We will soon have more of our custom Jiu-jitsu Gis back in stock in a variety of sizes.  These are the high quality blue “Team ZenQuest’ uniforms with a variety of patches on them.  These are extremely popular and tend to be sold out quickly.
We are also in the process of finalizing a new custom Karate Gi!  This will be upgraded from the original version and made more similar to our custom Jiu-jitsu uniform.  These will be made from a high quality material and include patches for both ZenQuest and our parent organization the Okinawa Karatedo Association.  An image of the new design is shown below.
Our popular ZenQuest sweatshirts are also available again, too.  These are black with the school name on the front, and our three core martial arts noted on the back.  They are available in children’s and adult’s sizes up to XXL at a costs of $45 each.  T-shirts with the same design are also available for $29 each.  We also have custom ZenQuest ‘Board Shorts’ and training shirts or rashguards available at $45 each, as well as custom beanie hats for $15! 
Students and parents can also order a wide variety of gear and equipment including punching bags and targets for home...all at 20% off.  Stop by the front desk, call or message us to purchase or pre-order any of these items.  We also have gift certificates available which can be purchased at our front desk or through our website. 

Students who train in ZenQuest training room 2 (the black matted room) may have noticed that some of the mats are reaching the end of their useful lives.  Some of the mats have splits and repairs in them that make a less than ideal situation.  In actuality, those mats have seen over 10 years of hard training at ZenQuest, and a few years before that at another gym in northern Virginia.
Soon three of the six ‘Dollamur Flexi-Roll’ mats in that room will be replaced.  The remaining three are still in good shape and can continue to be used at this time.  Of course, the new mats will match those existing in thickness, color and texture.  All of the mats will be arranged to optimize training in that room, and reconnected with new mat-tape.  A new layer of padding will also be added under the black mats to provide additional cushioning and extend the life of the Flexi-Roll matting.

With the COVID19 vaccines well underway all of the metrics including cases and hospitalizations are declining sharply across the US.  Massachusetts is doing very well and Berkshire county is especially good at this point.  At the time of this newsletter the average new daily cases in the Berkshires were reported as low at 5.1 per 100,000 people.  This is actually the best in the commonwealth.  More importantly the situation is sharply improving in recent weeks.
On Monday, March 1 the Commonwealth increased the allowed attendance in fitness facilities to 50% of their capacity.  For ZenQuest this means we can have as many as twelve students in each class.  This required us to reconfigure the training rooms a bit.  In the ‘Black Room’ where most of our Jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai classes happen, we repositioned our Wavemaster punching-bags so that we can use the spaces closest to the entry and exit doorways.  In the ‘Blue Room’ we redrew the lines for the training spaces to accommodate two more students in each class.  Based on the 50% rule, we could actually have a maximum of 14 students per class, but we feel that its important to keep students more spaced out and make sure that everyone feels safe. 
On March 8 the Centers for Disease Control issued new guidelines for individuals who’ve been fully vaccinate against COVID19.  This includes new privileges for those vaccinated which can be applied to fitness facilities.  Based on this, ZenQuest will soon implement new rules for students falling into that category.  Part of this will be holding open mat sessions on Saturday afternoons at 1:00 PM.  This will likely take affect by May 1st, provided the metrics continue in the current direction.  As a significant number of students become fully vaccinated, we will also begin to add other privileges for those individuals.  In order to qualify for these opportunities students will be required to show proof of their vaccinations.
We are proud of the fact that we have been open and running classes for eight months at the time of this newsletter and not had any issues.  Our strict safety policies have gone a long way towards keeping students and staff safe.  Of course, none of it would've worked without everyone’s cooperation...right down to our smallest students!  Not only has this all prevented spreading events at the school, but it has also avoided any problems with local authorities and consequences that could have resulted from that.
Based on the progress currently being made we are confident that we will be able to open fully and return to normal training within a matter of few months. This will likely continue to happen in stages with safety precautions lifted gradually.  Eventually we will be back to a fully open facility with free movement throughout the building.  We will also be back to a full spectrum of partner drills and training that so many people have missed for the last year.  This will also mean a return to special events like advanced trainings, and seminars with some of the most notorious figures in the martial arts.
Now is the time to begin ramping up our training to prepare for a return to full and open mode.  Along those lines we will start stepping things up in our classes so that everyone is ready when that does happen.  We will also continue to follow the necessary precautions to keep everyone safe.  We need to stay focused and finish strong as we get close to the finish line on this thing.

