#TGLife
A month of intense training paid off for Nelson Paes when one of Goa’s best mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters recently secured a thrilling second-round Technical Knockout (TKO) at the 16th WED Night at Bangla Thai Boxing Stadium in Phuket in Thailand.
The nail-biting finish came after Paes took on his skilled professional Thai opponent and got the better of him with a devastating low kick to win the Muay Thai fight after two rounds. Prior to this, he took on a fight at Thailand Fighting Championship (TFC) against a professional boxer with just two days’ notice, fighting all four rounds and leaving the verdict up to the judges. It became the fight of the night.
Paes has been training hard, with two weeks at Fairtex Gym Pattaya and an equal number at Mai Khao Muay Thai gym in Phuket for the recent tournament at Bangla Thai Boxing Stadium which featured fighters from across the world, including France, China, Australia and of course Thailand. He has been working strongly on his fight and is now one of Goa’s best known mixed martial arts fighters, and a trainer running the MMA training space - Strikers Gym in Calangute.
Nelson Paes’ initial dream for martial arts grew into a vision of one of Goa’s best fitness spaces, where people of all ages and fitness levels could come together to learn, improve skills and be the best version of themselves. Paes himself took to training as a diversion from the challenges of his work. He started off training in Muay Thai as a hobby back in 2010 and it led quickly to him becoming Goa’s leading mixed martial arts fighter and trainer.
His vision took shape with Strikers Gym, launched in 2017, that focused on the students’ capabilities, pushing them hard but not too far and ensuring quality in equipment, trainers and technique. It began small - on an unused rooftop, but the dedication has not waned since day 1.
Today, it is a one-of-a-kind MMA gym in Goa with the best-certified trainers boasting professional backgrounds, involved in a variety of supplementary training fields including all variations of MMA, boxing, kickboxing, self-defence, high-intensity interval training, dance fitness and yoga.
Mixed martial arts, in particular, imbibes discipline in training, sleeping, eating right, as well as controlling emotions and impulses. It builds self-confidence, improves focus, coordination, reflexes, judgement, agility, strength and endurance. Like other exercises, it is also a stress reliever and can help improve mood in addition to bringing weight under control.
The point driven home at Strikers Gym is not to make clients slim but fit. It is a lifestyle change where clients learn to love the sport and make it a part of their life.
Paes said, “As children, we seldom sat in front of televisions or worked on a screen for long hours. But today, with the kind of lifestyle most people lead, fitness is more necessary than it has ever been.”
His words are echoed by Raquel Fernandes, the dance fitness instructor at Strikers: “Fitness can lift your mood and improve your sleep. Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. You’ll have less anxiety and more energy from working out and seeing the results of your activities is the most rewarding feeling ever. Building confidence is the most powerful mind strength. Overall, getting fit will change your life.” Strikers MMA & Fitness Gym focuses on the individual, ensuring that each client gets the best out of the time they have for physical activity. Rosanna Monteath Dcosta doesn’t believe people need to spend many hours in the gym to see results.
“One of the most common misconceptions about exercise is that it is necessary to spend hours sweating buckets to obtain benefits like weight loss, muscle growth and improved overall health and wellbeing. Instead of working longer, work smarter by using short intervals of extremely high-intensity exercise.
With this kind of exercise, you spend less time training and still get great results,” the high-intensity interval trainer said.
Often, motivation is an issue. It’s not uncommon in most gyms to see clients drop out after a couple of months as fatigue sets in. At Strikers, the goal is to bypass this weak link by keeping them encouraged and keeping them challenged.
Paes and his team clearly define goals and offer variety in training, so that the client feels challenged each time, enjoys the workout session and looks forward to the next one. The only thing one needs to do, therefore, is show up!
