This photo is not directly linked to the writing, photo (c) Sameul Castro

Andres Minguez

<The Case of Martial Arts at Ronin, Valencia, Spain>

Only a few months ago, the world of martial arts was focused on the Olympic Games and making our sports attractive to everybody, finding new goals for us related to health, the elder, cultural heritage and gender equality. But crisis don´t care about technology or how advanced a society is, and so we are left to fight the COVID-19, or the coronavirus.

This crisis has especially affected martial arts since it is closely related to health and requires social distancing, and martial arts are difficult to practice without proximity. From day to night, dojos and clubs around the world had to close their doors and find ways to survive this difficult time.

From ancient times, martial arts have played an important role in protecting society and individuals from external menaces, but in modern times we have to fight different foes, and so our way of defeating them must also change. Maybe because of this mentality to strive and survive, federations and clubs have rapidly adapted to this new situation, searching new ways to get funds and prosper until the calamity goes by.

We could ask whether martial arts are essential or not in this situation. More than anything, a good health system is vital at a time like this when a contagious disease is spreading, but once we find medicals ways to prevent the infection, we must play our decisive role and take countermeasures in making our citizens healthier and stronger, both physically and mentally. And here is where Martial Arts become an essential part.

Martial arts have demonstrated repeatedly over time its effect as a sport for youth education and development of individuals. We know that for children, these time are especially difficult since they still don't have the maturity to fully understand the situation or to endure staying at house for months. In this area, martial arts could potentially benefit them as a way to escape the situation through a practice that focus on resilience, sacrifice and self- discipline. Moreover, the practice makes them physically active, granting the essential benefit for its psychological health and wellbeing.

As for adults, we believe these times are often a ground where our culture and folklore are more relevant, since they make us aware of who we are and give us the confidence to strive in any situation. And of course we mustn't forget that a strong-minded and physically mightier individual will be more resistant to a virus than an unmotivated and weak one.

Returning to the social responsibility of the clubs and their fight to survive with their doors closed, we could take an example of the case of the club Ronin Valencia. This gym and martial arts center in Valencia, Spain, have started a pioneer initiative: an online gym where all members will have access to functional training classes, pilates, boxing, judo, women's self defense, nutritional advice, and physiotherapy consultations. The fees are voluntary and altruistic since the club is aware of the situation of many workers and at the same time believes every client will respond economically according to their possibilities and situation.

According to its director, Andrés Mínguez, a top Valencian athlete in judo and leader of Fundación “Heroína” which utilizes martial arts to help women suffering from social exclusion, “the idea is to cover expenses until the return to normality thanks to the generous contribution made by its clients ”. In exchange they offer a mobile application so that they can follow their classes from home as well as other disciplines that may interest them during the period of confinement and until training centers re-open.

The purpose is also to learn from this situation and keep the application working even after the situation ends. This way, all the Ronin family will be able to keep in touch even if they are working abroad far from the training center, and at anytime they need virtual training, a consultation, or just a chat. The application will now work as an intranet for the club.

Martial arts have always adapted to new events. From the conversion of martial arts dedicated to war, to sports dedicated to educate and protect, this time martial arts will adapt to endure this situation in the best way possible and always serve the population with an inheritance of culture, armed with new technology we have at hand and the old determination we have always had.

We must also adapt to the upcoming situation by implementing a wide net of measures in order to re-establish normality and practice in our dojos. See document attached to see specific measures.