COVID-19 Closures: Keep calm and do suburi

Last night the inevitable happened, and there has been a ban placed on all gyms and indoor sports activities (among other things) from midday today in an attempt to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the broader community.

I understand that this can be everything from mildly upsetting through to deeply distressing, as we are pared back from much of the routine of our lives, and distanced from the activities that are deeply supportive such as the face-to-face community of the dojo and its ability for us to be able to leave the worries of the broader world at the door with our shoes. It affects our income earning capacity, and our familiar ways of tapping into the support networks we rely on to keep us sane and healthy.

However, I want to provide a clarion call to everyone who feels a little isolated or a little lost with what to do over the coming weeks, as we as a society attempt to flatten the rate of infection so as to keep underneath the threshold of what our medical services can provide support for.

Even physically separated, our community is strong. You are only as far away as a phone call, a text message or a video chat. In between continuing my studies via Zoom for the next few months, I will be looking to provide some virtual dojo sessions across the arts I teach so that we can continue to keep the pot that is filled with our basic skills simmering and ready to go once we are again able to train physically with each other.

Be calm and do suburi! Your back yard, garage or lounge room can easily be turned into your corner of the virtual dojo. I will be posting some instructions regarding how this can be managed in the coming days, as well as some times I’ll be online so that we can train together, alone, in solidarity.

Remember to reach out and check on each other too. This is actually what our community is about — caring for each other when times seem uncertain.

I will post an update once details become clearer. At a minimum, we can expect that everything will effectively be shut down till at least after Easter, and most likely beyond that.

Take care, be safe, wash your hands, and I will look forward to seeing you over the video link, or eventually back in the dojo soon!

BBRD annual general meeting

Hello all,

It is that time of year again where we have our annual general meeting (AGM). The meeting will be held on 18 April (Saturday)…time and venue TBA.

Please note that all members, new and old, that are continuing with BBRD will need to have their annual membership fee paid before the AGM. Please also ensure that your insurance fee and the annual discipline fee/s are paid as well.

Barring any unforeseen banning of all meetings due to the corona virus, we will ensure to comply with all advised venue and separation requirements that are in place on the date.

Please watch for future announcements about the AGM: venue and time notices, and updates on any changes due to recommended corona virus procedures.

Everyone stay healthy and see you at the AGM.

Eric

Rick Beal sensei Kyudo seminar: Please await confirmation this week

As an addendum to the general concerns over COVID-19, we will be making an announcement later this week regarding the planned Kyudo seminar at the MEAC this weekend.

Unfortunately, this will miss the post out of the Budo Bulletin at 10 am Monday. Please keep an eye out in the Club’s social media channels to find out the latest, or directly contact Michael B.

(COVID-19) Class Suspensions: FlexiFit, Kendo, Jujutsu, Systema

Hi folks, after quite a number of discussions over the weekend, it is with a heavy heart that I need to announce we will be suspending FlexiFit, Kendo, Jujutsu and Systema classes in Toowoomba for a least the next four weeks. We will be evaluating the risk for Gin Gin classes tomorrow, and will make an announcement very soon.

COVID-19 poses a serious risk to vulnerable members of the community, and we need to take those risks seriously. While most all of the regular Club members would fit into low risk categories, we all have people that we care deeply for that would be at serious risk due to an infection.

The main thing that we are trying to achieve with the suspension of classes and other social distancing measures is to “flatten the curve” of the infection rate, so that medical facilities, particularly ICU and cardiorespiratory support are not overwhelmed with the case load. As one Toowoomba-based ICU doctor’s observations points out, COVID-19, heart attack, motor vehicle accident etc. are all very survivable if he has a bed for you. Our task is to help ensure that.

Effective from the weekend, we have stopped what are the highest risk classes for transmission. This is in part inherent to the nature of those classes such as Systema and Jujutsu which involve very close quarter contact with each other, or aerosolisation of bodily fluids, such as when we kiai in Kendo. In addition, due to the lack of regular cleaning at the MEAC, we cannot ensure that surface-contact based transfer can be minimised unless we spent the vast bulk of our training sessions cleaning the floor, our mats, and other surfaces.

At this stage, we will still be running Iaido, and on the back of Rick Beal sensei’s visit this weekend, we might start running some semi-regular Kyudo classes for those interested. Both these activities are low-transfer risk due to the necessary space required for safe practice, and minimal floor contact. However, we will be continuing to monitor and evaluate this situation as the days progress.

I am sure that everyone will share my disappointment that we will have to take a break from our regular schedules. Already, we are seeing cancellations of events such as the Australian Kendo Championships and the Australian Iaido and Jodo Seminar and Championships.

Stay posted. I will be putting up suggestions via the Budo Blog on how you might be able to continue your training at home through the isolation period.

Keep well everyone, and I hope to see you all back soon once we have a clearer picture going forward.

Systema Session Cancellation

Due to the risk of Corona virus, Systema sessions are cancelled.

A review of the situation will be made in a month’s time before a decision is made about reinitiating sessions.

Any question should be directed to Michael Conroy.

Back in Bundaberg: Gin Gin in full swing

Today marks the start of my academic year up here in Bundaberg, and so I will be back at the National Fitness Hall, Gin Gin from tomorrow night teaching classes. Jujutsu will start shortly after 6 pm once Judo has finished, and on Wednesday Iaido will start at 5 pm and Kendo at 6.30 pm.

Tuesday night Jujutsu in Toowoomba will be ably run by Brady for the next few months, but I will be there most Thursdays and Saturdays. We will see if we can get a combined dojos “virtual” session in as well (technology willing).

Will look forward to catching up with all the regulars up here after the summer break, and hope to see a few other old faces make an appearance over the coming weeks!

Rick Beal seminar update

The MEAC has been locked in as the venue for the Rick Beal sensei Kyudo seminar over the weekend of 21 and 22 March. The seminar will run from 9 am till 4.30pm each day.

This is the very first seminar that the Queensland Kyudo Association has run, and as mentioned previously, we are very fortunate to have someone as experienced a kyudo-ka and teacher as Beal sensei to be our guide into the world of Kyudo.

We will be running an introductory session in the morning aimed primarily at folk who have never really encountered Kyudo before, and are wonder what it is all about. It will focus on the basics of movement, posture and firing, and run from 9 am till 12 pm. The cost of this session is $20, and everyone is welcome.

As we have Beal sensei for the whole weekend, for those that might be caught by the Kyudo “bug”, you will have an extended opportunity to bed down the fundamentals that you learned on Saturday morning. Cost will be $50 for a day and $80 for both days. While there is no restriction for participation, you would get the most out of the sessions if you either have some familiarity with Kyudo, or attend the Saturday morning session.

Because of the seminar, there will not be any of the regular scheduled classes Saturday afternoon. We would love to see you along at the seminar instead!

First Aid training opportunity for QKR members

In talking with Quensland Kendo Association president, Tom Johnson sensei, Tom-san mentioned that a present no one has accessed one of the Association’s first aid bursaries that were announced at last year’s annual general meeting.

The bursaries will provide up to $115 towards the cost of a senior first aid (or equivalent) course or a CPR update. They are open to any adult member of the QKR (16 years or older) who has been an active member of their home dojo for a period of six months or more.

My understanding is that the bursaries are limited, and it is a case of first in first served, and that you are able to access them once every three years.

So for all QKR members who may read this post, regardless of whether you are a BBRD member or not, please talk to your home dojo sensei to get the paperwork for the bursary application.