Blog

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Unfortunately it's time (sad Bruce Buffer voice).

Due to the coronavirus, we're shutting up shop for the next fortnight.

We're going to spend the time deep cleaning everything and watching the news for updates and regularly reviewing the situation. We will be reviewing weekly based on new information to be given by the government, WHO and UKBJJA and we'll keep you all as up to date as possible.

We've held off for as long as possible, but staying open any longer wouldn't have been right. In good conscience, we can't put students, their families or members of our community at undue risk. This is bigger than martial arts and combat sports. This is life or death for some.

Thank you all for reading and for sticking by us through tough and crazy times. You're all family to us and we appreciate all the support. We're seeking the opportunity in adversity and looking at the best ways for you all to continue your training and progression.

So far these are what we're working on for all of our members (to check your membership contact Sarah or Josie) ...

• Try to run online classes using Facebook live - especially at standard class times. Also, we'll be uploading lots of videos from Jimmy and Micah covering various techniques and drills.

• Populate the Phoenix MMA youtube with as much as possible (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzXIZ8X40-PP2gnPum0RGSg…)

• Come up with a few training plans that people can have for either solo or partner drills

• Some yoga for BJJ videos

• A free PT during this fortnight for those fit and healthy folk.

• For anyone who can get to Bournemouth, Jason has offered a free S&C PT

• For the kids, as well as the videos, we are looking at running some kind of weekend training camp type thing when we are back open, so they get a few hours of training in, and lunch etc

• On these pages are lots of other BJJ resources which will help during these trying times...
https://www.facebook.com/BJJVSN/
https://www.facebook.com/perseverebjjseminars/

Other options we are going to explore and try and figure out...

• Organise some 'welcome back' type seminars to get us back in the swing of things. Hopefully we can subsidise these as much as possible for our members as a thanks for sticking with us.

• Look at the possibility of running small group sessions for people at the gym - they can attend one a fortnight (so they have the 14 day period between sessions) plus must know all the risks and follow guidelines. We need to figure out the logistics, hygiene, risks and if this is acceptable/allowed! It might be taken completely out of our hands as they could force us to close completely.

• Open mats but you come in pairs and stick with the same partner and we'll mark out training pods on the mats as to keep you far enough away from other pairs. Again we'd need to figure out the logistics, hygiene, risks and if this is acceptable!

In regards to memberships: we are a small business that operates just enough above the break-even line to pay its staff, equip the gym and open the doors to offer you and your children some of the best Martial arts instruction available.

We do it for the love rather than the money, but of course money has to be made.

Understanding this, some of you have kindly agreed to keep paying your monthly direct debit even in your absence. To you, hand on heart we are utterly grateful and humbled.

To the others who might insist on cancelling your memberships: if you can afford it we urge you to reconsider and bare with us through a time that might well cripple us as a gym. Without your ongoing support we cannot promise that you will have a club to return to once this has all cleared.

Again thanks for all the support. Stay safe and keep in touch - hopefully we'll see you all sooner rather than later.

Phoenix MMA Bournemouth, Southampton and Gosport