Double Dragon Martial Arts

06/12/2020

Hi Everyone! Below is my list and short description of local clubs and owners that I hope will help any Double Dragon members looking to continue their Kung Fu or Kickboxing/Muay Thai training over the next year or so. I know it will be very difficult to find that same inclusive family feeling we had at Double Dragon. I would suggest that you try all clubs of interest out for FREE before making any decisions. Do not be pressured into making a decision until you know what is right for you!

Please also remember that I had to close Double Dragon due to financial viability and the main reason is not only expensive rent, insurance and utilities but also because I always tried to treat everyone fairly by compensating them for their involvement whether it was kids or adults working the front desk, teaching or assisting with classes or volunteers helping with camps. This makes a difference of about $5000 to $6000 every month. I know most club owners do not pay instructors and such and expect people to volunteer and sometimes even take advantage of people doing such. This will possibly make a huge difference for club owners and their ability to survive over the next 6 to 18 months, if and when clubs are able to reopen and not get shutdown again and again due to possible second or third waves of Covid-19. I believe this is something you may want to consider and ask such club owners when looking for a new club for over the short term.

I hope to see you all again when the time is right and it is finically viable for myself and/or other instructors or coaches from Double Dragon to reopen DD or some other form of such. Best of luck!

Kung Fu Focused Members

Kitchener Kicks - Large size newer facility with Sifu Steve other very knowledgeable instructors, most who are older and not quite as involved. Medium member base of adults and kids. Same style of Five Animal Kung Fu with minor variances in forms. Also has a ring for people to cross train in kickboxing. This is also my original club when it was owned by Ron Day. Dave the owner is a great martial artist with a ton of adversity and a laid back but no-nonsense personality. And as mentioned before the best thing about KK is that Sifu Steve is there! 😁

Waterloo Kung Fu – Large size facility with lots of instructors and large member base of adults and kids. Same style of Five Animal Kung Fu with minor variances in forms. Dave the owner who is like a brother to Sifu Steve 🤣 and is a great martial artist who also trains weekly with my kickboxing instructor (Jimmy). He is a very health conscience family man with a sincere and humble personality. However, I believe he only teaches Kung Fu at the moment and I heard rumors of maybe kickboxing in the future.

Volpe Martial Arts – Medium size new facility with a couple instructors, and new member base of adults and kids. Same style of Five Animal Kung Fu with minor variances in forms and also teaches some HapKiDo. Adam the owner is a great martial artist with a very sincere and humble personality. He was also a Sifu at Waterloo Kung Fu before very recently opening his own club in the summer of 2019.

Hotshot Athletics - Smaller brand new facility with few instructors and a smaller member base of adults and kids. Same style of Five Animal Kung Fu with minor variances in forms and some Karate to help people win at tournaments that are typically karate biased. Julian is an amazing martial artist with a big focus on competitions, which he wins many! Especially great if you are interested in competing, learning extreme martial arts and tricking!

Return of the Dragon – Very small facility with rumors of it moving to a little larger one with a couple instructors and a small member base of adults and kids. Same style of Five Animal Kung Fu with recent minor variances in forms. Zack the owner and his father were the previous owners of Double Dragon. Zack is a great martial artist with a high energy and intense personality who is great at helping motivate people who may lack their own motivation during training.

Kickboxing Focused Members

Guelph MMA – Medium sized older facility with a great instructors and a medium to large size member base of adults and kids. Kickboxing is their main focus, with some boxing and jujitsu in the past. Most classes are dedicated to kickboxing and they have lots of equipment available. Used to have a ring. Not sure at the moment. Wolfgang the owner is very knowledgeable coach with years of European competitive kickboxing experience. His members compete all over the world. Member of WAKO. Output of many competitive fighters in the past.

Hotshot Athletics - Smaller facility with few instructors and a smaller member base of adults and kids. Kickboxing is their secondary focus, not sure how many classes dedicated to such are available each week or amount and type of equipment available. No ring that I am aware of. Julian is a very knowledgeable coach with competitive kickboxing experience. Intentions of possibly joining WAKO again.
Return of the Dragon – Very small facility with rumors of it moving to a little larger one with a few instructors and a smaller member base of adults and kids. Kickboxing is half their focus along with Kung Fu, not sure how many classes dedicated to such are available each week or amount and type of equipment available. No ring that I am aware of. . Zack the owner and his father were the previous owners of Double Dragon. Zack is a knowledgeable coach with an intense, high energy and very aggressive coaching style. Member of WAKO.

