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Sequim-Carlsborg, WA Martial Arts Classes for Kids and Adults

Sequim-Carlsborg, WA Martial Arts Classes: Three independent martial arts groups offer classes out of the mat space located at 1600 Carlsborg Road in Sequim-Carlsborg, WA. Experienced Karate, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and Krav Maga instructors have lessons six days a week for both children and adults. Check out the articles on this page for more information or go to the home page for the schedule and to get in touch with the group(s) of your choice!

BJJ in Sequim at Solarte BJJ

Solarte BJJ in Sequim

Solarte offers BJJ in Sequim for adults, youth and young children. We have classes six days a week, flexible pricing and a welcoming family-friendly atmosphere.

What is Brazilian Jiu-jitsu?

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is a combat martial art which uses leverage to control bigger, stronger opponents. BJJ has become popular for its use in sports such as Mixed Martial Arts as well as in self-defense systems used by law enforcement and the military.

At Solarte, our games-based training helps youth and adult students learn quickly and safely while having fun. Unlike many youth martial arts programs, Solarte does NOT have a lower-ranking adult student teaching the class. All li’l ones (ages 4-8) and youth classes (ages 8-14) are taught by the head instructor to ensure that everyone is getting the highest quality instruction.

Our adult classes offer more tailored training based on each student’s goals. Some people are more concerned about self-defense while others want to test themselves in competition. We adjust the lessons accordingly. Whatever your focus, you’ll get in shape, develop new levels of confidence, challenge yourself and meet new friends!

Who’s Teaching BJJ in Sequim

Jenn Lozada is an experienced, longtime instructor under Rob Biernacki of Island Top Team. She’s patient, knowledgeable and cares about every student on the mats. She regularly travels and studies to ensure the club uses the most effective training strategies. This is especially important because, unlike many traditional martial arts, BJJ is constantly evolving and changing.

Here’s what some of our students and visitors have said about Solarte:

“World class instruction, friendly environment, and great people to train with!” —D. Robbins

“Great place with kind people and knowledgeable instructors! Also they have really fair pricing and are all around pretty flexible.” —B. Freeman

“At Solarte there’s a strong emphasis on fundamentals, clear lesson plans that build on each other, and individual instruction. It has allowed me to grow quickly. It’s a great group of people. Everyone I’ve met is very safe, helpful, and friendly. If you’re at all interested in trying BJJ I can’t recommend stopping in enough.” —M. Boensel

“Jen is a great teacher for both children and adults. In my forty years of martial arts I have never found a more knowledgeable and dedicated instructor to her art and her students. I would recommend it for anybody of all ages and ability. I’ve never seen anybody better working with students.” —D. Hoban

Contact us:

To learn more about BJJ in Sequim at Solarte, visit our website SolarteBJJ.com. Our schedule and pricing there is always up-to-date. You can also find us on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

Krav Maga in Sequim

Train Krav Maga in Sequim at 1600 Carlsborg Road! Krav Maga is an effective, modern and very dynamic self defense and fighting system. It was developed in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s to help the Jewish people protect themselves. Krav Maga was not introduced into the United States until the 1980s, but it was soon adopted by the military and many law enforcement agencies.

The Benefits of Training Krav Maga

The primary goal in Krav Maga is to keep you and those you care about safe. We incorporate situational awareness, de-escalation and avoidance into our training and scenarios. But when confronted with a violent encounter, Krav Maga offers a skill set and mind set for surviving the situation. 

Krav Maga training can be intense—both physically and mentally. The physical nature of the training improves endurance and strength. The mental aspects will help you make hard decisions in stressful situations.

About the Instructor for Krav Maga in Sequim

Jeremy Jacobs has been training Krav Maga for over eight years. He’s a retired firefighter from Las Vegas with 30+ years of street experience. He works with students from a variety of backgrounds—youth, teens, men and women—helping them build strength, resilience and confidence. Contact Jeremy at (702) 285-1058 to learn more about training Krav Maga for self defense.

