double-vaccinated and wearing my mask since many of the kids are not. They are also wearing masks. I have been experimenting with removing my mask during the adult training, but with some trepidation as we do have members who are not, for whatever reason, vaccinated.

 

[Shotokan_Tiger_2020]

Well, I’m just gonna put in a word of caution: we are not yet over this pandemic and the delta variant is taking over. You describe the dojo as so packed, he was turning people away. That is a lot of people working closely together, huffing and puffing and breathing heavily while working hard. I really really hope everyone there is fully vaccinated. Because if not, that is a ripe Petri dish for spreading that infection to those not vaccinated. We are not out of the woods yet.

True, some kids are still wearing the masks because they haven't gotten their shots in yet. One adult was wearing a mask, but I think he may not have gotten his first/second shot in. Other than that, the rest of the class (including yours truly) can finally have an easier time breathing during our sessions.

 

[skribs]

Have any of you gone to your lessons at your school and notice how packed they are?

In the previous two classes I had at Midwest karate they were packed full and the head master (Joel Ertl) mentioned about how he had to turn students away because they were not registered for class.

I am not complaining. I am just saying how nice it feels to have things back to the way they used to be.

My school had a similar issue. We have so many black belts that are catching up on assistant instructor hours that we had to ration them. For the last year and a half, it's just been me, my Master, and his wife, as well as a couple of the senior black belts. I've been teaching all of the classes (except those I attend as a student; and even then sometimes that one). I've been teaching 19 classes a week. Now I'm down to 5, because we have so many that there's not enough room for even me. We had a couple classes with more assistant instructors than students. And we had plenty of students.

True, some kids are still wearing the masks because they haven't gotten their shots in yet. One adult was wearing a mask, but I think he may not have gotten his first/second shot in. Other than that, the rest of the class (including yours truly) can finally have an easier time breathing during our sessions.

I'm not sure if it's the CDC or my state (or both), but right now if your main customer base is kids, then you still have to wear a mask. I was expecting things to go back to normal, but not quite yet.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Karateka wearing Bas Rutten O2 Trainer, designed to restrict airflow: "Oh, this is increasing my cardiovascular fitness by restricting my air intake! What a great tool!"

Karateka wearing thin fabric mask: "Oh, I cannot breathe. This is crazy. I can't wear this."

 

[Argus]

Well, I’m just gonna put in a word of caution: we are not yet over this pandemic and the delta variant is taking over. You describe the dojo as so packed, he was turning people away. That is a lot of people working closely together, huffing and puffing and breathing heavily while working hard. I really really hope everyone there is fully vaccinated. Because if not, that is a ripe Petri dish for spreading that infection to those not vaccinated. We are not out of the woods yet.

That is something of a Petri Dish even for the vaccinated. Vaccines without social distancing during a pandemic will almost certainly lead to selective pressures that produce a strain that circumvents the vaccine.

This, combined with the real risks, both known and unknown of the vaccines, leads me to to the conclusion that the better risk/reward ratio may simply be to wear a mask, and if you're young, wait for vaccines with higher safety standards, more accountability, and less conflict of interest at play. But to each their own: take the risk that you're most comfortable with. (But I'd highly recommend reading authors such as Nassim Taleb before thinking one knows anything about evaluating risks.) This is merely to say that there are legitimate reasons for some members not to be vaccinated currently.

Of course, the best and least controversial solution of all, and for everyone, would be to simply practice outdoors. More arts should pick up the age old CMA / FMA tradition of just practicing in the local park!

 

[Michael Hubbard]

Classes at my dojo in Cypress CA are filling up quite nicely after a year and a few months of restrictions. We lost some students last year who I haven't seen back. Now we seem to be getting a new core of students. The regular black belts like myself and others have been stable and that has never changed. All of the black belts are vacinnated. So we are comfortable not wearing masks in the dojo as it is just us in the classes. On the other classes with the color belt students, they all wear masks.