INSTRUCTORS

Larry Yap – Senior Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Instructor

Lawrence (Larry) Yap is a retired US Army ranger with over 40 years of martial arts experience. He received his black belt in Gracie jiu-jitsu from Rorion Gracie in 2013. He also earned black belts in Hapkido from Grandmaster Song S. Choi, and in Judo/Midori Yama Budokai Japanese Jiu-jitsu from Sensei Frank Barry. He has competed in amateur boxing (AAU and PAL) and Muay Thai (under Kru Takkratoke) since age 10. His wide-ranging fight experiences include all-service military Muay Thai bouts (Nakorn Si Thammarat) and U.S.-Thai friendship competitions (Lumpini and City Hall, Saraburi, Thailand). Larry wrestled at both the high school and collegiate levels at the University of Missouri. In 1989, he began his Gracie Jiu-jitsu training under Relson Gracie and Romolo Barros in the garage in Hawaii Kai and at the University of Hawaii, eventually earning his purple belt. In 1992, he began competing in no-gi, sambo, and MMA competitions (California, Las Vegas, Florida, Hawaii, UAE, Brazil, Thailand, Korea and Japan). Larry retired from competition in 2000. Today, Larry is back in the game and committed to improving his teaching skills as an NKAGJJN instructor, certified Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy black belt instructor as a coach and instructor. Larry is a Chesapeake resident and the father of two Grassfield High School graduates.

Bill Odom, an 8th degree black belt, is an accomplished martial artist with over 50 years experience as a Tang Soo Do practitioner and instructor. He traces his martial arts lineage to some of the world’s most respected masters. He began martial arts training in Thailand at age ten and developed his foundational skills under the tutelage of James K. Roberts, Sr. in Springfield, Virginia. After ten years of karate training, he joined the US Army. During his 25 years of military service commanding infantry units including Army Rangers, he acquired a wide-ranging knowledge of other martial arts and honed his teaching skills. He developed a combatives program for over 14,000 soldiers serving in Korea, has taught men and women of all ages, and is a former nationally ranked competitor. He continues his martial arts education with regular training sessions at the famous Gracie University and is currently a black belt jiu-jitsu student of Rorion, Ryron, and Rener Gracie. He established the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Certified Training Center® and is a certified Level 4 instructor. Today, he possesses the experience, knowledge, skill, mature judgment, and commitment to excellence found only in the best instructors. He is a Norfolk resident and father of four, including a graduate of Maury High School.

Kevin West – Senior Karate Instructor

Kevin West is a 5th degree black belt in Tang Soo Do, certified through the World Dang Soo Do Association. He has over 35 years of experience in martial arts training including a 3rd degree black belt in Black Dragon Kung Fu, a brown belt in Tenshin Style Aikido and a blue belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu. He has also trained in Valencia Lameco Eskrima, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, and Yang Style Tai Chi. His aikido, eskrima and kung fu training has included staff, spear, sword, stick and knife. Between 1990 and 1993, he competed in amateur and professional kickboxing. Kevin emphasizes the development of fundamental skills, practical self-defense, and improvised technique. Kevin teaches the intermediate level children’s karate classes and adult karate classes.

Aubrey Odom – Mat Munchkin Instructor and Children’s Beginner Karate Instructor

Mark Ammerman – Gracie Combatives® and Master Cycle® Instructor

Mark Ammerman is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt and a certified Gracie Jiu-Jitsu instructor. He retired from the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) where he was the senior defensive tactics inspector responsible for traveling throughout the state observing law enforcement training. He teaches Gracie Combatives® and Master Cycle® classes. He is also certified to teach the Gracie Survival Tactics® course and assists law enforcement organizations statewide with defensive tactics training.

Preston Aldridge – Children’s Intermediate Karate Instructor

Preston Aldridge has been a student at Norfolk Karate Academy since the age of 5 and is now a first-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and a blue belt in Gracie Jiu-jitsu. He has taken on the role of the intermediate kids’ karate instructor and continues to share his love of martial arts with others. He is a student at Old Dominion University, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

Brad Taylor – Gracie Combatives® Instructor

Brad Taylor is a 1st degree black belt at Norfolk Karate Academy and purple belt in Gracie jiu-jitsu. He was one of our first students to compete in full-contact mixed martial arts. Brad was also one of our first students to earn his blue belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and was among the first certified Gracie Combatives® instructors. Brad’s wife and two kids have also earned black belts at NKA and blue belts in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Brad was the first person in the world to train and promote two U.S. Navy sailors to blue belt through the Gracie University while at sea. He currently teaches Gracie Combatives® classes in Norfolk.

Amal Bouh – Women Empowered® Program Director

Amal Bouh is a pink belt in Women Empowered, a blue belt in Tang Soo Do, and a three-stripe blue belt in Gracie Jiu-jitsu. After completing the Women Empowered curriculum, earning her pink belt with flying colors, and attending the Instructor Certification Program in Torrance, CA, she is now the program director for the Women Empowered program. A graduate of the Old Dominion University nursing program, Amal works as a pediatric ICU nurse at CHKD.

Robert Timmons – Assistant Little Champs Instructor and Assistant Mat Munchkins Instructor

Robert is a purple belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. He teaches the Little Champs Bullyproof class to children ages 5-8 and assists with the Mat Munchkins class. He is a student at Old Dominion University, majoring in Cybersecurity, and will be receiving his Master’s degree in the same.

Clae Duty – Assistant Children’s Karate Instructor and Assitant Bullyproof Instructor

Clae is a first-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and a one-stripe blue belt in Gracie Jiu-jitsu. He has been training at Norfolk Karate Academy since 2019 and made the transition to an assistant instructor in 2024, helping with both the children’s karate program and the Bullproof program. He is a student at Granby High School.

Ethan Barron – Assistant Children’s Karate Instructor and Assitant Bullyproof Instructor

Ethan Barron is a brown belt in Tang Soo Do and a blue belt in Gracie Jiu-jitsu. He has been training at Norfolk Karate Academy since 2015. He is an assistant instructor for both our children’s karate program and our Bullyproof program. He is a student at Norfolk Christian Academy and will be attending Willam & Mary in the fall.