In the fall of 2020 the Dean of Academics and Faculty at Miss Hall’s School reached out to ZenQuest to see if we would be interested in developing a Martial Arts program for the students there.  With restrictions on activities due to the COVID19 pandemic, the school was trying to come up with alternatives to provide exercise and interests for the youth.  After some discussion about scheduling and curriculum, an agreement was reached and a plan was put into place for classes at the school. 
On the morning of Monday, January 8th, we kicked off the program with ten enthusiastic students.  With plenty of space in the Cross Athletic Center gym, students are socially distant for individual drills and learning.  Students remain socially distant for limited partner drills to help them understand the purpose of many things better. 
Essentially, the program covers ’striking’ exercises and drills from Karate and Kickboxing on Mondays, and self-defense material taken from taken primarily from Jiu-jitsu on Thursdays.  Since the kids are learning a variety of material from three different Martial Arts they are, in a sense, practicing a form of Mixed Martial Arts!
The feedback we’ve gotten so far is very positive and there’s already talk of making this a permanent program at Miss Hall’s.  We would like to thank the students for being so great in the debut of the school’s martial arts class.  Also, special thanks goes to the amazing staff at Miss Hall’s for trusting ZenQuest and making this program happen! 
 

2020 has been a rough year for most of us.  With a pandemic, social isolation, financial hardships, lack of activities, and elevated depression and anxiety the year will go down in history as among the most challenging ever.  Changing over to a new year is always a time for new starts and goals, but this time is a bit more exaggerated than usual.  If there was ever a time to be focused and positive on what’s ahead...this is it!
We actually have a lot to be optimistic about with the new year.  With the COVID vaccines out now, we will all see a gradual reduction in infections as time progresses.  This will mean reduced risks for everyone including ourselves, our friends, and our families.   
As the infections go down we will also see a ‘slow roll’ back to normal in our lives.  We’ll be free to visit relatives and friends again, which is one of the most difficult consequences of the pandemic.  We’ll also be able to shop more normally, visit restaurants, resume more activities, go to see movies, and attend concerts and the like. 
At ZenQuest a return to normal will be amazing, too.  This will mean going back to unlimited class participation, partner training, and taking face-coverings off.  We have all had to adjust to some crazy modifications in training with the safety measures required by law.  There are several newer students at the gym that have never had the opportunity to train without these precautions in place.  Imagine what things will be like when they can experience ‘normal’ training!  For more experienced students this will be a much welcomed change back to the training they know and love.
Returning to normal also means resuming our amazing seminars with some of the most notorious characters in the martial arts world.  This includes people like Demian Maia, Hirokuni Yamashiro, Mark DellaGrotte, Rick Hawn, and others.  These are incredible opportunities to learn from leading authorities in Jiu-jitsu, Karate, Muay Thai, Judo, wrestling, etc.  Look for these events to start up again later this year.
Normal training will, once again, mean normal social interactions again, too. In the dojo, we’ve had to eliminate many things that we took for granted like hand shakes, fist bumps, and ’abraços’ or hugs in Jiu-jitsu.  These things may seem insignificant at first, but they go a long way towards comradery and team building among training partners.  Just being able to see people’s faces again will be nice, too!
 Of course, until it is safe to do these things we must stay vigilant and follow all of the safety precautions in place.  We are all TIRED of these things, but they are the way to stay safe until the COVID situation is under control.  We need to continue to sanitize, wear face coverings, and social distance...for now.  For anyone who travels or is exposed to someone who does so, they also need to follow guidelines for quarantining and testing before they can participate in classes again. 
So with the start of 2021, we need to stay focused and look forward to getting back to normal in the new year. Happy New Year!

