Karate

BMAI is the home of Saizen Karate – a comprehensive martial system that includes strikes, kicks, blocks, chokes, joint-locks, pressure points, hold-downs, escapes, and weapons practice. It encompasses everything from traditional forms practice to highly effective self-defense moves. Saizen Karate is a complete martial arts experience. The real emphasis, though, is on mental, physical, and spiritual fitness. It is an exhilarating workout that challenges students to work toward their personal goals while enjoying the journey with a community of fantastic people!

Karate as a Way of Life

Karate at BMAI is not taught as a way of fighting, it is a way of improving one’s life. The full name of the art is “Karate-do.” It is made of three Japanese ideograms (called kanji). The first is “kara,” which means “empty.” It denotes emptiness of ego and an ability to always learn because the emptiness leaves room for more. The second is “Te,” which means “hands.” Te is one of the ancient names of this beautiful art from the time when it was only known to a few people on the island of Okinawa.

So, “Karate” can be translated as “Empty Handed Fighting,” but a truer meaning is to practice the ancient art of Te with an empty mind. The third kanji is “Do,” which means “Way or Path.” This means that the art is being studied as a path towards self-perfection. A student of karate-do is pursuing the art of karate for his/her personal betterment, not just as a means to defeat others. At BMAI the study of karate-do becomes a metaphor through which one’s own life is studied and improved

Experience Karate at BMAI

The teachers at BMAI have created a very safe, friendly, and positive atmosphere to learn karate for self-defense, fitness, and as a way of life. All classes are carefully supervised by certified black belt instructors.

Anyone interested in joining is welcome to observe training at the school. We even offer a Free Week of lessons to give you a chance to try our classes before signing up. Call us at 541-345-0684, or email us at info@bmai.org, to schedule your first free class!

Benefits of Karate

• Learn effective self-defense skills
• Strengthen your determination and perseverance
• Improve your balance, flexibility, strength, and body awareness
• Gain self-confidence
• Reduce stress
• Get in shape
• Maintain an active lifestyle
• Belong to a community of supportive, respectful people

Class Details

• New students are welcome at any time
• Open to men and women, and boys and girls from absolute beginners to black belts
• Ages 5 to adult
• A white uniform is required after one month (available at BMAI)
• Membership is on a month-to-month basis
• No initiation fees
• See our FAQ page for membership fees and more information

Who Can Practice?

Karate is a self-protection system that can be practiced by people of all ages. BMAI has a Kinder Karate Program for 5 year olds, Karate For Kids Program for ages 6-12, and a program for teens and adults (ages 12 and older). Students of varying sizes and skill levels practice and learn together at BMAI.

What to Expect

As a beginning student you will be led step-by-step through warm-up, stretching, and conditioning exercises. You will be introduced to basic stances and stepping methods, and principles for generating maximum power through proper body movement. You will also be introduced to blocking, striking, and kicking techniques.

All techniques will be practiced repeatedly to gain confidence and control before safely beginning simulated fighting drills with other students. You will practice countless varieties of drills with targets and kicking bags to provide a safe way to develop power and accuracy, and also ensure a really great workout! The knowledgeable instructors at BMAI will encourage you to train safely as they closely follow your progress and encourage you in your pursuit of Karate.

What is Saizen Karate?

Saizen Karate is a unique system developed by BMAI Founder, Shihan Alan Best. Thousands of students have trained under Shihan Best since he began teaching his methods in Eugene in 1988. At the core of the art are kicking, striking, and blocking techniques from the dynamic martial arts of Karate and Taekwondo. These two arts have much in common and perfectly complement one another.

The style is strengthened by the addition of techniques from other fighting traditions from around the world. The system helps students achieve a high level of physical fitness while learning to protect themselves.

Here are some of the techniques and principles that students learn in the BMAI System:

• From Karate – Learn focused discipline, stable stances, and strong balance. Improve your coordination and hand speed while learning hundreds of variations of blocking and striking techniques.
• From Taekwondo – Learn quick, complex footwork patterns; endless varieties of jumping, hopping, and leg-strengthening drills; and over 100 varieties of kicks – including many flying and spinning kicks.
• From Judo – Get rigorous workouts with tumbling and wrestling drills, and learn efficient use of power while throwing, and grappling.
• From Hapkido – Study pressure points, joint locks, simple ways to escape when grabbed, and how to control an attacker with minimal effort.
• From Aikido – Blend with an attacker’s energy, move in harmony with the attacker, avoid conflict, and de-escalate the situation as quickly as possible.