"Never stop believing that you can fulfill your dreams." - Jose Aldo, MMA
Twenty years in the making. That's how long Brawler's Lab has to go through to be the facility that it is today. "Ang tagal, di ba?", Gabay Forlales said during One Valenzuela's visit at the gym which can be conveniently found along MacArthur Highway. He narrated that Brawler's Lab opened on 2014 in a 70-square meter space at Barangay Marulas before being in its current capacious location in Karuhatan. But its vision has been conceptualized and dreamt of way back in the 1990s.
The facility's realization did not come as easy as most people would assume. Gabay, who is a licensed Mixed Martial Arts judge and trainer under the Games Amusement Board (GAB) expressed that "Some didn't accept that there is a possibility that a multiple of disciplines can be synthesized into one thing that actually works together which can become effective when it comes to sports fighting". But as they say, beautiful life works eventually have their breaks. Through time, many of his students trusted in the concept which helped him spread the word.
Gabay Forlales of Brawler's Lab
Video Credit: Brawler's Lab
He also looked for an aikido school along U.N. Avenue, having sensei Henry as his first teacher. He would also accompany his martial arts teachers in their sessions, assisting them in their classes. He enjoyed doing it and passing on the learning which made him the coach that he is today. Recalling the film Dead Poets Society, he says that he liked the impact that the teacher made to his students in the said film. "Gusto kong magturo. I would like to have the same impact to my students. To change lives. I wanted to share what I know. If you are a coach you can be a big impact talaga eh, especially if you know how to. Especially if you show enough that you care. " Gabay added.
Glaiza De Castro trains at Brawler's Lab. She gets personal training here together with kickboxing and cage fitness classes.
Fighters from different places then came to the facility who became part of the team while some would also ask him to prepare them in their upcoming fights. "Those people who are already here really do improve, others see it. From there the reputation came that we are doing something right here in Valenzuela," Gabay said. The very first tournament that they participated in is a Bulgarian Open Submission Wrestling. It is an international event. "Funny thing is, sinabi sa amin ay may novice division...We participated dahil may novice. Pagdating namin doon [sa location], wala palang novice. So my students who are training for three months competed against others who are competing for two years already with an Iranian coach. Underdog kami. There, we got two silver medals. Not bad, considering they are beginners." The students competed with their hearts out.
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Mark Daniel Togonon of Barangay Karuhatan has won consistently in tournaments under the training of Coach Gabay Forlales. Photo Credit: Mark Daniel Togonon on Facebook. |
Brawler's Lab is the first facility center to bring Cage Fitness in the Philippines.
This elevates the MMA-inspired fitness training in the country.
Video Credit: Brawler's Lab
Other than the personal training that the gym offers, its flag carrier is the Cage Fitness program. It is a US-based fitness program where Gabay Forlales is the very first licensed coach in the Philippines. The program was developed by former mixed martial arts fighter, Matt Hughes, and trainer, Kai Fusser M.S. It mimics MMA fighting which makes the practitioner safe because all the techniques like punching, kicking, and lifting are done on cage fit bags.
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Form. Function. Fitness. |
There are also classes on: Boxing, Kickboxing (Muay Thai), Brazillian Jiu-jujitsu, Submission Wrestlings, High-Intensity Interval Training, and Flashpoint Circuit training. Just this July, Brawler's Lab launched its Fitness Kickboxing class - which is different from Muay Thai because the latter focuses on the skills to fight and compete while Fitness Kickboxing is more on general fitness using the moves of Muay Thai. Each client has a personalized punching bag for this with a coach to guide them.
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Training equipment at Brawler's Lab |
Ending the conversation, people would ask "Why do you always mention Brawler's Lab - Valenzuela? May iba pa bang branch?". Gabay Forlales would say "None, only in Valenzuela City." Then they would further ask, "Why mention Valenzuela?" to which he would answer, "Dahil proud akong maging Valenzuelano". Thinking about it, the city is indeed blessed to have such outstanding people and to have a good facility that is Brawler's Lab.
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Brawler's LabAddress: 203 Juan Reyes Street, MacArthur Highway, Brgy. Karuhatan, Valenzuela City
(Landmarks: Building across Novo; Above Calle Cafe)
Gym Hours: Monday to Friday- 9:00am to 10:00pm
Saturdays - 9:00am to 8:00pm
Sundays - 9:00am to 12:00mn
Visit their Facebook Page here for updates.
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