Hi All,

I trust you’re all safe and well, and keeping active as best you can? A few opening points:

1) I have to say that I’m very impressed with how martial arts students and instructors are rising to this unprecedented challenge! It’s great to see everyone do what they can to support one another. The use of technology to keep training and interacting is particularly impressive! Slices of “normality” are very important at these times. Good job people!

2) While we are all in for a rough period, this will end. And, when it does end, I guarantee dojos will be bursting at the seams! People will be desperate for normality and face-to-face social interaction again! We will all be chomping at the bit to punch our marital friends :-) There will be plenty of new members too as people seek to do something positive for themselves. In the short term, we need to make the best of a bad situation; but know that this will one day be a memory and good times lie ahead.

3) Times like these test people. Some will pass that test, and some will fail. The ones that pass are the ones that seek to help others and who will keep themselves strong and upbeat so they can help most effectively. At some point, everyone is going to be feeling scared, overwhelmed and despondent. Those feelings are the test … they are NOT the result of that test. It’s what you do in the face of those feelings that will define you. People will remember who stood up and who stood by them. Students, stand by your instructors as best you can. Instructors, stand by your students as best you can. Remember, sometimes it is the “small stuff” that goes a long way: the kind word, the show of support, the expression of appreciation, the bit of encouragement, etc. These “small things” can provide a lot of light in dark times.

In other news:

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FACEBOOK LIVE CHATS! TODAY!

Yesterday’s Facebook Live experiment worked! A huge thanks to everyone who hopped on with no notice! We are also going to meet up TODAY (21st)! I’ll be live at 4pm UK / 5pm Central Europe / Midday Eastern US.

We are going to chat about a whole host of topics and I hope you’ll find it entertaining and educational! Above all, it will just be really great to touch base with all you wonderful people in these very unusual times!

If these continue to prove popular, I will keep doing them at regular intervals in the hope it helps in some way.

https://www.facebook.com/iainabernethy/

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NEW SOLO WORKOUT FOR SMALL SPACES

In response to requests for workouts that can be done in a location with limited space, I have just added a new Confined Space Solo Workout to the app! The workout consists of a video to explain how it all works and an audio file you can play to keep timings and give instructions as you do the workout!

I did the whole thing in the corner of my shed, so I’m pretty sure everyone will be able to do it! I hope the workout is useful to you all at this time!

You can find it here:

NEW WORKOUT: Main Menu > Misc Techniques and Drills > Solo Training Ideas > Solo Training > Confined Space Solo Workout Video and Audio

If you are not an app user, please email me at app@iainabernethy.com and I’ll get you all set up!

There will also be another NEW SOLO WORKOUT added next week to keep you sharp, healthy and motivated at this time!

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That’s all for now. Stay positive people!

Speak soon!

All the best,

Iain