​With the all of the COVID safety measures in place it is more difficult for us to remind students and parents about when their memberships are coming due.  This makes it much more important that students who choose to do incremental enrollments (monthly, quarterly, etc.) keep close track of their due dates and re-enroll on or before their due dates. 
The safety measures have only added more work to the six days each week that we are open, and this leaves little time for individual reminders.  Further, the restrictions and constraints caused by the pandemic have made the business side of running the dojo more challenging, and delays in payments only exacerbate the situation.  We try to provide lots of flexibility in tuition choices for our students.  So, please make sure to stay on top of incremental tuition payments if this is how you choose to pay for your enrollment. 
As an alternative, consider enrolling via our ‘Easy Pay’ autopayment option.  We recently changed the service used for our Easy Pay program.  This has provided several improvements for both students and ZenQuest.  Aside from the convenience and tuition discount that Easy Pay provides, it also locks the student’s tuition rate.  This means that their tuition cannot increase as long as they remain in it.  Its also perfect for students who want to commit to a longer term study of the martial arts. 
To take advantage of enrolling this way all that is needed is to fill out an Easy Pay form and submit it at the ZenQuest front desk.  Tell us which credit card account you would like to use for this and we take care of the rest.  A double payment is made on the ‘front end’ of this enrollment and that extra month can be used on the ‘back end.’
Please contact us if you have any questions on this or would like to go ahead with ZenQuest’s Easy Pay plan.
 

​With a pandemic raging for over eight months, many people are struggling with the long term effects of social distancing, limited activities, abrupt changes in lifestyle, and isolation from friends and family.  Millions of people around the world are now experiencing something being called ‘COVID Fatigue’ at this point.  After months of having their lives upended and with the added stress of seasonal depression and having to do the holidays very differently, we are all faced with some big challenges in maintaining our physical and mental health.
Having our lives drastically changed for a long period can shake us completely out of our ‘comfort zone.’  With the infection rates going up and down we can be thrown into elevated levels of stress, fear, and anxiety that we’ve never experienced before.  Adding a lack of exercise and sleep, unhealthy eating habits, and even possible substance abuse can complicate and compound these problems.
Luckily, there are some intelligent strategies we CAN use to help us cope with this and minimize the effects of COVID Fatigue.  Here are some to be mindful of:
You’re not alone - Its important to remember that we’re not alone in this.  There are literally hundreds of millions of people around the globe who are dealing with the pandemic and a spectrum of it’s effects.  Knowing that we are together in the COVID19 struggles can help a lot. 
Stress is normal - Knowing that stress, anxiety and fear are normal reactions can put things in perspective for us.  With better perspective we can keep our emotions in context and help us to stay calm and focused during the challenging times.
Take Breaks - When we feel stressed a pays to stop what we’re doing and take a moment to calm ourselves down.  Taking deep breaths, a short mediation, or stretching will also help.  There are even phone apps and the like that we can get to help with this. Its important during these moments to observe how you are feeling and what you are thinking, without judgment. Instead of responding or reacting to those thoughts or feelings, note them, and then let them go.
Humor - Often times keeping a sense of humor during severe challenges in our lives can relieve stress and anxiety.  There are many things about the pandemic that are just not funny, but we should try to laugh whenever possible in our day to day routines.
Downtime - Under normal circumstances its important to schedule downtime into your life.  With all of the craziness that the pandemic has thrown at us this is critical to maintaining our mental and physical health. Be sure to plan ahead and include enjoyable activities and vacations on your calendar. Sometimes that can simply be relaxing at home for a ‘stay-cation.’
Exercise - A routine of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reduces anxiety and stress. ‘Mindful’ exercise which engages the mind, body and spirit is best to thoroughly engage you and take you away from stressors in your life. Even short bouts of physical activity are beneficial.
Sleep - Setting a healthy routine for ourselves is one of the most important things we can do to stay healthy physically and mentally. Set a target time to go to bed each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends. Slight variation is OK, but we don’t want to slide into situations where we are operating in a ‘sleep deprived’ mode and stressing our body and mind because of it. Regular exercise and natural sleep aids can helps us sleep well.
Eat healthy - Educate yourself on healthy eating habits.  Eat well-balanced meals and limit portions. Add healthy fats, cut sodium, bump up your fiber, and aim for a variety of colors on your plate. Controlling your intake in this way will go a long way to staying happy and healthy. Avoid alcohol and drug abuse.
Stay connected - Reach out to friends and family regularly. Talking to like-minded people on the phone or by video-call is a great way to stay connected while staying safe. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. Check in with your loved ones often. It will help everyone feel less lonely and isolated.
Pet Pets - Its proven science that spending time with our pets tends to make us feel happier, and lower our stress levels. Playing with the cat or taking the dog for a long walk will do wonders in this way. If you don’t have a pet, consider getting one. The extra time we have due to decreased activity can be used to train a new pet. 
Seek help - Reach out to a professional if feeling overwhelmed or unsafe. Many people shy away from talking with a mental health professional or clergy member because they may be branded with some negative stigma. This is just not the case and, frankly, it is just too important to keep yourself healthy in this way to worry about that. If you, or someone you know, are feeling overwhelmed with sadness, depression, or anxiety...or feel like you want to harm yourself or others, seek help.
Following these simple tips can go a long way in helping us cope with the challenges of the pandemic and all of the ways that it impacts our lives. So, be smart, stay safe, and stay healthy.
 