Muay Thai Focused Members

TKO Fighting Arts - Medium sized facility with few good instructors and a smaller member base of many competitive adults and some kids. Muay Thai is their main focus and kickboxing is their secondary focus, not sure how many classes are dedicated to such and are available each week. Lots of equipment and a ring. Competition focused. Chris the owner has competitive kickboxing and muay thai experience and is knowledgeable coach a with a straight shooter personality. TKO is well known for their output of many competitive fighters in the past. Member of MTO (Muay Thai Ontario).

Darkside Muay Thai – Medium sized facility with few good instructors and a medium sized member base of competitive adults and kids. Muay Thai is their main focus along with some kickboxing and Jujitsu is their secondary focus, not sure how many classes are dedicated to each and are available each week. Lots of equipment and a ring. Muay Thai and MMA competitive focus. Darryl and Rick are the owners and both have competitive experience and are knowledgeable and active in all styles taught at their clkub. Member of MTO (Muay Thai Ontario). Darkside is well known for their output of many competitive fighters in the past.

MAS Academy Cambridge – Large older facility with many good instructors and large member base of competitive adults and kids. Muay Thai is their main focus along with kickboxing. Jujitsu is also taught. Not sure how many classes are dedicated to each and are available each week. Lots of equipment and a ring. Muay Thai, kickboxing and MMA competitive focus. Chris is the owner and has competitive experience and is very knowledgeable and active in all styles taught. Member of WAKO and MTO (Muay Thai Ontario). MAS is well known for their output of many competitive fighters in the past.

06/09/2020

Double Dragon Closure - June 9th, 2020

I hope that all of you are coping in good health and good spirit as we all struggle with the devastating effects Covid-19 (Coronavirus) has on our world, country, communities and families.

As most of you know, I have spent the last 5 years of my life putting all my effort into building Double Dragon into one of the best martial arts club in the city. Last year (2019), with a partner I also invested into starting the Ninja Warrior Factory to provide the community with yet another facility for children and adults to have fun while improving mental and physical fitness. After a few short months and to my surprise and unforeseen expense I had to buy out my business partner due to a mental illness. I had to coach and manage both businesses while trying to find someone to fulfill his role of head coach if I wanted the Ninja Warrior Factory to stay in business. I did so and after losing money each month in 2019, the Ninja Warrior Factory finally started to show some financial promise in January and February of 2020 via a combination of membership sales and birthday/team parties before being devastated by Covid-19 in March. Needless to say my hopes of possibly selling Double Dragon Martial Arts and Fitness and the Ninja Warrior Factory in 5 years as I looked toward retirement vanished over night as both my businesses now appeared to be worthless regardless of how much I invested and most likely a liability each month moving forward.

Even though now it may appear a re-opening of such recreational sport facilities such as Double Dragon and the Ninja Warrior Factory may soon be possible, cleaning before, after and possibly during each class will dramatically increase expenses in regards to sanitation processes, products and employee labour while contributing to shortened class times and the amount of classes available in any given week. Screening for Covid-19 upon entrance and regulations specific to social distancing such as 2 meter spacing, time and procedures for members to enter and exit facilities, limited number of spectators (1 parent), are sure to contribute to a dramatic decrease in class availability, class times and class size. More regulations that limit the use of most equipment (Heavy Bags, Focus Mitts, Thai Pads and Kick Shields), change facilities, washrooms, water fountains, coaching assistance and/or partner drills during classes will also dramatically limit the high energy, interactive and collaborative team/class experience typically associated with our training facilities. Personal property and food will also be prohibited from entering such facilities thus making it almost impossible for the scheduling of birthday or team parties or members to change into work out uniforms or shower afterwards.

Now as of June 8th, 2020 I have been made aware that only paid clubs and members of a Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) at $650 per club plus $75.00 per member or coach will be allowed to train after contacting your PSO and Public Health Office to get approval before opening club doors. I see this as just another money grab by such PSO’s and why I refused to join such again in 2020. For more information please click on the following documents from Steve Harlow – Deputy Minister of Ontario Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport and Policies for Opening Martial Arts/Kickboxing Clubs from WAKO Canada which is the parent organization of Kickboxing Ontario the actual PSO.

