Sudbury MMA making most of virtual learning
A Sudbury mixed martial arts studio is having real success when it comes to its virtual offerings.
Ontario is days into another lockdown but for the team at Sudbury MMA, it's just another day.
Head instructor John Cole say they wanted to be innovative at the start of the pandemic so they immediately made a shift to online.
When they are able to open their doors they'll still get some connecting through Zoom while the rest come in-person, on days like today, with gyms shut down, it's 100 per cent over the computer.
"I'll be honest, back in March 2020 there was a lot of apprehension and concern not just for us but for everybody," said Cole. "Nobody knew really what to expect but in the last two years, a lot of martial arts academies and academies across the province have had to do a lot of shuffle and pivots and become a little more innovative and that's what we've done."
Cole says they're able to shift now quite easily depending on current restrictions and it's giving his 200 plus members options they never had before.
"Martial arts and fitness, we believe it's essential for mental health and we didn't want to be an academy that would turn their backs on students if they had to isolate or if some reason we got shut down again," he said.
One of those students whose been taking online classes, along with his son, has been Sudbury realtor Adam Haight.
"To have the option in being able to go in and joining the club or still being virtual and still feeling like your part of the team it's great to have those options as a parent or as an individual yourself so," said Haight.
"As far as a learning curve, getting on the Zoom meetings and doing this kind of stuff, it's a little different," he added. "But at the end of the day, it's providing us a really great outlet to get in our training and our martial arts."
Cole and his team have since been able to build on their online martial arts video library, with more than 350 videos and counting. He also does a podcast.
It's been a big success for the team, they've had students logging in from cities across the country, places like Regina, Halifax and Kincardine.
"Some students literally in the last two years have not come into the academy," said Cole. "We've had some students that have solely chosen to do online classes for personal reasons and they're thriving in that environment. They have all the equipment, the bags, dumbbells, they can do everything that someone can do in person here."
And as far as the pandemic is concerned, it will likely end at some point, even still, when it does, this instructor believes online learning will in one shape or another continue to be part of their future.
"Online learning is not going anywhere and of course it's something that we're going to continue to foster in our academy with or without the pandemic," said Cole.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.