Jeremy Jacob, Krav Maga Instructor

Solarte: Sequim’s Premier Jiu Jitsu Program

Since 2017, Solarte BJJ has offered a six-day schedule of jiu jitsu training for both kids and adults. This makes Solarte the first fully-fledged BJJ and submission grappling program in the Sequim/Carlsborg, WA area.

We welcome you to experience top notch instruction, a welcoming atmosphere and the healthy lifestyle promoted by Solarte BJJ. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a combat martial art made famous by the UFC/mixed martial arts events. However, Solarte offers a very different vibe from an MMA gym.

What are jiu jitsu classes like at Solarte?

You’ll notice it when you walk in the door. The space is simple and clean. There’s a view of a field and mountains outside the large windows. During classes, people often laugh and ask questions. We believe you SHOULD question the instructors. It’s our job to help you understand and learn. It’s never your fault for “not getting it.”

We welcome people of all levels of fitness and experience. The people at Solarte are warm, fun and helpful. We also care about providing you with the best instruction and a supportive training environment. There are no beginner, intermediate and advanced classes since groups are small and training is tailored to each student. It’s like a group private lesson every time.

You don’t have to buy any special equipment or uniforms to start training. Active wear is fine. We recommend compression/fitted athletic tops and leggings + shorts or workout pants with a drawstring. A simple “boil and bite” mouthguard is also recommended. Eventually, you will want to invest in a BJJ-specific gi. (Sorry folks, but your old Karate or Taekwondo gi won’t hold up.)

Adult classes are one hour. Youth classes are 45 minutes. The warm up uses movements that will blend right into the main lesson. The instructor explains the hows and whys, the concepts + the movements/techniques. At the end of class, we play training games to help you tie in the ideas and techniques with different levels of resistance. This lets you safely learn through trial and error, plus the games are fun! After the one-hour class, there’s usually at least a half hour to hour of open mat time for sparring (called “rolling”) and/or drilling and stretching. Rolling is only allowed with the permission of the instructor and is supervised for safety. If you’re brand new to jiu jitsu, don’t worry. We’re not expecting you to start sparring on day one!

What can jiu jitsu do for you?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu makes you stronger, in shape, more flexible, confident. If you’re someone who’s shy, it helps you find an inner strength you didn’t think was possible. For those who have always been strong, it’s deeply humbling.

Everyone who falls in love with this challenging martial art finds it’s an endlessly interesting puzzle. Once you get into jiu-jitsu, you’ll never be bored. Your opponents/training partners present a moving, living puzzle that you’ll work hard to figure out. In the process, your life changes for the better. Our club members all have stories of losing weight, eating healthier, taking better care of themselves and feeling happier overall because of training.

But you won’t know until you try it. Contact Solarte BJJ today and feel free to ask any questions of the head coach, Jenn Lozada. She’ll be happy to help you out!

How much do jiu jitsu classes cost? How’s the quality of the instruction?

Solarte offers a variety of membership levels with discounts for military, law enforcement, emergency personnel, senior and students. There are also pay-by-the class options ($5-$15 per class, self-determined scale) via cash, check, Venmo and PayPal—look for solartebjj or jenn@solartebjj.com. No one will be turned away due to inability to pay.

The instructors at Solarte have years of experience and the head instructor is constantly seeking the best methods to help students achieve their goals. The concept-based instruction can speed up skills development significantly compared to traditional BJJ instruction. For people who have trained in a classical BJJ gym, the methods might be different from what they’re used to. But we believe in what actually works instead of sticking to tradition simply because “well, we’ve always done it that way”. As the premier U.S. affiliate of Island Top Team, we are part of an international movement to improve the way jiu jitsu is taught. All striping and promotions are conducted directly by the world-renowned instructor and concept-based jiu jitsu innovator, Rob Biernacki. Click here to learn more about Rob and Island Top Team.

When are classes? How can I learn more?

Please check out the online calendar which is always kept up-to-date with upcoming seminars, closures and events. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Click here and contact us today to begin your jiu jitsu journey!

You can also text or call head coach, Jenn Lozada, at 360-808-3197.

Three other independently-run programs are offered at this mat space. Check out the home page for the full schedule!

Capoeira in Sequim: Come play!

