Tag: COVID-19

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News & Updates 20 Oct 24

It has been a while since we last checked in and wrote an update on our school in Inverness. Here’s what’s been happening lately. The Coronavirus Pandemic has taken it’s grip of the world and we’ve all had to learn to adapt ourselves to the new norm. Hopefully we can all return to the way that things once were, at some point down the line. For now, we must do the best that we can under these difficult circumstances.

Scotland went into lockdown earlier in the year, from the end of March to August. During lockdown our school was forced to close its doors for the first time. We ran a program of classes online to keep our students practicing and moving forward. When restrictions were lifted in August, we were able to return to our school, with a limited timetable, whilst simultaneously maintaining our programme of online classes. We have been unable to accept new students, due to class size and distance restrictions. We ask that all new students wishing to join us to please be patient. We currently have a waiting list. If you wish to join our waiting list please email for more information: enquiries@yhginverness.com

Online class schedule

New students can join in with our online program, however. This consists of four pre-recorded classes a week. Links are sent to your email address and students can practice and learn at their own pace. Online students will also be invited to join in ‘live’ at our school twice a week, via Zoom, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. There’s even an option to have a 1-2-1 session with Sifu Hepple, live via Zoom. These can all be purchased using the following links:

Despite all the restrictions we’ve encountered this year, we’ve managed to adapt and continue training, learning and progressing our martial art. Grandmaster Frank Yee has developed a range of fascinating and insightful seminars, broadcast to all our schools and students around the world. We’ve all managed to keep in touch with each other and developed new solutions to our ever changing world. Last weekend (17th October 2020) students from branches across Scotland, Sweden, USA, Brazil and Peru, managed to sit gruelling online grading tests. This is a testament to the unwavering commitment and dedication from our students and thanks to the ingenuity and leadership of our teachers. Together we can continue to push forward with our growth and knowledge, overcoming the obstacles placed in our paths.

Class Procedures

The following procedures and precautions are still in place for everyone’s safety at our school:

Before You Train

It is crucial that you remain at home if you:

• Have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
• Have been overseas or exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
• Have COVID-19 symptoms (self-isolate for 7 days) or are feeling unwell.
• Have been told to self-isolate as part of the contact tracing measures in place.

Physical Distancing & Hygiene

• Refrain from handshakes and high fives. The traditional sun and moon bow should suffice.
• Keep 2 metres away from other people at all times.
• Do not share food, towels, and drinks.
• Clean your hands weapons and equipment frequently.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes and dispose of any used tissue in your own bag and take it home with you. Wash your hands for 20 seconds or sanitise afterwards.
• Bring a bottle of sanitiser for your own personal use.
• Avoid touching your face.

Booking Process

• For private 1-1 tuition, please use our booking system on the Classes page or contact Sifu Hepple
• New students and students returning after a hiatus must now join our waiting list by contacting Sifu Hepple. We will be in touch in due course when there is an opportunity for you to attend classes safely.
• Current students should inform Sifu Hepple of their intention to attend each class.

Procedures At The School

• Arrive in good time.
• Please sanitise your hands upon entry and wait in the changing area for the class to begin.
• Sifu Hepple will direct you to your training station for the duration of the class.
• Stations should be sanitised by students before and after each class. Any weapons or equipment must be sanitised in the same way.

After Class Advice

• Once training has finished leave promptly and maintain physical distancing.
• Hands should be washed and/or sanitised as soon as possible.
• Ensure personal kit and equipment is cleaned thoroughly after use.
• If you become unwell after training, you should first contact your GP/NHS 24 and then inform Sifu Hepple.

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Return to school activity

From the 31st of August, Scottish Government guidance states that gyms and sports facilities can open their doors to welcome the public once more. This is great news as we have pre-tests, tests and seminars just around the corner. This will be a new experience for everyone and we will be testing the water tentatively.

At YHGinverness, students are welcomed back on Tuesday the 1st of September. We will continue to run classes every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 6pm until such a time that we feel we can add more to the timetable. There will be a few changes to the regular routine which we have outlined below.

Before You Train

It is crucial that you remain at home if you:

• Have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
• Have been overseas or exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
• Have COVID-19 symptoms (self-isolate for 7 days) or are feeling unwell.
• Have been told to self-isolate as part of the contact tracing measures in place.

