The Open Matt

This place is the best sanctuary for healing, strengthening your body and improving your confidence that I’ve ever found. The instructors are knowledgeable but not intimidating. Their intentionally relaxed atmosphere is very different than other martial arts or yoga studios and makes for an open and comfortable environment. I cannot recommend this place enough — I’m hooked and want more great people to come discover this awesome gym.

Located in the sunny Oakland embarcadero it is an easy location with plenty of parking. Matt Lucas is the head Sensei but this is not your run of the mill Dojo. It’s not the sort of place that is concerned with hierarchies or belts or uniforms etc. You will get a thorough & challenging workout without any macho bravado. The intention here is to create a place for people to practice. The development and maintenance of your personal practice is the priority and there is a great community of people who share and support each other in that. I love that Matt approaches martial arts and yoga from a health perspective. His knowledge is vast and his 30+ years of hands on experience give him the unique ability to see where you are in your health & fitness and tailor the workout to fit your needs. He is a walking encyclopedia of fitness knowledge but you might not guess it from a passing glance since it’s all packaged in a humble and extremely funny personality.
My practice has reached a whole new level in the year that I’ve been here. I’ve discovered muscles I didn’t know I had. I’ve discovered the therapeutic benefit of punching & kicking pads and the important feedback that comes from making contact. My balance has improved a hundred fold through regular YAMA practice (yoga-​as-​martial-​arts). I’ve learned some life saving lessons in self defense and am retraining my nervous system to relax in stressful situations. The stuff you learn here extends into all areas of your life– it is Empowerment training at it’s finest!
Oh, and btw, the living room here doubles as a sweet & intimate music venue for local artists to share their music. There is also a community garden out front and visitors are often asked to share in the bounty… This place rocks! Come have fun and get strong in the process! The Open Matt kicks ass!

I love The Open Matt! Since coming here just over a month ago, it’s like inheriting a family. Matt is so easy to work with, you feel comfortable right away with his aura and calmness and his eagerness to teach and talk with you.
Small classes and personalized help with your needs and desires to be there.

I have trained in martial arts my entire life, and Matt is the guy I work with now. I live in San Francisco, but taking BART across the bay to come here is more valuable than teaching I could get anywhere closer. Matt is not only extremely knowledgeable, he is the best martial artist I have met — certainly for one his age — and his love of teaching and of the art make each class incredibly rewarding.
Plus, there are HUGE bean bags.

Even though there are several martial arts schools a few blocks from my house, I bike 7 miles to get here.
I come here to workout, to relax listening to live music, to make art and to drink tea with friends.
The quality of the people and the personalized instruction is why I’m a regular.