About Us

Known simply as “The Dojo” when it first opened in downtown Eugene in 1988, Best Martial Arts Institute has since established itself as a respected part of the Eugene/Springfield, Oregon community. Under the guidance of Shihan Alan Best, the institute offers training programs in a variety of disciplines for martial artists of all skill levels. From hosting seminars with world-renowned masters, to holding sleepovers for kids; Best Martial Arts Institute is a place where teachers and dedicated students pursue the martial arts with a passion. We train with intensity, sincerity, humility, joy, and a bit of humor to lighten the way.

When The Dojo opened, Shihan Best had just spent six years completely immersed in martial arts training as an uchideshi (apprentice). He was regularly training over six hours a day. He was prepared to open his own school and believed that, if martial arts was truly the correct path for his life, he should be able to find success anywhere. If not, he should do something else. Ready for the challenge, he dropped a finger on a map and landed in Eugene.

With a group of nine students in the first month and only two classes a week to teach, Sensei Best had the dojo up and running! Now in its 35th year, BMAI has four complete martial arts programs, the largest and most experienced teaching staff in the area, the biggest training facility in Eugene, and classes 6 days a week.

One thing has never changed over the years (and never will) – our adherence to the tenets of the arts we teach:

• Modesty
• Perseverance
• Self Control
• Indomitable Spirit
• Etiquette

It’s the constant focus on the values and philosophy of martial arts that has made BMAI a welcoming environment for thousands of students over the years. It’s become a second home (and a second family) to countless people. The dojo has been around long enough for some of those early students to carry the principles learned at BMAI with them all the way from Kindergarten through Graduate School. It’s a place where everyone is treated with courtesy and respect. It’s a place where everyone is encouraged to challenge themselves to become the best they can be, while learning to appreciate who they are right now. We are part of a martial arts tradition that began long before us, and it is our privilege to share it with others. That’s what martial arts at BMAI is all about.