As South Africa slowly returns to a more normal way of life, many look to start training again in whichever sport they love.

For the kids and adults at Goju Ryu in Noordheuwel, that love is karate, and they’ve been waiting four months to train with sensei Evert de Bruyn again.

Tuesday night, 4 August saw the reopening of their doors. Students were lining up outside, two metres apart, wearing their masks and waiting to have their temperature taken.

In the hour before everyone showed up, Evert and his wife had been sanitizing the dojo and laying out markers on the floor, a few metres apart to ensure that their students don’t get too close.

To the back, red tape demarcated a kind of waiting and resting area, and at the front red tape separated the sensei and his students. The students are also not allowed to wear shoes or jackets inside, and have to use a specified entrance and exit.

Generally speaking, karate is a contact sport, but during the Covid-19 period this contact is strictly prohibited. Luckily, the sensei and his students can still practise their stances and katas. Because of the restricting nature of the masks, sensei Evert said that they’ll not be doing many of their usual fitness exercises.

Though there aren’t any upcoming competitions for the students, and they might not see another one for quite some time, many of the students have graduation coming up closer to the end of the year, and it’s important for them to train with their sensei again, instead of going at it alone at home.