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Aikido & Swordsmanship of Westchester is a respected traditional martial arts dojo established in 1997. Our purpose is to provide enjoyable, safe training to anyone who has a desire to learn.
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A fantastic dojo. The instructors are the best. Firestone Sensei is a life long practitioner and have a great sense of humor. You get to practice and laugh at the same time.
Sensei Douglas Firestone is great, classes are always nice and relaxed, with a good amount of exercise beyond learning Aikido techniques, good people and classes almost everyday!
A great workout for the kids, and I love that aikido is not about the combat. There teaching style is great. Kids learn respect for the practice, the place, their senseis, and each other.
Firestone Sensei is a great teacher!
He is kind and wants people to love Aikido as much as he does because he knows how positively it will change a life. His assistant instructors are tops and they share his love for people and Aikido.
The Battodo program is great also. Real Japanese swordsmanship taught by people who really love it and are all accomplished in the art.
If you're in the area and looking for a dojo, check this one out. Highly experienced, friendly and encouraging instructors providing safe and comprehensive guidance for practicing a wonderful and effective martial art, and they offer both Aikido and Iaido there. Great people, highly recommended.
Practicing Aikido at AOW is fun!
Aikido requires a commitment to hard work and regular practice, it takes a while to get the hang of it and can be very frustrating at times, what I love about Douglas Firestone the sensei or teacher at AOW is that he makes learning and practice fun. We have many different types of people at AOW, young middle and older ages, men and women, athletic and uncoordinated, people who train really hard and people who want to go a little slower, everyone is welcomed, and somehow Douglas connects with us all and helps us learn and makes us all feel good about what we are doing.
There is no aggression or competition at Aikido of Westchester, it is a great place to get some exercise, have fun, make friends, and learn a wonderful martial art.
I’m a Kyokushin Karate practitioner/instructor who began to train in 1992 in Japan. Kyokushin is a form of karate with an emphasis on bareknuckle full-contact kumite. After many years of intense training, I came to sense that there must be more to martial arts than the strength, speed, and stamina that most of Kyokushin training is focused on. So, I joined Aikido of Westchester in 2008, as I knew in theory that Aikido is supposed to allow one to use his/her opponent’s movement to execute a technique.
After taking several classes, I was just utterly amazed by the depth of the art - from the concept of kokyuho (way of breathing), kuzushi (breaking the opponent’s balance), unsoku (step-work), to the execution of nage (throwing) or kime (locking) techniques. I thought I knew a thing or two about martial arts but was shocked by how little I knew about the true potential of what 'budo' can encompass. Furthermore, it did not take much to realize that Douglas Sensei as well as all other instructors of this school were just excellent.
Contrary to what some people say, though, I don’t think Aikido is for everyone, as I believe it is too complex and in some ways too difficult particularly for the people with no prior experience in martial arts. This is precisely why the quality of instruction and learning environment is the key to learning Aikido. Unlike most martial arts dojos or athletic gyms, where your achievement largely rests on your own efforts, Aikido of Westchester offers the type of mentorship that effectively guides students with varying skill levels and makes the complex art of Aikido more accessible for them.
There are so many nonsensical (or BS) martial arts schools out there. For those who are looking for a school that is real and authentic, Aikido of Westchester is definitely it.
I've been training in martial arts since I was a teenager. Seen a lot of dojos, tried a bunch of styles, met a lot of instructors and fellow students. I say without exaggeration that Aikido of Westchester is the best school I have ever attended. The fact that it is an Aikido school (a supercool superfun martial art that anybody can do) is just a bonus, and if you are looking for the best Aikido/martial arts school in Westchester (or in my opinion one of the best in New York), well...this is it.
Need more info? Let's start with the instructor. The head instructor, Douglas Firestone, has dedicated his life to the study of Aikido and making sure those who train with him fall in love with the art. Douglas Sensei is one of only ~40 shihan (master-level instructors) in America and spent decades training with Yoshimitsu Yamada - one of the top Aikido masters in the world and quite possibly the highest ranking Aikido instructor in America - before opening up the Aikido of Westchester doors in 1997. Of course Douglas' technique and teaching ability are outstanding, but what makes him one of the best is his spirit. It is impossible to take one of Douglas' classes and not enjoy yourself and what you are doing in the moment. Of course the training is sweatworthy, but why can't you smile while doing it?
This joy is also evident in the other great feature about the school: the students. Everyone there shares in the spirit and happiness of training. What people sometimes overlook is that many of the senior level students possess such excellent technique and teaching experience they could easily open their own schools. First among them is Sylvie Firestone (Douglas' wife), a 5th degree black belt who like her husband regularly teaches at Aikido seminars across the country. All the senior students stay because everyone simply enjoys training with each other, from those studying for decades to the newer students who are too busy enjoying the camaraderie to notice the great workout and instruction they are receiving.
