Featured affiliated academy: Kempe Fitness & Fighting, Canada BJJ
Where is the gym located?
We are located in our brand-new studio in the heart of downtown Cold Lake (Alberta, Canada).
How many people train there?
We currently have over 80 members who train in both Youth 7+ and Adult BJJ, our Kickboxing classes, and our group fitness classes.
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
We previously were running out of our local rec centre here in Cold Lake, using a small rental space until COVID-19 hit. At that time we had around 30 members, since we were limited due to the size of our training space. We’ve now re-opened in our new space and have nearly tripled in size in just 2 months.
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
From Black to White belts.
When did the gym open?
Originally it started in September 2019 with us teaching three classes per week each of Youth 7+ to Adults. We re-opened at Phase 2 in Alberta in our new studio on June 22, 2020.
Some facts about you:
Name: Bernie Antle
Age: 52
Academy: Kempe Fitness & Fighting, Canada BJJ
Belt: Black
Profession: RCAF
Years in BJJ: 22 years
Other martial arts: Russian Sambo, MMA, Judo
Currently living in: Cold Lake, Alberta
Originally from: Grand Falls, Newfoundland
Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence
Upon posting to Cold Lake, I was looking for a way to stay busy and active outside of work.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
We have a mix of military members, first responders, and civilians, along with families who train together.
Kempe Fitness & Fighting, Canada BJJ
Why do they train?
Many people train not just for the fitness aspect of it, but for stress relief from their military-based jobs.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
There seems to be a lack of knowledge regarding the sport in general, so educating is a big part of what we do. Once people are drawn in through our doors, they can see the fitness side of the sport, as well as the sense of community we offer as well.
Kempe Fitness & Fighting, Canada BJJ
How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
Our membership in this small community has already tripled, so getting the word out there and bringing people in to see the positive aspects of BJJ, and showing them again the sense of community and “family” goes a long way here!
What’s the best thing about your gym?
Besides the family atmosphere, we encourage member and community support when we do local fundraising and events. We recently did a local food bank fundraiser, Beach Bash & Smash 2020, at Kinosoo Beach here in Cold Lake. Our members and community were a huge support by donating lots of non-perishables and participating in beach sambo.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Cold Lake is known for their outdoors “scene”… lots of great fishing and hiking, the lake is beautiful, and we have wonderful locally owned/operated businesses. Watch out for the bears!!
