The Closing Of MAP

There is, or was I guess I should say, a martial arts school where I live called Martial Arts Planet.  When I first thought about getting in to Muay Thai, I went there to check it out.  I was told to bring some workout clothes and we would have a little private lesson to see what I thought.  I met the owner at the time and he showed me around.  It was a really nice place.  He then told me what the fees and commitments would be.  At that time, I had just come out of college and owed a lot of money.  I told him that I thought the fees were a bit too steep for me,  and I didn’t think I could swing it.  He then told me that seeing as how I probably wouldn’t join, there was no point in him wasting his time and giving me a lesson.  He genuinely seemed angry at me.  I left there thinking, “What a douche!”

Shortly there after I found Grizzly Gym.  Over the next few years, we would have people show up for Muay Thai and BJJ training, that were previously students of MAP.  There were a couple of instances where people had the same feeling towards the owner of MAP as me.  One day we had a big influx of students from there.  I don’t want to spread rumors, but I guess there was some sort of drunken rage that was taken out on the students and several of them left.  It was all hush hush.

Around that time, the douchey owner decided to sell the gym and move away.  The new owner was Chris.  He trained with us for a little while after the drunken rage thing.  What a great guy.  He was/is nice as pie, and a super technical Jiu Jitsu player.  I know in the past year or two, there were some issues with membership declining.  Who’s to say why this happened.  Kingston is a small city.  I just don’t think that there was enough interest.  Also, Hyabusa opened an academy.  I think this took a lot of their business.

Anyways, today I found out that Chris had to close the doors permanently.  Even though it’s competition for Grizzly Gym, I feel really bad for Chris.  You know how there is rivalry or animosity between gyms sometimes?  There was never really any of that with MAP after Chris took over.  Also, you never really want to see a fellow martial artist fail at making a living through martial arts.  It’s not like it’s a lucrative business to begin with.  It’s more like living your life’s dream and passion.  I feel really bad for Chris…

the end