New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy lifts restrictions on indoor martial arts, allows for 25 percent capacity
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that several restrictions imposed upon martial arts gyms and yoga studios would be lifted amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The governor clarified an executive order issued this week that allowed for outdoor control drills and practices to resume for “high-risk” organized sports, such as football, cheerleading, wrestling, and others.
Speaking during a Wednesday news conference, Murphy said facilities can resume indoor operations as long as they’re at 25 percent capacity and the participants are masked.
Martial arts drills also must be non-contact while indoors, and participants must keep their social distance. Contact drills and sparring indoors are only permitted take place outside.
☑️Martial arts studios, which are classified as indoor recreational facilities, may conduct non-contact classes inside at a maximum of 25% capacity, so long as everyone is masked and social distancing. No contact drills or sparring while indoors.
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) July 22, 2020
“We know everyone wants to get back to their old workout routines, but we have been clear through the guidance we have released that outdoor activities are safer than indoor activities, and that spans everything from exercise to dining,” Murphy said.
MyMMANews contacted several mixed martial arts gyms in the Garden State to see what they had to say about the new limitations put in place by the New Jersey governor. No gym owners wanted to speak on the record for fear that they may be on the receiving end of increased restrictions that would further hamper their already hurting businesses. All gyms in the state were ordered to close when the pandemic first hit, so operating at just 25 percent, was better than nothing according to the consensus of the owners we spoke with.
