By Daniel Perez-Crouse
What started as private lessons at the PSU racquetball courts over 30 years ago is now one of the most successful and beloved martial arts academies in Portland. Northwest Fighting Arts founder and owner Jeff Patterson has cultivated an intensely passionate and loyal community of martial arts enthusiasts and experts.
As stated on his website, Patterson is renowned for his skills in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Eskrima, Tai Chi, Qigong, Muay Thai and Kenpo. He has achieved black belt equivalency in all these martial arts disciplines.
His passion for teaching bloomed while in college. An instructor he was training under saw his potential and asked if he’d give private lessons. He also told him it was vital to not just make a living, but find a life worth living.
“I probably could’ve gotten a job that paid better than teaching martial arts, but it’s just not what I was passionate about. I remember telling myself back in 1995, if I could just make $30,000 a year doing what I love, then I’d be happy. I never would’ve dreamed where it is now,” he said.
Despite his passion and current success, as Patterson zipped around different locations offering lessons in the early years, there were financial struggles.
“The first six to eight years, I was $150,000 in debt, and back then, that was worth more than my house. Then I started studying business. I got a couple of mentors in the martial arts business world and started following their systems and how to grow a business.”
Patterson secured a building on Grand Ave. for a time, but settled on its current SE Morrison St. location in 2007.
“Through the years, I’ve heard hundreds of testimonials on how it has positively changed people’s lives. Today, when I walked in here, on the doorstep of my building, there was a little box with a teacup and a stone that said ‘I love this place.’ You get little things like that and people showing their appreciation, and it makes it all worth it,” said Paterson.
The academy’s model is built on building a positive community. It is people’s family away from home. “That’s why we’ve had students who’ve been with us over 20 years. It is such an amazing environment, and there are so many amazing people coming through here. We’re always trying to grow and get better. We want it to be an evolving life practice and not just a hobby they do once in a while,” he said.
Moreover, all of the instructors at Northwest Fighting Arts came up training there. For example, Daniel Tran started there at nine years old in 2003 and is currently one of its coaches.
The academy offers lessons in Muay Thai Kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Tai Chi and more. They also have martial arts classes for kids.
When it comes to where people should start, Patterson says they should identify what sounds most fun or interesting amongst the different arts. “Our Thai boxing has always been the busiest program. However, Tai Chi and Chi Gong are right alongside it. In my noon class on Friday, there were 45 people,” said Patterson.
Patterson also stresses that it is a welcoming and inclusive space—especially for beginners. “People come here because they want to learn the art and join a positive community, and not some meathead gym where people are beating each other’s heads in. I want them to learn the strategy, skill and art behind it. I want people to be respectable and be good humans.”
Patterson says that while many come for the excitement of martial arts, they reap the rewards of their meditative practices and become more in tune with their bodies. This helps them reduce stress and perform better in other areas of life.
For those interested, they provide a free personal lesson if it is your first time attending a Portland martial arts school. If you decide to join, the first 30 days are also free, and a uniform is provided at no cost.
Northwest Fighting Arts
1200 SE Morrison St.
nwfighting.com
503.235.3435
Northwest Fighting Arts founder and owner Jeff Patterson. Photo by Patterson.