Physical Distancing & Hygiene

• Refrain from handshakes and high fives. The traditional sun and moon bow should suffice.
• Keep 2 metres away from other people at all times.
• Do not share food, towels, and drinks.
• Clean your hands weapons and equipment frequently.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes and dispose of any used tissue in your own bag and take it home with you. Wash your hands for 20 seconds or sanitise afterwards.
• Bring a bottle of sanitiser for your own personal use.
• Avoid touching your face.

Booking Process

• For private 1-1 tuition, please use our booking system on the Classes page or contact Sifu Hepple
• New students, or students returning after a hiatus, must now join our waiting list by contacting Sifu Hepple. We will be in touch in due course when there is an opportunity for you to attend classes safely.
• Current students should inform Sifu Hepple of their intention to attend each class.

Procedures At The School

• Arrive in good time.
• Please sanitise your hands upon entry and wait in the changing area for the class to begin.
• Sifu Hepple will direct you to your training station for the duration of the class.
• Stations should be sanitised by students before and after each class. Any weapons or equipment must be sanitised in the same way.

After Class Advice

• Once training has finished leave promptly and maintain physical distancing.
• Hands should be washed and/or sanitised as soon as possible.
• Ensure personal kit and equipment is cleaned thoroughly after use.
• If you become unwell after training, you should first contact your GP/NHS 24 and then inform Sifu Hepple.

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COVID-19 Update ☆Project ‘Yard Shark’☆

Last night the government announced its latest list of countermeasures to curb the threat of the current COVID-19 outbreak. As well as social distancing and self isolating, the new measures include the immediate closure of all bars, restaurants, cinemas, theaters, gyms and cafes. In our continued efforts to reduce and minimize the risks of COVID-19, we have no other option but to close the doors of our Highland branch of Yee’s Hung Ga.

Project: Yard Shark

The closure of our school doors has triggered our pre-planned special operations directive called ‘Project: Yard Shark.’ Project Yard Shark is a plan which has existed since the conception of YHGInverness. The idea behind Yard Shark was to transform a disused piece of wasteland, at the rear of our school, as an outdoor training space. It is named after a toy shark found amongst the weeds of the area and yes, we just made that name up!

Work on the area started before the internal work of the school began in 2011. This was whilst we were waiting for planning permission to be approved. The work needed to transform the area was far greater than we first anticipated. We managed to make a start, clearing the area of weeds, overgrown roots, rubble and rubbish. This included over 20 bin bags of empty cans and broken bottles. Amongst the weeds and rubbish we also found the treasured toy shark. Once planning permission was approved it was ‘all systems go!’ to get the internal work of the school complete. This was in order to commence classes as soon as possible. Project Yard Shark was put on the backburner until more time was available to carry out the work necessary to transform the area.

Partially finished stone paving

Over the years various attempts to re-energize Project Yard Shark were attempted. The lack of available free time and man-power necessary to continue the project fell woefully short on every occasion. Project Yard Shark was due to be reestablished later this year, at the end of spring.

More work started

COVID-19 has now emerged as a dangerous threat to our community and potentially our lives. Inevitable restrictions necessary to attempt to control the spread of the virus have meant that closure of our school has granted us 3 things we have been lacking in previous attempts to complete Project Yard Shark:

  • The first is manpower. Since we are unable to train in the school, we now have fit and able bodies to tackle the work. We could, of course, continue our classes in a public park, like many of our branches in warmer climates do regularly. This seems a little counterintuitive as we already have our own outdoor space to train in.
  • The second is time. If we aren’t training, then we should use our downtime constructively and positively. This will give us the perfect opportunity to use our energy in such a manner.
  • The third is necessary for any large undertaking and that is willpower. We are no longer able to train indoors, however current government guidelines state that we can, and should, exercise outdoors in small groups. Adhering to the social distancing guidelines, of course.

Project Yard Shark – we just like the sound of it – is due to be reestablished instead of regular timetabled classes until the outdoor area is in a suitable and safe state to be used for outdoor classes. The work begins….

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15th March 2020 News & Updates

We will discuss the impact of the coronavirus on our school, and gyms in general, and what precautions should be taken to maintain your health. Our class times and prices have been updated. The launch of our Spring Qigong Routine is expected any day now and you can read an inspiring interview with one of our students in our latest Student Spotlight article

COVID-19: Is it safe to attend my kung fu classes?

