Bremerton Academy of Martial Arts

A Navy ship's move to Bremerton in 1995 brought Deo Guerrero to the city, and the school he runs there, Bremerton Academy of Martial Arts, teaches Kali, Jeet Kune Do and Maphilindo Silat in a line that runs back to Dan Inosanto. Owner and chief instructor Deo Guerrero began studying these arts in 1998 under Sifu Christopher Clarke, a Pacific Northwest instructor authorized by Inosanto to teach the Filipino martial arts and Jeet Kune Do, and in early 2015 Clarke authorized him to open a school in Bremerton. He holds Level II instructor certifications from Clarke in all three arts and a third-degree black belt in Butokukan Karate, and in 2023 he was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Instructor.

Kali carries the weapons work: single and double sticks, single and double knives, stick and dagger, and flexible weapons, along with empty-hand counters, disarms, sweeps and locks. Its flow drills, in the school's words, are “both fun and give a real feel for the movement and speed of combat.” The academy calls Kali and JKD interpretive arts, so each student comes out of the training “slightly different.” Kali, JKD and Silat meet on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings.

Muay Thai and kickboxing classes run Monday through Thursday evenings and work on proper form and technique: punches, kicks, knees and elbows, the defensive and counter moves, and pad training the school credits with keeping Muay Thai safe. The Submission Grappling and MMA program mixes wrestling, judo, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the school's striking arts, and students learn to strike, clinch, take down and submit “in either a sport or self-defense environment.” Gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and asks for a black, blue or white gi, and no-gi grappling and MMA meet on Saturday mornings. The three teen and adult programs take students from age 13, and kids ages 8 to 12 have late-afternoon classes of their own.

Each program has its own free trial class, which works as a day pass: newcomers can try different programs, meet members and staff, and use training gear the school provides, with no obligation to join.