Recently, we talked to four students at FaMA - Fitness and Martial Arts, who shared how they juggle their executive careers and family life with their passion for martial arts. This is a fairly relatable scenario for most. However, FaMA is not a training facility made exclusive to white collar professionals.
Yoga teacher, Bruce Tan, is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Blue Belt, and has been training at FaMA since December 2018. Holding a non 9-5 work schedule, Bruce drops by our afternoon classes, which happen to run before or after the classes that he teaches at Yoga Movement studios around the city. Apart from an extensive training schedule that caters to those with unconventional working hours, FaMA has long become Bruce’s ‘home’ for martial arts training because of its nurturing environment and community, facilities, as well as a range of training partners of various age groups and walks of life.
From Finance Professional to “Bro-gi”
Yoga was not always a part of Bruce’s life. In fact, it only came into his life in 2014, when he had been trying out yoga classes at the academy where he had also been learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. After a social gathering with friends who were also fellow yoga practitioners, he decided to give the practice more serious thought.
“I remember trying to get into the crow pose that evening, assuming that I was strong and hence able to do so. I ended up falling flat on my face!” He recalls.
Bruce had been in the finance industry for a while but was looking for a change. In 2016, he decided to make yoga his new career choice, and underwent a yoga teacher training certification. Thereafter, he applied across a few studios in Singapore and was invited to join the team at Yoga Movement, a locally-established brand.
“Seeing how Yoga Movement only had a team of female instructors back then, I was surprised that they decided to hire me,” Bruce recalls. Yoga Movement now has three male instructors on their team, proving that yoga is fast moving out of its stereotype of being a fitness activity only for ladies.
In fact, Bruce is always more than willing to debunk that myth. Recently, he held a ‘Yoga for Bros’ Power class at Yoga Movement, where he took the ‘bros’ through a 'strong’ class, followed by a round of Little Creatures beer after. Can’t get anymore masculine than that!
Similarities Between Yoga and Martial Arts
Bruce was first a student of Muay Thai and BJJ way before he had begun his yoga practice. Today, he finds the learning process in yoga parallel and very applicable to BJJ.
“I like to play with handstands. Whenever I try too hard to enter a handstand, I tense up unnecessarily and my consciousness works against me. By being aware of that and telling myself to relax, it actually has helped me catch my handstands. I apply this mentality to BJJ as well. Instead of thinking too much about what I’m trying to achieve, I lose all expectations and choose to be more aware at that present point of time, to ‘feel' my movements and that of my training partner’s.
“In yoga, your ‘opponent’ is yourself. Certain poses in yoga are more challenging for some than others, and help you to realise where your weaknesses are, and what you have to work on. It’s up to you to be aware of these areas, and take the necessary actions to improve on them. With BJJ, it is your training partner that helps you to identify your weaknesses - the holes in your game - by exploiting them."
Benefits of Yoga for Martial Arts
The first benefit of yoga that comes to mind for most is flexibility. Bruce adds that core strength and hip mobility are also some of the things that one can gain from practicing yoga. Mobility is also a key benefit.
To understand more about the difference between flexibility and mobility, let our FaMA Fit instructors and physiotherapist Conor McHugh explain it to you in this article.
Still unconvinced? Bruce will be running a free Yoga for Martial Arts seminar on 27 July 2019. Here, you will learn breathing techniques to help stay calm and focused when training, postures for balance and endurance, and finally stretches to help aid recovery. Sign-up here.
Final Words: A Yogi’s Advice for Martial Arts Beginners
"Don’t expect to get good too fast. Enjoy the process of learning. There is such a thing as 'over-training', where, if you try too hard, it gets counter-productive. Keep in mind to stay relaxed and don’t have too many expectations. Instead, choose to ‘feel' what you are doing. I find that it’s more productive this way!"
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 Kru 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, Robyn Goudy and Thiago Gaspary.
Comments