Filipino Martial Arts
in Bellevue, WA
Authentic Balintawak Eskrima and Pekiti Tirsia Kali under verified lineage. Weapon-based systems, reaction training, and the living heritage of Filipino combat arts.
Balintawak Eskrima — Kali — Arnis
Filipino Martial Arts — known as Kali, Eskrima, or Arnis depending on region and context — is the indigenous combat tradition of the Philippines. Arnis is the official national sport and martial art of the Philippines. All three terms refer to the same family of arts; what separates the systems is lineage, methodology, and emphasis.
At Warrior Strength, we train specifically in Balintawak Eskrima — a close-range, weapon-based system developed in Cebu, Philippines by Venancio "Anciong" Bacon. Balintawak is built around economy of movement, reaction, and timing at close quarters. Skill is developed through one-on-one responsive drilling called cuentada — you learn to react, not memorize.
We also train in Pekiti Tirsia Kali under the lineage of Grand Tuhon Leo Gaje III — one of the most respected weapons-based systems in the world. Together, these lineages give our FMA program exceptional depth and authenticity.
The stick is a training tool. The principles it develops — sensitivity, timing, close-range control, and decisive action — transfer directly to empty-hand application. This is not a hobbyist art. It is a functional, heritage-driven system with a verifiable line of transmission.
Verified Lineage. Real Transmission.
Our Filipino Martial Arts program is led by Kru Yai Belton Lubas — a Guro / FQI Level 7 in Taboada Balintawak under Grand Master Bobby Taboada, and a Tuhon in Pekiti Tirsia Kali under Grand Tuhon Leo Gaje III.
In 2019, Kru Yai Belton Lubas was inducted into the Masters Hall of Fame for his contributions to Filipino Martial Arts. He also serves as West Coast Director for NSI (Natural Spirit International).
GM Bobby Taboada has spent decades preserving and transmitting authentic Balintawak outside the Philippines. Training under this lineage means you are learning the system as it was intended to be taught — through direct physical engagement, progressive correction, and real development of reflexes under pressure.
For practitioners in the Bellevue area and across the Eastside, this level of authentic FMA instruction is rare. Most people travel internationally to access it.
Natural Spirit International
Natural Spirit International (NSI) is an organization rooted in the preservation and transmission of authentic Filipino Martial Arts traditions. Its foundation is built on the principles of natural movement, functional timing, and the kind of sensitivity that only develops through years of direct, hands-on training.
NSI's approach to Filipino Martial Arts is not performance-based or sport-oriented. It is grounded in the practical, cultural, and historical roots of Filipino fighting systems — emphasizing the development of genuine skill through correct body mechanics, close-range awareness, and disciplined repetition.
Central to NSI's philosophy is the influence of Balintawak Eskrima — a system built around close-range engagement, refined reflexes, and the development of sensitivity through one-on-one responsive drilling. The Balintawak methodology aligns directly with NSI's emphasis on functional movement and timing over memorized patterns or performance forms.
Kru Yai Belton Lubas serves as West Coast Director for NSI, bringing that lineage and philosophy directly into the Warrior Strength FMA program. What is taught here is not adapted or abbreviated — it is the system as it exists within a verified chain of transmission, applied with the same standards of discipline and cultural respect that define the organization.
For those in the Bellevue area and across the Pacific Northwest, access to this level of NSI-affiliated Filipino Martial Arts instruction is rare. The work done inside this program is a direct continuation of a living tradition.
Core Principles of NSI
Natural Movement
Techniques are built on how the body naturally moves and responds — not forced patterns or choreographed sequences.
Functional Timing
Skill is measured by the ability to respond correctly under real pressure, not by performance in isolation.
Sensitivity & Touch
Close-range training develops the tactile awareness to read an opponent's intent through physical contact — a hallmark of Balintawak methodology.
Cultural Preservation
NSI treats Filipino Martial Arts as a living cultural heritage to be preserved and passed on with integrity, not commercialized or diluted.
Connection at Warrior Strength
Who Trains Here
Martial Arts Practitioners
If you train in another system and want to develop weapon awareness, close-range control, and reaction-based defense, FMA adds a dimension most systems don't cover. The timing and sensitivity developed here carry directly into striking and grappling.
Those With Filipino Heritage
FMA is embedded in the cultural fabric of the Philippines. For members of the Filipino community across the Eastside — Bellevue, Redmond, and beyond — this is an opportunity to reconnect with that heritage through authentic, lineage-driven practice.
Beginners & Self-Defense Focused
No martial arts background required. Balintawak is built for real-world applicability — reaction over memorization, efficiency over complexity. Skills are developed under pressure from the beginning.
What FMA Develops
Authentic FMA on the Eastside
Finding authentic Filipino Martial Arts instruction with a verifiable lineage in the Pacific Northwest is not easy. We're based in Bellevue and serve practitioners from across the greater Eastside — Kirkland, Newcastle, Mercer Island, Redmond, Issaquah, and Sammamish. If you've been looking for legitimate Balintawak Eskrima or Kali training with a real chain of transmission, this is where it lives.