As FaMA - Fitness and Martial Arts continues to grow, the academy maintains a steady stream of world-class coaches coming in to help students achieve their goals - be it weight loss, fitness, self defense or competition.
With its ongoing Guest Instructors program, FaMA students are exposed to various instructors who expose them to different training regiments and workouts. Through the program, students are also acquainted with those who come to teach and are able to give feedback to who they’d like to see again in the future.
One such instructor is Professor Thiago Gaspary who visited FaMA in early 2018 as a guest and made the move permanent at the end of the year.
He was a firm favourite among students as many enjoyed his coaching style, his wit and his detailed explanation of each technique and position.
The Roberto ‘Gordo’ Correa Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Black Belt started training as a teenager in Rio De Janeiro after he was persuaded to train BJJ by his friends.
Gordo, as many BJJ practitioners know, is a legend of the sport and widely considered as the father of half guard.
“When I started training, there were very few BJJ academies in Rio and there were even fewer Black Belts. It is not like what it is today. Nowadays, there are BJJ schools at every corner,” said Thiago.
Starting early also meant coaching early. Thiago started coaching when he was only a Purple Belt when his instructor would travel. Being a coach from a very young age helped Thiago develop as a BJJ practitioner and also as a coach.
His coaching skills took him to South Carolina and Florida in the United States. He also spent some time in Kristiansand, Norway.
“Norway was interesting because when I started there, most of them were beginners. I had to get them good fast so they can help the next batch of students improve much faster,” said Thiago.
Back to Basics
Although Thiago does not shy away from teaching or explaining fancy moves, he is a firm believer in fundamentals. "Basics are the best," he says.
“When your basics are good and you have a strong foundation, you can try those fancy moves such as berimbolo and lapel guard. Basics also have a strong self defense pedigree. Jiu-Jitsu is for self-defense at the end of the day.”
Competitors are also something that Thiago keeps an eye on as he has experience competing and coaching athletes himself.
“The main thing for competitors is to find motivation from within. We have several classes a day (morning, noon and at night) and it is up to the competitor to push themselves in training. Of course, as a coach, we will also work with them and give them good rolls but they have to prepare to push hard in training.”
Thiago believes in keeping training fun and is always seen making students laugh. He also mixes things up for those doing Basic and Intermediate class with games, speed rounds, and specific training.
Professor Thiago currently teaches the morning and afternoon classes and is also present over the weekends.
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.
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