Karate Instructors

Alan Best is the founder and chief instructor of Best Martial Arts Institute in Eugene, Oregon. Sensei Best began his training in 1974 in Missoula, Montana under Larry Foust, a student of Grand Master Ken (Kyung Ho) Min. In 1978, Best became a student of Kancho Shigeki Umemoto, the founder of Toushi Kan Karate, who is also a taekwondo, judo and hapkido master under Grand Master Jae Ho Park.

In 1980, Best earned his black belt in both karate and taekwondo. From 1980-1991 he competed in eight U.S. National Taekwondo Championships, placing in the top 8 four of those years. In 1986, he won the heavyweight division at the Asia-Pacific Full Contact Kyokushin Karate Championships.

In 1982, at 18, Best was accepted as an uchideshi (apprentice) under Master Umemoto. He spent the next six years completely immersed in training and teaching martial arts. During this time he trained in karate, taekwondo, judo, hapkido, and kendo. He lived off a small stipend and spent 12-14 hours a day at the dojo.

In 1988, Sensei Best made the decision to take the challenge of opening his own school. He dropped a finger on a map and landed in Eugene, Oregon, where he has been teaching and practicing the martial arts ever since.

Sensei Best has been the martial arts coordinator for the Oregon Asian Celebration since 2003 and Regional Coordinator for Washington and Oregon for the United States Judo Association since 2010. He founded the Pacific Martial Arts Conference in 2007.

Sensei Best holds the following black belt ranks: Karate – 6th dan, Taekwondo – 6th dan, Hapkido – 4th dan, Judo – 4th dan, Aikido – 2nd dan