I believe that the devastating financial effects Covid-19 has had on other businesses, the community and so many of our members personally has resulted in the recent and massive decline in member support which does not even cover rent anymore let alone, club insurance, utilities, phone, internet and wages and also makes me wonder if families will have any extra income for extracurricular activities in the future.

At the moment neither Double Dragon nor the Ninja Warrior Factory has been able to obtain landlord support for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program nor any other government assistance program that will make it financially feasible to continue operations under the present economic conditions and future screening or self-distancing regulations related to Covid-19.

Since March 17th 2020, I have spent many of sleepless nights tossing and turning worrying about how I am going to get through this. I have been under extreme stress which I believe has also contributed too many physical and mental health issues experienced over the past 3 months. Most recently being bed ridden for 4 days with fever, chills and severe headaches but to my surprise after being tested for Covid-19 it came back negative. Turning 55 years of age this year, such stress along with Covid-19 being as contagious and dangerous to people my age and older is not something that I take lightly, now or in the future. Presently, without a vaccine or some other proven way to prevent or cure Covid-19, I truly am a bit worried about being around so many children and adults who in the past have come into one of the facilities while being contagious with some sort of cold or virus and passing it on to myself or others.

I think that even if the club and members decided to pay the additional fees mentioned above and join a PSO which I do not even believe exists for the Ninja Warrior and were to receive the go ahead from our local public health office to re-open, the ever present fear of contracting Covid-19 now or in the future and with the possibility of being shut down again due to a second wave will also greatly contribute to keeping members who have cancelled or put memberships on hold from returning any time soon and make any future sales and marketing efforts to attract new members almost futile.

The new reality of possible members, parents or employees contracting Covid-19 while visiting Double Dragon or the Ninja Warrior Factory also puts a huge liability on employees and myself as a facility owner with potential for very expensive litigation.

It is with all of the above mentioned in mind that I now realize that Double Dragon Martial Arts and Fitness and the Ninja Warrior Factory will not be viable businesses anytime soon with their pre-covid-19 break even costs of $12 000 and $11 000 a month before any payroll or dividends are paid to myself especially when most recent monthly membership payments haven’t even come close to covering rent alone. Both businesses are sure to see a dramatic increase in expenses and liabilities with much lower incomes making it impossible to be viable if and when given the approval by a PSO and public health office to re-open and while there is no prevention or cure for covid-19.

So with all the above being said, it is with a very heart that I must inform you that I have made the final decision to cease all operations at both businesses permanently. I am truly sorry but as you may or may not understand, Double Dragon and the Ninja Warrior Factory or I personally are not in any financial position to do anything else under such conditions. At this time I will be cancelling all insurance, phone, internet, website and utility contacts ASAP and there will be no more monthly membership fees, donations or refunds processed. I can not afford to pay rent moving forward and therefore I expect my landlords to evict me and commence personal litigation against me for not fulfilling a 5 year lease term at almost $6000 a month for Double Dragon and 3 year lease term at almost $5000 a month for the Ninja Warrior Factory. As mentioned in previous emails, without member or government support during the forced shutdown I would most likely not be able to fulfill such business obligations and most likely have to declare personal bankruptcy and that reality is now on the horizon.

I know some of you may also feel as though you have lost due to helping support your club over the last few months in hopes that everything would soon return to normal or by scheduling future birthday or team parties or camps that will not come to fruition. I just hope before reacting badly toward me that somehow you find a way to understand that it was not me who created this Covid-19 (Coronavirus) or mandated the temporary closure of my businesses and payments previously collected have been used to try and keep my businesses alive through these very challenging times and in the end there will be no bigger loser than myself, as I expect to not only lose the hundreds of thousands invested but also my livelihood and a career working with children and adults that I truly loved. I know this may not be what you want to hear, but it is the truth and there is nothing else I can do during these unprecedented times. If you are not happy with such, then please by all means investigate any legal channels possible or do us all a favor and contact your local MP, our premier Doug Ford, the Small Business Minister Mary Ng or our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau like I have done with almost 20 000 names on a petition and such to try and get the emergency assistance we ALL need!

