What a difference one year makes.

Last March, the coronavirus pandemic prompted closures of retail centers including fitness clubs and gyms across the nation in an attempt to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 virus.

During the critical time, safety was top priority for nearly every business, its staff and members—especially for Carlsbad Kickboxing Club.

The gym, decided to close their doors to comply with what seemed to be the right move at the time.

Knowing there were grim times ahead, many of its 300 or so members froze their monthly payments as they hunkered at home and, in some cases, lost their jobs.

Closing the doors or not, Carlsbad Kickboxing Club’s rent was still due.

While CKC owner worked out a deal to receive a few months forbearance from his two landlords, he acknowledged at the time that that there was a chance he would not be able to remain open through September without paying customers.

He tried his best to stay afloat, even connecting members to online classes for those who wanted to practice their muay thai moves at home. He even loaned out gym equipment free of charge, including bags, mitts and gloves, to the members who continue to support the gym.

All of those moves, along with applications for small business loan grants, allowed CKC to remain optimistic, hoping for better times ahead. He pushed forward and focused on things they could control, such as improvements to the gym, and even diving into refining plans to open a personal training trade school aimed at training veterans.

Through the first part of the summer, CKC figured out ways to keep the lights on. But had not taken a drastic move, it might not have been enough.

Despite the County’s COVID-19 public health order not allowing for gyms to open, CKC defied the guidelines and reopened at a time when others went out of business and had to file for bankruptcy.

But did it quietly and respectfully without a show—even hired security to sit in the car at the end of the road with a radio ready to report and watch for any disruption in their new plan to move forward. Carlsbad Kickboxing Club reopened, not to defy county orders, but to instead support their staff. The gym opened for their members’ sanity. And above all, the gym reopened because CKC’s owner truly believed it was his right as an American and as a small business owner in the United States of America, a country, that he himself has fought for.

Last summer, Montano said that he hoped that this setback would make the gym stronger. He now has proof that it has.

Within less than a year of reopening, the gym has nearly doubled its membership and looks forward to a bright future and continued expansion.

So, what is next?

For CKC, it is to double the gym’s current growth and bring in a rotation of Thai trainers (when possible) in hopes of strengthening the gym’s tournament team and putting more belts on the wall. In addition, CKC plans to open a new personal training academy school as well.

“Never let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do,” Montano says. We look forward to the future because the sky’s the limit, he adds.

“When it feels scary to jump, that is exactly when you jump”.