An Orlando, Florida MMA gym is pushing for self-defense classes to be labeled “essential.”
The gym is citing a rise in domestic violence cases caused by stay-at-home orders as to why they’re petitioning for this categorization.
The Jungle MMA and Fitness owner Mike Lee was the one who raised these concerns.
“People have different ideas about martial arts and gyms but staying healthy and being able to defend yourself is a great empowering feeling, both physically and mentally,” Lee told WESH, the Orlando affiliate for NBC.
“Self-defense is paramount, yeah. It’s just, no matter what you believe in self-defense or different levels of it, you need to protect yourself, you need to defend your loved ones,” Lee continued. He also noted that social distancing would be in effect on top of other safety measures like temperature checks at the door and using dummies when conducting grappling sessions.
Self-defense, whether it be through firearm ownership or martial arts, is essential for survival. Namely, in a time where most of the country is shut down and there exists the potential for unrest.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis can make inroads with the MMA community by declaring that martial arts gyms are essential businesses.