Please note - Moving forward my focus will be on my own health and emotional well-being as I try and find a way to support myself, pay my own personal rent and put food on the table. I will not be sending out any more emails or replying to existing ones. I am truly sorry in regards to this unfortunate outcome but there is no way that I can continue to try and keep working at businesses that will not be able to pay the rent, bills, employees or myself anytime soon!

I want to thank all of you of who have supported me over the years and made me feel like family! I will miss you all and wish you all the best in the future!

Sincerely,

Coach Chris

06/02/2020

Double Dragon's live online Kickboxing class will not be available today. Please use one of the previous recorded classes to work out and improve your technical skills.

05/25/2020

Rent support now!

05/12/2020

Online Kickboxing Classes with the Dynamic Duo (Coaches Frantastic and Patty) Tonight and Thursday 7 - 8 pm. Don't miss out! 😁

Double Dragon Martial Arts

04/04/2020

Check out this wonderful drawing done by Mia one of our Double Dragon students as she patiently awaits for the club to open again. :)

04/01/2020

Online Classes at Double Dragon

I hope that all of you are coping in good health and good spirit as we all do our part to social distance ourselves and help reduce the spread of Covid-19 (Coronavirus).

To support our Double Dragon community, some of our instructors will be offering online classes / workouts to help motivate members to stay physically fit and continue to practice their Kung Fu and Kickboxing training at home. Classes will start tonight Wednesday April 1st, 2020 at 7:00 pm and will last 1 – 2 hours, dependent upon the participation of online viewers. We hope to have 1 class each night of the week (Monday - Saturday) starting at 7:00 pm as well as one on Sundays at 1 pm. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays will be dedicated to Kung Fu and Tuesdays and Thursdays will be focused on Kickboxing. Due to a very weak Internet connection at Double Dragon, we will be broadcasting such classes / workouts from the Ninja Warrior Factory.

To view classes online please go to: https://www.twitch.tv/doubledragonmartialarts

You do not have to register for a Twitch account to view, only if you want to be able to comment or ask questions. Hope to see you online soon!

Stay Safe! Stay Healthy!

Double Dragon Martial Arts

03/31/2020

Please help small businesses devastated by Covid-19 by petitioning the government to offer rent and mortgage relief measures during forced closures. Please Share! :)

Rent and Mortgage Relief for Small Businesses Devastated by Covid-19

03/17/2020

Today Doug Ford announced a State of Emergency for the Province of Ontario due the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, he has mandated that all facilities providing recreational programs close until March 31st, 2020 effective immediately.

We appreciate all of the support from our members, parents and staff throughout these challenging times and we will do everything possible to re-open as soon as we are directed to do so by the Province of Ontario and Region of Waterloo Public Health.

At this time, we would like you to consider that Double Dragon is a small business with no government funding and if everyone were to cancel, hold their membership(s) or ask for refunds on events due to their fears over Covid-19 then the club will not be able to pay rent, utilities, insurance, employees etc. and will most likely be out of business before the end of the month losing everything we have invested over the years to build the best martial arts club in the community.

We hope that we can count on your support by not cancelling or putting a hold on your membership(s), or at least in the short term as we all work together in the community to help reduce the spread of Covid-19 as quickly as possible. When we are able to re-open we will be more than happy to offer members to attend as many classes each week to make up for any classes they have missed.

For anyone who has booked camp or a birthday party, we will be more than happy to offer them the ability to reschedule such for another day or week anytime in the future. Please see our PD Day Camp or Summer Camp dates on our website and send us an email to re-book such in the future.

We hope for your understanding and support in these challenging times and would like to encourage everyone to stay safe and healthy and to watch your email and social media for any future updates.

01/28/2020

Congratulations to all the people who graded for their next sash at the grading on January 26th! Your hard work paid off. Below are some of our favorite photos from the day. Check out the link in the comments to see our full Google photos album from the day.

01/21/2020

Congratulations to all the Double Dragon students who achieved their nest sash on Sunday. Hard work pays off! Below some of my favourite photos from the day. Check out the comments below for a link to all the photos taken.

01/06/2020

Hope to see you in class! :)

More women are getting into the ring than ever before. Find out what makes kickboxing such an amazing workout.