Class in session, even for the kids in the back. It’s time to talk about hygiene. The practice of Martial Arts is very much a contact sport. Whether you are grappling or striking, getting sweaty and that sweat soaking through your gear is inevitable. While we want all the messy sweaty training faces and hairstyles, it is both a courtesy and an expectation that you practice good hygiene yourself and with your training gear. Not washing your gi sets, rash guards, spats, gloves, and shin pads or wraps can cause sweat and bacteria to get trapped in the material and that makes for a smelly funky situation.
This not only damages your gear, but fungus and bacteria thrive in unwashed fabrics and surfaces including our skin creating a hygiene concern for the whole academy. Here are some basic hygiene practices to include in your training routine.
- Come to class clean
We all know the shower after class story, getting out of the sweaty gear and getting soapy prevents the spread or growth of any potential nasty bacteria and fungus. However, taking the time to freshen up from the hot car and congested office or showering if you are coming from previous physical activity or an earlier class. No one wants to train with a partner who is already sweaty and it keeps the academy a hygienic place. This includes remembering clean bare feet on the mat and covered feet off the mat on non-training surfaces. Please don’t run off the mat barefoot to the change rooms… that’s just nasty.
- Trim your nails
Keeping your nails trimmed, yes both the fingers and toes, is a non-negotiable in grappling and striking. Long nails can scratch your training partners, putting them at risk for bacterial infections.
- Wear Deodorant
Boys and girls, this is quite basic. On the flip side, easy on the perfume and cologne please.
- Uniform & Equipment Hygiene
Wearing the correct, clean uniform is a sure way to decrease the likelihood of infection. At QW, we recommend our students to have a minimal amount of skin to skin contact thus long-sleeved rash guards and leggings/spats are worn under training shorts and t-shirts to avoid direct skin contact.
Sweaty and used uniforms should always be put into a separate bag within one’s training bag, minimising the risk of bacteria and odour buildup in your bag. Uniforms should be washed well after every use. This also applies to your gloves and shin pads which should be sprayed with a disinfectant and left to airdry to avoid bacteria buildup. If you are someone who trains multiple times a week, having 2-3 sets of uniform is essential and ensures that gear has time to be washed and dried properly.
Your gear is going to get smelly and stinky, that is just the way it is. But there are some simple ways to ensure that it doesn’t stay that way.
Boost your laundry tip: Airing and drying your gi and no-gi gear inside out BEFORE you wash it helps to lift the smell and kill bacteria. Spraying your gloves and shin pads with a white vinegar and essential oil (eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree and lemongrass are great options) mix and airing it in the sun from time to time will prevent bacteria and odour build up. Adding ¼ cup bicarbonate soda directly into the drum and white vinegar as your ‘fabric softener’ will boost the cleaning power of washing your training gear.
- Know When it’s Time to Let Go
We all have our favourite gi or rash guard and those gloves that we have had forever. But like most items, your gear has a shelf life, both in wear and tear as well as smell. When your white gi is a constant shade of cream or grey no matter how many times you wash it or that amazing rashie always has a slightly ripe smell, I hate to tell you but it’s time to let it go and replace it. No need to panic though, we have the perfect replacement for your favourite gi, rashie or gloves. Go over to our shop https://quanwessels.co.za/store/ to find that new favourite.
- Know When to Stay Home
The risk of spreading any infection in contact sport, whether it be a possible staph infection or the flu, is much higher and is exacerbated if personal hygiene is not practised.
Any issue presenting on the skin (being a rash, pimple, boil or cut) must be identified properly before training. Students with open wounds (even superficial ones) should avoid training if their wound is not able to be disinfected and completely covered during training. Epidermal abnormalities no matter how small can quickly become sites of infection may be contagious. Should you train with a plaster, please make sure it is secured with sports tape or some other bandage as plasters coming off during training also increases the risk of spreading infection. Being aware of the state of your skin and health should be a habit that we all practice.
The most common bacterial skin infection that impacts the sport is Staphylococcus (commonly referred to as Staph), Staphylococcus aureus being the most well-known type. S. aureus can cause a range of infections. There are various strains of staph and it is highly contagious. Don’t hesitate to speak to your coach if you suspect you have contracted staph, as it needs to be culture tested by a doctor to ensure that you are given the correct antibiotic. Keeping your diet clean while you are on antibiotics and recovering will ensure your speedy return to the mats.
If you have open wounds or cuts, ensuring that they are kept clean and staying off the mat until they are healed will greatly lower the risk of contracting staph.
In the end practising personal hygiene and keeping your uniform and equipment clean provides for a better training experience for you and your training partners. Beyond that, one of the greatest reasons personal hygiene is so important is that it maintains a clean environment at the academy and reduces the risk of spreading fungal infections like ringworm or bacterial infections like staph. We want to make sure our tribe is healthy and on the mats as frequently as possible.
We appreciate your attention throughout this important lesson.
Looking forward to seeing you on the mats.