Barongan Kempo Karate

Barongan Kempo Karate teaches Chinese Kempo Karate and Filipino martial arts, with a curriculum built around self-defense, traditional kata, and weapons training. The style has been taught in Des Moines since 1973 and has evolved over time while keeping the work of its past instructors in view. Students learn stick fighting, bladed weaponry, and close-quarters combat alongside empty-hand techniques.

The school was founded by Soke Bobby Barongan, who came to the art from the Philippines and has studied martial arts since 1963. Weapons instruction begins earlier in the progression than many students expect, and the school is at 810 Emma Ave in Des Moines.