Capoeira in Sequim is every Sunday 10am to Noon

Capoeira Angola Oxossi incorporates curriculum based on the skills, knowledge, philosophy and folklore of the traditional Brazilian folk sport/art of Capoeira Angola.  The core of the teachings were imparted to our teacher Pererê (Eric Johnson) by his teacher, Mestre Nô (Norival Moreira de Oliveira) of Bahia. Capoeira Angola Oxossi is made up of multiple groups spread all across the United States. You can experience Capoeira in Sequim on Sundays with Dentista (Joseph Churchill), the instructor of the group.

Students learn and apply the fundamentals of situational awareness, critical thinking/strategy, movement skills, and self-defense through the rites of the game (roda). The roda equals and reflects the circumstances of our lives – of its perils and beauties, and also its potentials for success and transformation. It re-enacts a hero’s journey, the path of the Sun, the cycles of nature and more.

About the Instructor

Joseph Churchill began his journey as a student of Pererê’s about 9 years ago in Omaha, Nebraska with instructors Rato and Pensador. Through the joy of embodying these dynamic and practical movement patterns, learning to navigate the roda, and simply remembering how to play, he has found this art to be deeply transformative. For those seeking practical skills for wellness, those who might feel trapped by the circumstances of their lives, those who are explorers of movement, and those seeking to deepen their connection to nature, Capoeira Angola Oxossi has much to offer.

Come play!

Contact us and learn more about Capoeira in Sequim…

Joseph & Theresa Churchill: (425) 698-0672, Facebook.com/opcapoeira

Sequim Karate Club: Over 25 Years of Martial Arts Training

The Sequim Karate Club at 1600 Carlsborg Road was built by Karate instructor, Bob Stacey, over 20 years ago as his martial arts studio. Bob has been teaching adults and children martial arts there for over 25 years.

Sequim Karate Club Focuses On:

  • Proven, no nonsense movements designed for efficiency and to end things quickly.
  • Various levels of force to be used based on the level of threat.
  • Defenses including threats from strikes, sticks, knives and guns.

As Bob says, “We train for force, speed and accuracy with a variety of equipment as well as with partners in a safe, controlled environment. We stress the principles behind the techniques, natural body mechanics and instinctive responses.”

Student at the Sequim Karate Club Gain:

  • Flexibility of mind and body
  • Quick decision making
  • Physical agility and quickness
  • Balance, power and fitness
  • Skills for solo training
  • Confidence based on actual achievement

Frequently Asked Questions:

How long does this take?
Martial arts is an opportunity for lifelong learning, but you’ll notice progress within about six months. Everyone learns at their own rate, but steady training will result in steady improvement.

Aren’t you just promoting more violence?
No. We are striving to put an end to criminal violence directed at us or other innocent people. We try to use minimal force. Defending yourself is a choice, but only if you know how.

Is this a safe thing to do?
It depends on how a person trains. Martial arts are not without risk. We train as realistically as possible while maintaining a priority on safety.

Does it make people over confident, cocky with an attitude of having “something to prove”?
Usually no. Through training, people quickly come to understand their own vulnerabilities which inspires them to avoid violence.

A Statement from Bob Stacey on Sequim Karate Club Training

As parents, we strive for years to teach our children to be safe in many risky areas of life such as safety Bob Stacey Sequim Karate Clubwith fire, food, driving, drugs, sex, etc., as we should. Yet we don’t always do much to prepare our sons and daughters for the shocking reality of intentional human-caused violence that we all know is much too common. This is because most people don’t know what to teach or if it’s even possible to defend oneself. However, this knowledge is available, learnable and effective! Once learned, it can serve to prevent and minimize harm.

I want to share what I have learned in the last 35 years of training to help more people to be safe and strong. Let’s give our kids the permission, knowledge and training they need to greatly increase their chances of coming home safe. This could easily be the most important thing that we ever give our kids!

— Bob Stacey

To contact the Sequim Karate Club, call or text Bob Stacey:
(360) 477-3307 mobile or (360) 683-2861 land line

Visit the home page for the complete schedule of all classes offered at the Sequim Karate Club. You can also check out the other martial arts groups that operate out of the same mat space: