The class is taking place online, on Wednesday September 8, just after business hours close at 6pm. With the goal of getting people active and offering a look into martial arts from the comfort of your own home, the class is designed to be accessible for all fitness levels.

They'll be teaching the Kyokushin karate style.

Frank Cirillo is one of the teachers at the centre, and came up with the idea while running zoom classes for his regulars.

"I run zoom classes six days a week with our students, and I sort of hit on the idea of just opening it up ... Why don't we just invite everyone - they can see what we do and at the very least, it gives them another option to burn a bit of anxiety and stress," he said.

He added that the experience of going into a gym or fitness centre can be intimidating for some, especially with preconceived notions of what the experience will be like. He hoped that being able to go to a class in the safe environment of their own home could shake some of those notions off.

Sensei Cirillo said that offering classes online had it's fair share of challenges, but that it kept people active and engaged.

"We get comments all the time especially from parents, that we're keeping some kind of normal routine. Obviously, there's certain things you can't do but in a martial art where there's punching and kicking, there's a lot of things we can get away with," he explained.

He added that he might yet add more community sessions depending on how long lockdown lasts, and that he was hoping other fitness centres might do the same.

"Maybe someone can do a yoga class online, maybe someone can teach aerobics for everyone. There are a lot of reasons someone might not walk into a gym, but in the safety of their own home, they might just try it. Why not?"

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