Kali Academy Instructor Team
Erol Weber
Guro Erol Weber began studying martial arts at the age of 10, in the age of Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee.
Certifications:
-1st Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do (TKD) under Master Moon Song, and through the Kukkiwon official governing body of the World TKD Federation.
-Advanced Instructor in Cadell Tanikala de Serrada Eskrima (Cabales lineage), a Filipino close-quarter weapons system.
-Full Instructor in Apex Kali FMA
-Associate Instructor in the Apex Integrated Method, Jeet Kune Do, and Maphilindo Silat.
-Full Instructor in WOTBAG method of Balintawak Arnis, under Grand Master Monie Velez, Cebu, Philippines.
Lynn Varghese
Guro Lynn Varghese started her Martial Arts journey in 2012, by studying Guro Dan Inosanto's DVD "Training in the Martial Arts." She began formal training in 2013 at Apex Training Center under the instruction of Guro Matt Stumpf. Lynn trained at ACG (Applied Combatives Group) for about 1 year. She obtained her instructorship in 2017 through Apex Training Center. She has been our administrator and social media coordinator for the past 3 years, taught a women's program, and assisted with the children's program on a regular basis as well. Lynn is now training and testing under Guro Rick Faye of the Minnesota Kali Group (MKG) as an instructor in the MKG method.
Certificates under Guro Joe Craig (Apex Training Center):
Instructor in the Apex Integrated Method
Associate Instructor in the LaCoste/Inosanto Method of Filipino Martial Arts
Apprentice Instructor in the Jun Fan Gung Fu/Jeet Kune Do. The Art and Philosophy of Bruce Lee.
Apprentice Instructor in Maphilindo Silat Guro Dan Inosanto Method
Certificates under Guro Rick Faye:
Phase 1.1 MKG Method
Phase 1.2 MKG Method
Women's Self Defense, Cardio Kickboxing, Weight Training, Kali, Boxing and Muay Thai.
Allan Wiggins
Guro Allan Wiggins, USMC ret., has studied dozens of fighting systems over 50 years of martial arts experience. He has helped run programs in numerous schools and U.S. Government facilities over the years. Allan has been affiliated with Apex Training Systems for the past 15 years, and is proudly recently retired from U.S. civil service, and now teaches on a regular basis.
Allan is an instructor in the following:
- Tae Kwon Do - 1976-1983, (ITF) Hawaii, Master Park,1st Degree in 1981, 1976-1981, Richmond, Virginia. 2nd Degree under Master Seung-gyu Dong, 1983, Richmond, VA.
- State prison Defensive Tactics and Firearms Instructor - 2001 + 6 mos. - Missouri Eastern Correctional Center, Pacific, Missouri.
- Apex Martial Arts - Associate Instructor, Apex Integrated Method, Kali, JKD, and Maphilindo Silat (2014).
Teaching Experience:
Instructor of Tae Kwon Do - 1980-1981
State prison Defensive Tactics and Firearms Instructor - 2001 + 6 mos.
Tae Kwon Do and Combat Skills Instructor - US ARMY and the Haliburton group - 2003 Camp Monteith, Kosovo 2004
Apex Martial Arts Academy, Full Instructor, Apex Integrated Method, Kali, JKD, and Maphilindo Silat, 2014 to present
Mike Suskin
Guro Michael Suskin, United States Marine Corps Retired, has been a lifelong martial artist. He began training in wrestling at the age of 5 years old, and hasn't stopped studying fighting methods since.
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​Teaching Experience:
​APEX Martial Arts Academy-
Instructor of Juniors Martial Arts
Adult and Juniors ground fighting
WOTBAG Balintawak Adult training
St. Charles, Missouri, 2018-2019
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​Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor Trainer, 2004 - 2007
Marine Corps Detachment Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
3rd Marine Logistics Group, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan
3rd Degree Black Belt (Recertification 19th September 2007), Okinawa, Japan
Instructor responsible for teaching (Marines and U.S Navy personnel attached to Marine Units) in hand-to-hand and close quarters techniques in unarmed combat, edged weapons, weapons of opportunity, rifle and bayonet techniques.
Developing the mental and character development, including the responsible use of force, leadership, and teamwork.
Joint Military Instruction Team for Mongolian Armed Forces in martial arts training and development, Mongolia, 2005
United States Army (Attached) 602 Arial Support Battalion, 2005
Pohang, Korea Republic of Korea (ROK), Marine Base Special Operations, 2005
Joint Military Instruction Team for Republic of Korean Marines in martial arts training and development.