​Unfortunately, some areas in the northeast have taken a turn for the worst for COVID19 infections.  This includes Massachusetts, which was doing exceptionally well until recently.  This has prompted a step backwards in the restrictions in the Commonwealth, including the Berkshires.  Governor Baker’s office recently announced that, due to the rise in COVID cases, gyms and fitness centers are required to restrict the number of participants to 40% of capacity.  This translates to a maximum of nine students in each class at ZenQuest taking affect on Monday, December 14. 
We have been limiting classes to a maximum of ten even though we could have had eleven based on the previous guidelines.  At this time, due to seasonal attendance patterns, there are actually few classes that have reservations for ten students in them, so only minor adjustments are needed.  Further, its very common that at least one student doesn’t make it to their class for a variety of reasons.  This frequently results in even those classes attended by fewer than the maximum allowed. 
If we see that a class tends to go over the maximum we will address it by notifying the last student to reserve that class and ask them to chose another.  Students can also volunteer to relinquish a reservation in a more busy class to alleviate a problem.  Rest assured that we will continue to do everything we can to make ZenQuest as safe as possible given the situation.
We appreciate everyone's help and cooperation in following our safety measures and are asking our students to stay mindful of them and continue to do their best with all of that.  Additionally, we ask that our students also do everything that they can to stay safe when they are outside of the dojo.  This will help to prevent a problem in the gym and keep the doors open so that we can all continue to enjoy the training that we love.
We do feel it necessary to reinforce that face-coverings need to be worn over the mouth AND nose.  Additionally, we have noticed a few students wearing masks with valves in them to make breathing easier.  Unfortunately this style of mask does not provide adequate protection for those around the wearer, and are therefore not allowed in the dojo.  We ask students to please understand and select a different style of face-covering.
Every year we have some closures during the holiday season.  This is based on attendance patterns and providing an opportunity to relax and enjoy the holidays.  Under the circumstances, we will add a few additional days off around the holidays to help minimize risks for everyone in the gym.  So this year our Christmas and New Year closures will include December 24 to January 1.  Our normal schedule of classes will resume on January 2nd. 
Lastly, public health experts are recommending that people stay home and minimize gathering with friends and family in person this season.  Based on this, we are asking that any students who chose to increase their exposure via gatherings or traveling, to follow the appropriate requirements set by the Commonwealth.  This includes intelligent strategies like quarantining and testing to minimize spreading infections to others.  This also applies to members of households where one or more of the occupants have chosen to travel or gather outside of their immediate household.
With everyone continuing to do everything possible to be smart and stay safe we can continue to enjoy the training that we all love.  Until the day comes when we can all put this thing behind us these strategies are all we have.  Thank you all and have a wonderful holiday season!
 

Our super popular ZenQuest sweatshirts are available again!  These are black with the school name on the front, and our three core martial arts noted on the back.  They are available in children’s and adult’s sizes up to XXL at a costs of $45 each.   T-shirts with the same design are also available for $29 each.  We also have custom ZenQuest ‘Board Shorts’ and training shirts or rashguards available at $45 each, as well as custom beanie hats!  Students and parents can also order a wide variety of gear and equipment including punching bags and targets for home.
Stop by the front desk, call or message us to grab one of these stocking stuffers.  We also have gift certificates available which can be purchased directly through our website.  Happy holidays!

