Choosing a Martial Arts school can be a difficult decision. Will you like the techniques

the instructors teach? Is the gym conveniently located to my house? Will I get along

with the other members? These are all questions people ask themselves before they

join a new school. But one question may be overlooked, and that question may be the

most important of all, is the gym kept clean?

An unclean gym is not only gross, but can lead to multiple skin infections. Skin

infections range from minor to life threatening. Recently a Long Island native is battling

a potentially deadly drug-resistant infection (MRSA) and has been upgraded from

critical to serious, according to a published report. MRSA is a bacterium responsible for

several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. It may also be called multidrug-resistant

Staphylococcus aureus or oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ORSA).

Doctors said 16-year-old Hauppauge high school junior, Nick Mauriello was breathing

on his own for the first time since becoming stricken with MRSA is hospitalized in critical

condition, and on a ventilator, at Stony Brook University Medical Center. The illnesses

spread into the teen’s bloodstream and infected his liver, kidneys and lungs, leaving the

star wrestler fighting for his life.

“Always check the prospective gyms cleanliness before joining, or even before trying

out a class” says undefeated professional MMA Fighter and owner of Long Island MMA

and Fitness Center Ryan LaFlare. LaFlare states that keeping his gym spotless is one

of his highest priorities “Who would want to train in a dirty gym? There is a lot of nasty

bacteria and fungus that breed when mats aren’t cleaned after every class. As a trainer

it’s my responsibility to make sure the place is clean, we are teaching our students to

be disciplined, and if your trainers aren’t keeping the place clean, they aren’t disciplined

themselves.”