Boxing, martial arts gyms reopen
Keeping equipment separated and clean, and minimising contact are measures boxing and martial arts gyms are taking as they open under alert level 2.
Snapback Boxing in Palmerston North, which caters for children and vulnerable youth, is one of the many gyms reopening under level 2 and directors Charmaine and Filipo Saua have been busy preparing.
Children will be spread into small groups in separate areas and equipment has been spaced out. Coaches won’t swap between boxers and equipment will be cleaned regularly.
Charmaine said it was essential the gym could reopen because of the type of children it helped, so Snapback made sure it met safety requirements.
‘‘We will do whatever it takes to get the kids back in.’’
Saua said many of the children were referred to the gym by the Midcentral District Health Board.
There are about 60 youth boxers and about 20 in the programme for troubled youth.
Across town, Tasha Chambers of The Fight Shop NZ said the gym would be operating under restrictions.
‘‘We’re just sorting through that now because there’s so much conflicting information.’’
The gym is advising people to stay at home if sick, maintain personal hygiene, wash uniforms after use, wash hands on entry and exit, wipe down boxing gloves, and have their own gear.
Chambers said the gym had always been strict on hygiene, but was now asking people to clean their own equipment.
There will be no communal gloves.
Contact tracing isn’t an issue because the gym already requires people to log their entry.
Chambers said it didn’t have to limit classes, but people would use only one training partner.
Shelley Ashton runs Feilding Boxing, Martial Arts and Fitness and she wanted to have clear safety measures in place before opening.
She was looking at opening nextweek to allow enough time to do things properly.