Skin Infections & Hygiene

I wanted to address a recent string of ringworm cases at the gym. First and foremost, it's important to know that fungal infections like ringworm aren't uncommon in training environments and gyms. The conditions we train in—warmth, sweat, and tight clothing—can create a perfect environment for these infections to thrive.

I take hygiene seriously. Every night after training, we sanitize the mats with a spray designed to neutralize infections like ringworm and staph. However, personal hygiene is just as crucial. Please shower as soon as possible after training. While we only have one shower at the gym, try not to delay cleaning up, especially after a morning session. There are also hygiene products like foam sanitisers and body wipes that are also designed for training athletes to also prevent infections when showering right away isn’t practical. Also, make sure to wash your training clothes promptly and thoroughly and not leave them in your gym bag for days on end or unwashed for too long. Using an antifungal laundry sanitizer can help reduce the risk further.

If you suspect you might have any skin condition, even at the earliest stage, please reach out to me or ask other members about it. Early detection is key: the sooner we catch it, the sooner we can apply treatment and prevent it from spreading, both to others and to different parts of your own body. If it turns out to be ringworm, an over-the-counter topical cream usually does the trick, and if caught early, you could be back in about a week so it’s usually not a big deal if you can some medication cream on it, keeping it dry and loose clothing. Delaying treatment and taping over it can extend recovery time.

During recovery, jiu-jitsu and grappling are off-limits due to the skin-to-skin contact. Kickboxing is okay since there's less direct contact, but be aware that covering the area (rashguards / sports tape) and the inevitable sweating can delay recovery. Normal membership pause policy for any reason if one pause allowed every 6 months but I will make an exception when it comes to infections.

Also, please be mindful when training at other gyms. We don’t always know their cleaning protocols or hygiene culture, so there’s a potential to contract infections from outside and bring them into our gym. Staying vigilant helps us all CK members stay healthy and keep training.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Let’s keep training hard and staying healthy!