The Strange and Unexpected
This whole thing has been a strange experience for me, as I’m sure it has been for everyone else. I have taught Kung Fu for more than 20 years in the traditional way, relying on contact to teach and adjust my students, and the Covid-19 crisis has moved this into a purely online environment using Zoom. But, finally, a newly refurbished Claremont is open again!
Tiger Crane Kung Fu was ahead of the curve in this respect – we had trialled the sessions on Zoom leading up to the lockdown. So when we closed the physical classes the transition into the world of virtual kung fu classes went amazingly smoothly!
The majority of our students continued to train online, and I believe that we have all benefitted from the experience, weird though it has been. We have all had to rely on different learning skills in this new environment. Progress has sometimes been in unexpected directions, but it has still been progress! I’m very proud of my students for adapting so well, and also want to thank them for their strong support throughout the crisis to date.
It has also been great to have several ex-students return to training because the zoom sessions have allowed them to join us again – from distances of hundreds or even thousands of miles away!
But finally, as the first of our venues, Claremont, is open again, our face-to-face classes are back up-and-running. The first students have already found their way back again to the new socially-distanced sessions (with simultaneous live Zoom broadcast).
Safety Measures
It’s a new world of risk assessments and safety measures, and we have taken very serious steps to allow students to return to class safely, and in line with government guidelines. (The environment reminds me a little of my professional life as a Chartered Engineer before I changed careers. We had 25kV overhead lines and moving trains to worry about…!)
But the new measures have done little to disrupt the classes, and the return to the new normal has been very welcome, especially for me! It’s so good to have students in the same room as me again, although still a little weird seeing them through the screen of my visor, and taking temperatures as they come through the entrance gate! And, of course, still no contact – but one step at a time!
Come and Join us!
So, just a quick message to everyone that Claremont is open again, and that you’re welcome to return – just remember that you need to book your class in advance, so that we can maintain social distancing. (We’re currently limited to 12 physical attendees per class – virtual attendees are unlimited!)
And we are also welcoming new beginners in class again, so if you’re looking to fight your way fit again after the lockdown, then come and join us!
If you need any help with bookings or want to discuss anything about coming to class, then please get in touch, either by email or call Dave on 07958 980 280.