Far East Director, Marine Corps Martial Arts Association of Instructors - covering Okinawa, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Philipines, and Guam, 2004-2007
3rd Place, Far East invitationals Greco Roman, Okinawa, Japan, 74 Kilos/163lbs, 2004
Doce Pere Escima Club
Liason and Instructor for joint training
Cebu, Phillipines, 1995, 2004
Rough House Full Contact Submission Wresting Coach
Tanaka Juku
Tsudanuma Distric, Narashino, Japan Shooto School
Naha, Okinawa, 2004 - 2007
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Ritche Gumahin
Guro Ritche Gumahin started training in martial arts when he was 12 years old in his hometown in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. His first style was Sikaran, a kicking art similar to Tae Kwon Do; then while in college he practiced JKA Karate. Beginning 1999, Ritche joined Apex Training and studied JKD and Kali under Guro Joe Craig, and Mande Muda Pencak Silat under Guro Roy Hagan. In 2004 he initially trained Balintawak under late GM Jorge Penafiel. Then, in 2006 he began training under his current Balintawak instructor master Eugene Nepangue, which led to studying with WOTBAG grandmasters GM Monie Velez and GM Eddie Velez in 2010. Ritche has been teaching Balintawak WOTBAG training progression for more than 10 years now, and is a master instructor under Master Eugene Nepangue.
Eric Jimenez
Guro Eric Jimenez is a Senior Instructor in the WOTBAG Balintawak system under GM Monie Velez. He began training WOTBAG with Master Ritche Gumahin in 2007, and teaching the system to supplement his learning and understanding of the art in 2009.
Eric began his martial arts training at the age of 6 in Kenpo with many instructors, but most notably Tim Golby, Joe Talbot and Sid Gee. He currently holds the rank of 4th Degree Black Belt. Additionally, Eric’s martial arts career include wrestling and Small Circle Ju Jitsu.
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Tobias Gibson
Guro Tobias Gibson, PhD (Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri)
As a professor of Political Science at Westminster College (Fulton, Missouri), Guro Tobias also has an extensive background in a variety of marital arts systems.
Instructor Certifications:
Dog Brothers Martial Arts (DBMA) Red Tag Instructor
Jeet Kune Do - Level 2 Instructor under Guro Burton Richardson
Pacific Archipelago Combatives - Level 7 Instructor
Knife and Unarmed Combatives - Level 4 Instructor under Guro Hock Hockheim
Apex Martial Arts - Associate Instructor Filipino Martial Arts (FMA)
Teaching Experience:
Mixed Martial Arts Club - Coadvisor, Instructor, Westminster College, 2012 - present
Filipino Martial Arts Club, Instructor 2008-2011 - Stephens College
Women's Self Defense - Seminar Instructor and Consultant to various Missouri Colleges (5 separate seminar cycles), 2008 - present
Security and Personal Defense Consultant - worked Concerts, Fairs, and personal security details of visiting officials.
Apex Martial Arts - Associate Instructor 2008 - Present
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Guro Tobias Gibson is Red Dog Tag Instructor of Dog Brothers Martial Arts (DBMA). He has been a student of Punong Guro Marc “Crafty Dog” Denny since 2008, as has been certified to teach DBMA since he became a Group Leader in 2009. Guro Tobias became a member of the Dog Brothers Tribe in 2013, and has fought twice in the Dog Brother “Gathering of the Pack.”
Being a student of Dog Brothers Martial Arts does not mean that you must fight in a Gathering or in class. “DBMA is ‘the system of many styles’ which has evolved out of the interplay of what we have been taught and our experience.” DBMA students benefit from the knowledge learned by those who often train in a high adrenal state. In short, DBMA is a system that has been tested in the laboratory of fighting. This allows our students to understand and maintain composure in high stress situations.
Guro Tobias began training in Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) and Jeet Kune Do (JKD) in 2005. He soon began to seek a different path, and has studied and is certified in several systems. In addition to DBMA, Guro Tobias is a first-generation student of Hock Hochheim, and is certified under Hock as an advanced instructor of Pacific Archipelago Combatives and Freelancer Filipino Combatives. He is also a certified Basic Instructor of Unarmed Combatives and Knife.
He was certified in Filipino Martial Arts through Guro Joe Craig of Apex Martial Arts in 2016 and is a level 2 instructor of Burton Richardson’s JKD Unlimited MMA for the Street.
Guro Tobias has taught martial arts and self defense since 2010. He served as the Westminster College MMA Club co-advisor for eight years. And, he has taken the fighting arts to the football field as a high school defensive line coach for five seasons and is now coaching at the collegiate level
Chris Allen
Guro Chris Allen,
Guro Chris had been part of the Saint Louis Science Center employee training program during both periods of time, and developed an affinity for the Filipino Martial Arts, and then the overall Apex Integrated Method of training. He and his daughter became part of the Apex Martial Arts family in 2015. Chris earned his Apprentice Instructorship in Kali (FMA) through Apex Martial Arts in 2018. Chris also earned his Basic Instructorship in Cadell Tanikala de Serrada Eskrima - Cabales Style under Guro Chuck Cadell and Personal Defense Solutions, May 2019
Teaching Experience:
-Assistant Instructor, Saint Louis Science Center employee martial arts program, 2014-2015
-Assistant Instructor, Apex Martial Arts Academy, Dragons, Juniors, and Adult martial arts programs, including Kali, Serrada Eskrima, Apex Integrated Method, and Jeet Kune Do, 2016 – present.