Martial Arts around the World: Montego Bay (Champions Image Gym)
Hello! For this post in Martial Arts around the World we’re traveling to the Jamaica, Montego Bay to hang out at the Champions Image Gym. Let’s get right to it.
Networking
I recently flew down to Montego Bay on vacation and decided that I wanted to scope out the fight/martial arts scene while I was there. So after making a few phone calls I linked up with Douglas, owner of Champions Image Gym. Douglas tried to round up a few of his boys to meet me, but unfortunately because it was on short notice, only one guy was able to show up, Martin aka Snake. So I spent some time hanging out at the gym and also got to know Snake and how he approaches training.
The Gym
Douglas is a really cool guy, and I got no negative vibes from him. He gladly welcomed me into his gym and showed me around. The gym has all the equipment and facilities needed for a good workout; weights, machines and all plus a nice studio which is where the martial arts training and other classes happen.
Snake
Apparently Douglas was a soldier in the Jamaican army, and Snake was his commander when they both served. Snake is a very interesting guy, and a pleasure to be around. He was a commander in the Jamaican army, has trained in Kickboxing and developed his own fighting style which he aptly named “Snake” style, that focuses on pressure points. He was dealing with a leg injury when we met, but he agreed to give me a few demos. Here’s him going over some punching techniques with me:
Some kickboxing combinations:
And he also showed off a spear he built himself from scratch:
Overall a very interesting man, and I appreciated the time and love both he and Douglas showed me. We were supposed to link up with another guy that runs a Taekwondo club in downtown Montego Bay, but that unfortunately could not happen this trip due to logistical issues.
All in all a great experience. If you’re ever in the Montego Bay area and looking to get in a good workout, whether at the gym or doing some martial arts, be sure to check out Douglas and his crew at Champions Image Gym.
