Planning Your Protocol: 15 Key Considerations for In-Person Classes at Your Martial Arts School

Whether you’re starting to resume in-person training, or your area hasn’t lifted restrictions quite yet, proper planning is essential to ensure a smooth transition from online to in-person classes.

To help ensure all bases are covered, we’ve gathered a list of physical distancing, sanitization, and class management tips from our client community for you to consider adding to your own protocol:

1. Limit Group Sizes 

To limit group sizes within your facility, ask parents to drop their children off for class, and pick them up from classes.

2. Live Stream In-Person Classes

Live stream the in-person classes, so that parents can watch their children train in class and still be involved virtually.

3. Utilize Software

Utilize software to allow members to book their spot in class. Doing so will allow you to set in-person classes capacities and meet physical distancing requirements. See related article: Follow these Steps to Manage Class Size and Physical Distancing Protocol.

4. Merchandise

If members are required to wear face masks, consider having branded face masks made. The face mask could serve as a thank you gift to your members for their loyalty. The face mask also provides additional advertising for your school when worn outside the facility.

5. Temperature Checks for In-Person Classes

Upon arrival, check temperatures of each student using a touch-free infrared forehead thermometer. Make sure to inform members that this will be part of the new protocol before entering the building. Place markers on the floor to keep members 6 feet apart while temperature checks are being administered.

6. Contactless Check-In

Employ contactless check-in to eliminate the hand-to-hand exchange of key tags or member cards. With an app like MemberAssist, members scan a barcode on their phones.

7. Arrive Early and Ready to Go for In-Person Classes

Set protocol that students should arrive ready to train in their uniforms and should arrive no more than 5 minutes ahead of the start of class to minimize the number of people in your facility.

8. Leave Promptly to Allow Time to Disinfect 

When a class ends, set protocol that everyone should promptly leave to continue proper social distancing and to allow staff time to disinfect.

9. Cleaning In-between In-Person Classes

Modify the class schedule to allow 30 minutes between in-person classes to allow for cleaning in between classes and to minimize foot traffic.

10. Sanitizing Station

Set up multiple sanitizing stations throughout your facility for members to use any time.

11. Hand Sanitizing Wipes

Have hand sanitizing wipes and a dispensing station with a trashcan next to your doors, so that members can take a wipe and open the door with the wipe in hand instead of touching the door handle. Wipes can also be used by staff to sanitize door handles continually.

12. Establish Restroom and Water Fountain Protocols

Establish protocol on how you’ll manage common areas like restrooms and water fountains. For example, if water fountains will not be in use, let members know that and encourage them to bring their own bottled water to class.

13. Control Foot Traffic Efficiently 

Control the flow of foot traffic in and out of your facility. If you have front and back entrances, make sure that new classes come in through the front entrance and finishing classes leave through the back entrance.

14. Create Directional Decals 

If you don’t have a front and back entrance, apply masking tape or directional decal signs on the floor to help direct traffic.

15. Space Out Training Areas for In-Person Classes

Space out mat training areas. Tape off 6 x 6 ft squares to help students stay within their areas and ensure students don’t step over their squares.

Last but not least …

Contact your local Sheriff’s Office to make sure all bases are covered. Know all the dos and don’ts prior to reopening, so that it’s clear what will and will not be allowed, and what protocol must be put in place.

We’re here for you

If you have questions regarding managing class size and/or communicating your protocol to members, feel free to reach out to your Client Success Manager at any time.

Need 1:1 guidance? Book a 30-minute session with your Client Success Manager.

For more tools, templates, strategy guides, and resources to drive member engagement and business growth amid COVID-19, visit our Business Resource Page. Be sure to bookmark the page, too; we’ll continue adding resources as they become available.