Now that we’re almost nine months into the COVID19 pandemic, it’s important to remember that there will come a time when we return to normal.  Some people have speculated that we may never be able to get back to the way our lives were pre-coronavirus.  This is not only untrue, it is very negative and not where we want to be mentally.  In this very challenging time, it is important to stay as positive as possible and look forward to a better time in the future.
Why should we think that things will return to normal?  That’s easy.  We’ve had several pandemics throughout history and things have always returned to normal once they ran their course and subsided.  A good example of this is the 1918 pandemic known as the ‘Spanish Flu.’  This outbreak resulted in about one-third of the world’s population infected and over 600,000 American deaths, but things did eventually return to normal. 
Back then communities struggled with ways to minimize the impact of the outbreak without modern technology, communications, or medicine.  Similar to our current situation, the best strategies for that were social distancing, sanitizing, masks and quarantines.  Studies have shown that areas that did those things during that pandemic faired much better while that virus raged on for months.
First appearing in the spring of 1918, the Spanish Flu virus ran it’s course until enough ‘herd immunity’ developed and things began returning back to normal about one year later in the spring of 1919.  Technology for vaccines and treatments against viral infections were not as advanced at that time, and an effective vaccine was never developed to deal with the Spanish Flu pandemic.
Today, we are faced with a very similar dilemma with COVID19 that the world faced over a hundred years ago.  Although we are far more advanced in medicine, it takes time to develop safe and effective vaccines and treatments for a new or ‘novel’ disease.  Until then we do have the proven strategies of social distancing, using masks, and sanitizing. Unfortunately, portion of the population are uncooperative and do not want to follow these.  Despite having much better technology and communications, the message is lost on many people and the virus is free to infect far more than necessary.
A complete return to normal from the COVID19 will require a large portion of our population to have either recovered from the disease or been vaccinated against it.  Infectious disease specialist, Dr. W. David Hardy, recently stated in an interview with Healthline magazine that this will happen “When there is strong scientific evidence that the vaccination has rendered 65 to 70 percent of the population.”  For that, though, he said the people need to “trust in science.” 
Experts are now predicting that a COVID19 vaccine may be available as early as January of 2021.  With time for distribution that may mean returning to normal in late winter or early spring of next year.  Dr. Hardy places his bets on the new normal as “the second or third quarter of 2021.”  Further, advancements in treatments and drug therapies will also minimize the effects of the virus for those who do become infected as time progresses. 
Recently, Massachusetts Governor Baker lessoned the restrictions for certain areas in the Commonwealth with low Coronavirus metrics.  This applied to the Berkshires and allowed ZenQuest to increase the number of students allowed in each class slightly.  We are hoping that our area continues to do well with low infections and spread, and this trend continues.  
So, what will a return to normal at ZenQuest look like?  We are bound by the orders and guidelines provided by the Massachusetts Governor’s office.  It’s possible that they will just keep things the same until enough of the population is vaccinated and the all clear signal is given.  Its also possible that we will continue to see the current restrictions reduced gradually up to that point. 
It’s difficult to say exactly, but we can imagine how that would likely play out.  If things continued to go well in the Berkshires we could see additional safety measures relaxed in stages including (not necessarily in this order):
 
·  Elimination of one-way traffic and return to free movement throughout the building
·  Reopening common areas like the reception area, changing rooms, and class viewing area
·  Reduced social distancing and a return to partner drills (possibly with designated partners)
·  Reduction in extreme sanitizing and cleaning
·  Returning to free sparring and rolling
·  Elimination of masks requirements
 
We’re all looking forward to returning to normal in and out of the Dojo.  Until then we must stay vigilant with the only measures we have to control COVID19...social distancing, disinfecting, and masks.  Experts also say that getting flu shots and otherwise staying as healthy as possible can help keep your immune system strong in the event of an infection.
So, here’s to staying focused and doing our best until better days arrive!