The days of martial arts only being practiced by those who start at a very young age are long gone. These days adults with no prior training experience are walking into martial arts academies to find a program to help them get fit, stay active and learn how to defend themselves. It has also become an activity that parents can share with their little ones.
At FaMA - Fitness and Martial Arts, there are many families that train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), Muay Thai, and FaMA Fit together. One such family are the Tans. Nigel and Wendy Tan have been training at FaMA for several years now with their three children, Natalie, Warren and Nicholas.
“We started looking for a martial arts school for Warren just before he started primary one. We wanted him to build some muscles, develop his core strength and be able to take care of himself. We were scrolling through the web and that’s when we found Jiu-Jitsu,” said Nigel.
Once Nigel read up more on BJJ, he discovered that it is one of the best martial arts for women. BJJ, at its core, is a martial art for a smaller, weaker person to defend his or herself against a bigger, stronger assailant using movement and leverage.
That prompted Nigel and Wendy to sign up their oldest child Natalie (who was eight years old back then) for classes together with Warren (who was 6 years old). After a few months, Nigel signed up for classes and several months later so did Wendy, who did it to encourage Natalie to train and remain motivated in BJJ.
“I told Natalie that she can’t quit if I don’t quit. Nowadays, I keep asking her if I can quit and she says no,” quipped Wendy.
Raising a Champion
With only a few years of training under her belt, Natalie has established herself as one of the most formidable competitors for her age group by winning local and international competitions as well as being the first Singaporean to be a Pan Kids Gold medalist. On top of her own effort, dedication and world-class coaching, Natalie is able to establish herself as one of the best in region thanks to her parents who train with her on a daily basis. They also mentor and keep her focused on her goals.
“At the end of the day, she is still a 12 year old who needs to be reminded to drink more water, don’t overdo sugar. However, she is focused on her goals. She picks the comps that she wants to do and she will prepare for them,” said Nigel.
Natalie has also become a role model for her two younger brothers and also others kids at FaMA with her work ethic. Despite being a full-time student and a world-class competitor, Natalie is also a Teaching Assistant FaMA, helping out resident black belts during kids classes.
A Strong Bond
A family that trains together often times stay together. Martial arts and fitness provide an opportunity for parents to share a bond with their children. Martial arts is a unique experience that can bring the entire family together and create lasting memories. Nigel and Wendy travel with Natalie for her competitions and it becomes an experience for the entire family.
“We train together most of the time because Natalie can now participate in the adult class and the boys are always at the academy as well,” said Nigel.
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.
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.
Kids Martial Arts
Our Kids Martial Arts classes offer a choice of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and/or Muay Thai programmes which have been specially designed for Children of all skills levels. Several studies have suggested that Children who participate in a sport experience positive development in their self-esteem and confidence, which supports our belief that the skills Children learn through our Martial Arts programmes here in Singapore will benefit them beyond their time in the academy.