For thousands of years, martial arts has taught mankind the importance of honour, courage, veracity, and honesty. Children are often sent for martial arts classes not only to learn how to defend themselves against bullies or dangerous people but also to learn a code of conduct that will make them better humans.
However, there is a general misconception that one can only learn these virtues through martial arts if they started training from a very young age. This is not true.
More corporate companies are offering martial arts as an additional perk for their employees as they see the benefits of training and the impact it brings to their business. In 2014, tech giant and one of the best employers in the world, Google, added Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) to its extensive list of on-site extracurricular activities for its staff at its corporate headquarters located in Mountain View California, United States. According to an article by Fightland, Google started its BJJ classes with Milton Bastos, a World, Pan Ams, and World No-Gi champion from San Jose by way of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Following Google’s move, many other tech giants and multinational corporations started offering martial art classes as an added employee benefit. Smaller companies and startups, that may not have the same resources as Google, are starting to use martial arts as part of a team building process as it offers a break from the monotony.
In Singapore, the Royal Thai Embassy recently held a fun outing at FaMA - Fitness and Martial Arts as their diplomats and embassy officers trained Muay Thai with resident instructor Tanaphong Khunhankaew a.k.a. Kru Ping.
A Fun Get Together
Training martial arts among colleagues can be an enjoyable experience. It is not a myth, it is science. The human body releases endorphins, dopamine and serotonin while working out, putting everyone that is breaking a sweat in a better mood. Commonly known as runner’s high, one can achieve this state of euphoria not just by running but also by kicking and punching or grappling. After a long week at work with those 15-hour work days and deadlines, emotions can run high and take a toll on relationships among colleagues. One way to fix it is to enjoy a workout together over the weekend to refresh, re-energise and refocus the mind, body, and soul for the upcoming week or the next big project.
Team Building
Training martial arts as a team involves a lot of trust and respect. We have to be mindful of our actions and be sure not to hurt our training partners. Trust and respect are key criteria in any work environment. Without them, an office or a place of work can easily become toxic and draining. Establishing trust and respect among co-workers and employers / employees goes a long way. Employees that don’t trust each other will be detrimental to the company. It is a major problem that needs to be addressed and will not go away on its own. Through martial arts, a foundation of trust can be built and with respect, workplace discrimination, gossip and harassment can be weeded out.
It’s a Workout
At the end of the day, martial arts will provide a good workout for anyone. Those who work long hours may not make time to break a sweat but will work out if it is a company event. Research indicates that those who work out take lesser sick days compared to those who don’t. Companies that are looking to maximise productivity and create a better work environment should consider offering martial arts as a work perk.
FaMA - Fitness and Martial Arts Established in 2016, FaMA is a world-class martial arts training facility located in the heart of the Central Business District in Singapore. Walking distance from the Clarke Quay MRT station, FaMA’s main goal is to help people improve their lives through martial arts regardless of age or athletic capability. Each program is led by experts in their respective fields. Whether it is weight loss, a fun workout, camaraderie, competition training, or just to break a sweat, FaMA has something for everyone.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai, or The Art of Eight Limbs, is a martial art developed in Thailand thousands of years ago to help the Kingdom protect itself against invaders. Using the human body as a weapon, Muay Thai practitioners are well-versed in punching, elbowing, kicking, kneeing, and clinching with their opponents. What was once only used for self-defence and protection of the Kingdom, Muay Thai has grown to become one of the most popular sports not only in Thailand but in the world. Muay Thai is known to provide a complete total-body workout that will help build lean muscle, core strength, and help with weight loss. At FaMA, Muay Thai classes are taught daily by Tanaphong Khunhankaew, or better known as Kru Ping, and Coach Jerel Louie.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or BJJ as it is commonly known around the world, is a self-defence martial art that enables a smaller, weaker person to protect themselves against a much larger attacker using leverage and pressure. Formed from Kodokan Judo in Japan, Jiu Jitsu found its way to Brazil in the 1910s through Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese judoka and no-holds-barred prize fighter. During his time in Brazil, Maeda accepted a young Carlos Gracie as his student. Carlos would later pass on his knowledge to his brothers, most notably Helio Gracie - the father of modern Brazilian Jiujitsu. The Gracie family would go on to spread BJJ through The Gracie Challenge and eventually the creation of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Today, BJJ has grown to be more than just an effective unarmed fighting system. It helps young children deal with bullies and adults live a healthy lifestyle. BJJ classes are offered daily at FaMA under the tutelage of Black Belts Zoro Moreira and Robyn Goudy.
FaMA Fit
An all-in-one fitness class suitable for everyone, FaMA Fit incorporates moves from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Boxing and Kickboxing together with functional training to help develop flexibility, mobility, strength, balance, and stamina. For beginners who are just starting out, the FaMA Fit Fundamentals class is an entry-level program that will work the entire body. FaMA Fit and FaMA Fit Fundamentals classes are run by professional athlete Coach Kirstie Gannaway.
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