CHOKE-FULL OF FUN

Brazilian jiu-jitsu isn’t as terrifying as it looks, as PEH YI WEN finds out during a basics class at Maverick Martial Arts.

’Body slams, chokeholds and heaps of close body contact – my first thoughts about Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) from watching a showcase at a fitness studio launch were “brutal” and “a nightmare”, as I wasn’t a fan of contact or combat sports. I avoid them like the plague for fear of getting injured and the sheer discomfort at the thought of being pressed against a stranger. The closest I’ve come with martial arts? Throwing hooks and uppercuts at boxing bags with the occasional weaves for defence practice – totally non-combat and in my safe zone. When the opportunity came for us to try a jiu-jitsu class, I was hesitant. But I psyched myself into saying yes since it fulfilled one of my New Year’s resolutions: to step out of my comfort zone and…

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Shape Singapore (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2019

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