Coronavirus

We are not experts on infectious diseases by any stretch of the imagination, however, due to the warnings from health officials we have sought advice on what precautions we should be taking to ensure the safety of our students and their loved ones.

If you have been infected by the novel coronavirus or have symptoms of COVID-19, you should stay at home unless directed otherwise. If you don’t have any symptoms and have no reason to believe that you have been exposed to it, then there is currently no need to lock yourself in your home.

The recent advice from health officials is to practice “social distancing,” to reduce the spread of the virus from one person to another. This is achieved by staying about 6 feet away from each other, avoiding large gatherings, and working from home (as far as is practicable).

Attending our classes in Inverness is a great way to escape the anxiety and stress of everyday living for many of our students. There have only been a few cases of the virus in the Highlands (at this point) so the threat is relatively low.

According to current advice, perspiration alone cannot transmit COVID-19. It is estimated, however, that the coronavirus can live on metal, glass and plastic surfaces for up to nine days. In an effort to reduce the risks we will be cleaning and disinfecting mats and equipment before and after use. Where possible, students are asked to bring their own equipment which they might need for any of the classes.

“Where possible and safe to do so, we will remain open as usual. We ask that all our students attend as normal, where possible and safe to do so.”

If any of our students are unsure or require further information, please phone or email in advance. In the event that we must close our doors, we will post announcements on our website and social media channels. We will also look into the possibility of introducing teaching classes online, if the closure is for a sustained period.

In October last year we published our first seasonal Qigong routine titled “Autumn Qigong Routine to Boost Immunity.” Qigong can be a gentle, yet effective, way to boost your body’s natural ability to fight off disease and infections. Despite the fact that it is no longer Autumn for us here in Scotland, our Autumn Qigong Routine still remains a fantastic way to boost the immune system. This will give your body the best possible chance of fighting the virus quickly and efficiently, so you will be back on your feet sooner than you might think. Why not give it a try and see what you think.

Spring Qigong Routine

Spring Qigong Routine

Spring has sprung, here in Scotland. Snow drops, crocuses, daffodils and cherry blossom have all begun to bloom everywhere. Temperatures are very slowly rising and the days are beginning to stretch longer. We are working on our Spring Qigong Routine and hope to deliver this very shortly. We aim to balance the body’s systems with focused, deliberate, slow exercises and rhythmic, deep, diaphragmatic breathing. To be sent our routine, completely free of charge, into your inbox, simply send us your name and email address in the form below:

Updated Prices & Times

Our current timetable

You may have noticed that our timetable has been adjusted to include or Qigong classes on Thursday evenings at 6.15PM. Our classes in Forres have also been running for a few weeks on Friday evenings. We have updated our prices too, making it more affordable to attend our public classes along with our private tuition once a week.

Current Prices

We also have private tuition spaces available all day on Monday and Wednesday this week. It is actually really easy to book these by choosing a space on the following calendar and entering your details. You will be redirected to PayPal where you can pay securely for your session. All you need to do after that is turn up on the day, ready for action!

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Hire Our School

Hire our school for your own classes

If you have thought about running your own martial arts, yoga, meditation or exercise class but you’re put off by the high charges for renting space out, we have a great solution. Our Academy has a fantastic central location in Inverness. It is available throughout the day Sunday to Saturday. We also have Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights available for you to run your classes. If you wish, we can even designate space for your marketing and help get the word out on our social media platforms. It only costs £12 to rent out our school for an hour. If you need more time, speak to us about what you need and we can come up with a fair arrangement. As always, you can email us directly or read more about what we can offer you in this article: Space Available

Student Spotlight

Sifu Hepple with Emma in Inverness

Our latest Student Spotlight article focuses on Emma Archer. Due to Emma’s work commitments Emma is often working away. This doesn’t stall her unwavering commitment to practicing the art of Hung Kuen. Far from it in fact. Emma is so dedicated to learning that she trains at multiple branches of Yee’s Hung Ga whilst travelling. Find out more about her inspiring story here: Student Spotlight: Emma Archer

What’s new?

As mentioned earlier, our Spring Qigong Routine will be launched very soon. Please make sure that you have signed up to our email alerts for this. Any further information about the coronavirus or school closures as a result of the pandemic will be announced via our website and social media channels, so please make sure that you check regularly, or sign up to our email alerts below…