With gurus, trainers, and even world-class athletes selling us health and sculpted bodies, the fitness industry is a minefield. Gyms and classes that sprout across the city all claim they have the best deal. We know how it feels like to be a gym or workout virgin. So to make it easier for you, Coconuts Manila sweats it out in search of fun fitness activities that don’t break your budget, bones or self-esteem. Even better, we review anonymously and pay for ourselves.
Mixed Martial Arts is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and it’s easy to see why — it’s a fun and healthy way to lose calories, tone muscles and beat people up legally.
If you dont know anyone in the MMA circles, however, hunting for a gym can get super tricky. Since MMA is a full-contact sport, it’s important to find a gym that will feel like home and sparring partners who will make you feel comfortable.
Spar Fight Institute, along Kamuning Road in Quezon City, is a pretty friendly establishment that I’d recommend even to beginners.
What do I like about it? Its a high-energy place, but it’s not completely testosterone-fueled. It has three huge bags, a real cage and wide space for movement. It also has enough trainers to accomodate all its students.
There are classes on Muay Thai, boxing, jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts. For this research, I tried both boxing and Muay Thai classes.
The maximum trainer-to-student ratio at Spar is 1:3, but since I went on off-peak hours (about 4pm), I got one-on-one training. The exercises varied per trainer but the format was generally the same.
The sessions started with a warm-up of either jogging or jump rope, followed by three rounds of dynamic exercises, three rounds of mitts, three rounds of bag drills and abdominal exercises.
The dynamic exercises were enough to make me think of rewarding myself with three cups of steaming hot rice. It sometimes involved an agility ladder, square boxes on the floor made to train the feet to move quickly. Depending on the trainer, I was asked to do push-ups, burpees, or mountain climbers as well.
“Mitts” means trying to “punch and kick the trainer” (the pads, actually). Good thing my trainer never punched back. He did try to correct my form, though. The challenge was trying to memorize the combinations so that it would feel more natural next time.
The bag drill was the perfect chance for me think of the guy who stole our parking slot. It’s where I went all-out with the punching and kicking, without losing focus on my form. The drills really helped me get more comfortable with the movement.
Just when I thought the agony was over, the trainer asked me to do several kinds of abdominal exercises on the floor to punctuate the workout. It was composed of crunches, sit-ups and leg raises that took about five to ten minutes.
For more advance athletes, it’s not unusual to get invited to join rounds of sparring. This is where a “real fight” happens in a much safer environment, complete with head gear, pads and other safety equipment. Usually, trainers know how to match up students with similar abilities.
I didn’t feel pressured to spar with anyone just yet. If you go to an MMA gym, and you immediately get invited to spar on your very first session, that’s never a good sign.
Sounds like much? It was pretty manageable, surprisingly. My body parts are still complete.
Spar Fight Institute has a friendly community, though I don’t train often enough to actually make friends. The trainers are very welcoming. I’d love to try out their jiu-jitsu and MMA sessions next time.
Difficulty rating: 8/10. Martial arts will always be challenging because it is intricate. It’s a good way to hone the mind and body.
Gear needed: Comfy clothes, boxing wraps and gloves. If you’re going to try jiu-jitsu, you might need a gi.
Timetable: A workout usually lasts for about an hour, but it really depends on how much your body can handle.
Shower area: Available, but very basic as of now. Bring your own towel, toiletries and slippers.
Cost: Monthly packages available; included in Kfit pass.
Would I recommend it to a first-timer? Yes. I would definitely recommend martial arts to those who haven’t tried it yet, and yes, I’d recommend Spar as a gym too.
Would I do it again? Ever since I tried Spar last month, I’ve been trying to go at least twice a week. It’s addictive!
Spar Fight Instiute, 47 Kamuning Road, Sky 47, Quezon City; +63 917 8036035, Spar Fight Institute.
