Regardless of gender, everyone should learn martial arts. However, men and women may have different reasons to start training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) or Muay Thai - arguably two of the most effective martial arts one can learn today. Both BJJ and Muay Thai offer numerous benefits for everyone but if you are looking to convince your friend, girlfriend, sister, wife, partner or mother on why they should train martial arts, here are five reasons for you.
Martial Arts as Self-Defence
According to the United Nations, women across the world are more prone to physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence. This happens regardless of their income, age or education and such violence can lead to long-term physical, mental and emotional health problems. Across the globe one third of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lives. In the most extreme cases, violence against women can lead to death. Although a lot is being done to reduce these numbers, it is also important for women to empower themselves with martial arts. By learning BJJ or Muay Thai, women of all ages can defend themselves against perpetrators if the need arises.
Martial Arts as a Weight Loss and Fitness Program
Who doesn’t want to be in good health and excellent physical condition? With proper diet and exercise, anyone with the right mindset and attitude can lower their body fat percentage, improve their cardiovascular system, eliminate certain diseases by eating right and working out. Here’s where BJJ and Muay Thai come in. Martial arts is an all-in-one exercise that can help anyone get in peak physical condition. Endurance training? How about bouncing on the balls of your feet for an hour while kicking, punching, throwing elbows and knees in a Muay Thai class? Strength training and muscle building? What better way than grappling someone else in a BJJ class? Think Ronda Rousey and Kirstie Gannaway.
Martial Arts as a Tool to Build a Sisterhood
Despite living in the age of social media and high speed internet connection, it is hard to make new friends - especially for female expats who are new to Singapore. Unlike men with their weekend football or rugby clubs, there are relatively very few social gatherings for women to meet other women in a casual setting. Martial art schools are a good place to cultivate friendship with like-minded women who lift one another up. As they say, the best way to become best friends with someone is to punch them in the face. Jokes aside, women at FaMA - Fitness and Martial Arts often spend time together before or after training. They have build a bond through martial arts that will stay with them even if they move away.
Martial Arts Builds Confidence
It goes without saying that martial arts can help a young girl build her confidence. Knowing how to defend herself against assailants will give her the confidence to experience life to the fullest. Girls who cultivate this confidence from a very young age will not be afraid to speak up or shy away from a debate. Martial arts instills focus, discipline, mental toughness, and the ability to perform under pressure - all of which helps build strong, confident women.
Martial Arts as a Form of Competition
Believe it or not, humans need competition in life. From the ancient Greek Olympic Games to modern day football, humans have always loved competition. Through martial arts, women can compete in a healthy manner. A healthy competition - a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition perhaps - can help anyone put forth effort, improve performance, and express that primal behaviour in a controlled, well respected manner. Martial arts competition can help women express themselves freely and this is good for their mental well-being.
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.