Get fighting fit with this hour-long, martial-arts inspired work out
Photos: FaMA
When at the newly-opened FaMA (Fitness and Martial Arts), leave your preconceptions of martial arts at the door.
There’s little sign of unnecessary ego or pretentiousness here, unlike at some MMA (mixed martial arts) schools I’ve encountered.
What you get is a spacious gym filled with a healthy mix of kids and adults alike, each passionate about their own drills and work out.
I found myself in relatively cosy company for my first attempt at their signature Combat Fitness class.
Combat fitness
To my surprise, my only two fellow students were moms whose kids were in a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class just metres away from us. Looks like exercise is a family affair here!
We started off with some simple warm ups, which consisted of jogging and skipping between rows of sandbags, followed by squats. That alone was enough to work up a sweat.
After a water break, we were briefed on our circuit training stations.
Circuit style training
I soon realised FaMA’s circuit training style differed from other gyms or crossfit boxes, considering that they input various techniques drawn from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai.
So off we went, starting with punching drills — dumb bells in our hands, no less, followed by sit-ups with medicine balls.
Just as I started to heave and pant, it was time to flip the sandbags. After which, we had to peform modified burpees, partner push-ups and box jumps.
What I loved about the sequence was that partner work elements were always incorporated, allowing us to motivate one another even as the pace got tough.
With just 30 seconds allocated for each station, time flew by quickly as we completed four rounds of the entire circuit.
Would I do it again? Absolutely.
Even though my muscles ached the next day, my arms certainly felt a little more toned than before!
More information here.
ADVERTISEMENTS