Cross training has been a staple for many great athletes. Most world-class athletes grew up playing two or even three sports before becoming a specialist.
LeBron James grew up playing American football and basketball. Rubens Charles Maciel aka ‘Cobrinha’ was an avid capoeira practitioner before becoming one of the greatest Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) competitors of all time. Muay Thai legends Buakaw and Saenchai are always playing football to relax and have fun.
Cross training has numerous benefits and here are some of them.
Injury Prevention
Cross training is one of the tools professional athletes use to stay healthy throughout their careers and during the off season.
Cross training helps with recovery as it works muscles that are not usually used. It helps reduce soreness or remove any muscular imbalances in the body by spreading the stress over additional muscles and joints. This, in return, will help create longevity in your sports of choice.
For example, those doing Muay Thai or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can help themselves get stronger to prevent injuries and recover faster by doing FaMA Fit at least once a week. Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are both contact sports that put a lot of stress on certain muscles and more often than not work only one side of the body.
FaMA Fit - on the other hand - is non contact and works the total body. It improves mobility and flexibility - both very important tools for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai.
Improves Overall Fitness
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legends Nick and Nate Diaz are able to spar for days and bring that same energy when they compete in the octagon. The Diaz brothers were able to build their legendary cardio by competing in triathlons.
Instead of just focusing on MMA, the Diaz brothers cross train to be triathletes to make themselves better fighters. The same logic can be applied for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai competitors.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners can improve their flexibility and endurance by training Muay Thai a couple of days a week.
And Muay Thai practitioners can improve their body control and strength by practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Keeping it Fresh
Cross training is not only good for the body but also the mind. Sometimes, training the same sport or doing the same activity can be mundane and boring.
Mental fatigue is something most athletes go through and by cross training can keep the fire burning.
Even everyday warriors go through it while training and they might not even know it.
Cross training can provide the mind with something exciting and diverse from regular training. Trying something different helps the mind refocus and stay motivated.
Meeting New People
At the end of the day, cross training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and FaMA Fit also provides an opportunity to meet new people and socialise with those we don’t usually train with.
With so many different time slots and classes throughout the day at FaMA, it’s easy to make new friends.
Cross training different sports and martial arts has been proven to be good for you. So what’s stopping you from doing it?
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.
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.