Another particularly cool feature is the diversity of the student body. From grandpas in their 70s to high school students and younger, wives joining husbands, parents with kids for a true family class, powerlifters, yoga instructors, the daily attendees, the weekend warriors, even those who have never exercised a day in their life...all are welcome, all love it, and all get something out of the classes that is uniquely beneficial to them.
More info? How about it's perfectly located in the heart of White Plains, surrounded by parking. It's not pricey, especially when you consider the rare quality of the instruction that is available. There is also a separate group that trains in iaido (the art of drawing the sword) and gekken (think nerf sword fighting and you get the idea). Want to know more? Come on in and see.
To sum up: There's a lot that's written above, but here's all you really need to know: People spend half their life looking to "find their tribe" - that group of misfits, pals, and awesome folk that they choose as their second family. When I come here I feel like I'm among my folk, and so does everyone else who trains here as well. There's a great spirit at this place - a positive energy all too rare these days. This place has it in droves and it can't be described in words (God knows I've tried!). Come see for yourself, even if you think it sounds too good to be true.
Do you want to learn about aikido? Or do want to know it, live it, and understand it? Aikido of Westchester has an awesome spirit and is a place where you can train hard, learn a martial art, develop greater self awareness, grow as a person....and have a great time while doing so. At this dojo, Douglas and Sylvie Firestone create an inclusive, constructive, and friendly environment to learn aikido.... and to really internalize it so that it can become your own.
Douglas is a great teacher - for people of any age. He brings knowledge, skill, kindness, and most of all, wisdom to teaching a very complicated martial art in a way so that people just "get it." His sense of humor is infectious and breaks the static of what would be an otherwise intimidating experience. I've trained with Douglas for over 15 years now, and he keeps me challenged every day. Sylvie complements Douglas' style, and it's the two of them together that make this dojo unlike any other dojo I've visited. Her strength, dynamic style, and precise technique is a source of inspiration.
The students at the dojo are shadows of the instructors. As soon as you walk in the door and onto the mat, you'll feel a sense of community right away with this group. They are friendly and welcoming to new students and approach aikido with same vigor and sense of fellowship as Douglas and Sylvie.
Don't miss an opportunity to come by this dojo!
This is my home dojo. I walked in to watch a class 13 years ago, and ever since then have been a regular on the mat. This place is a special practice hall due to the exceptional instruction and great practitioners.
I began training at Aikido of Westchester almost 4 years ago. When I first spoke with Sensei Firestone I had a tone of questions for him about his training. Where and when he first started? How long he has been training? who were his Sensei's? etc..... It was important to me to find an excellent reputable instructor. Before my Aikido training I trained in Jujitsu and lets say the instructor was a bit of a phony. So it was important for me to find someone who put in the time and training needed to instruct students. Well I found the instructor and Dojo! Sensei Firestone and his wife Sylvie are two of the greatest instructor's I have ever trained with. No matter what your skill set is from beginner to advanced they know how to teach! You will find the techniques that are taught will help you survive out there on the streets. The training is intense and an excellent substitute to working out in a gym!
Plus the dojo is open 7 days a week! No other dojo in Westchester offers that! The times for classes really work with just about any ones schedule.
Began practice of Aikido at Aikido of Westchester (AOW) in 2005 along with my then teenage daughter and studied there for 6 yrs before moving to Texas where I continued my study just recently reaching the level of Shodan ( 1st Dan black belt). In my time there at AOW the dojo was always well run with absolute top notch instruction from not only the founder Douglas Firestone(Sensei) and his wife Sylvie but the camaraderie among all the students and the helpfulness of the senior students to help learn and advance was amazing and fun; emphasis on fun. It was also great exercise for someone who did not start Aikido study until I was 50 yrs old. Sensei is very much in tune with the individual capabilities and learning curve of all his students and reacts accordingly. It is truly a fantastic place to practice and learn aikido. The very solid foundation in the practice of Aikido I learned at AOW made it very easy to transition to another dojo and continue my study and recently successful test for and reach the black belt level.
Great school for beginners in Aikido and Iaido (sword).
I have studied martial arts for many years and just started Aikido and Iaido at the dojo. After observing a class and meeting with Sensei Firestone I had the chance to join a class. The instruction is easy to follow and taught by Sensei Firestone. The dojo has a great community of senior ranks that help instruct and work with new students.
If you have ever thought about taking Aikido or sword arts, I would highly recommend stopping by, watching a class and meeting some of the members of the dojo.
The training and the people are two of the reasons to check out Aikido of Westchester.
Firestone sensei (Shihan) and his senior students have a way of making beginners and visitors comfortable. At the same time, experienced students get all they could ask for in the way of a good hard spirited workout.
Firestone sensei and his students seem able to adapt to each individuals training limits and push appropriately.
Rumor has it they might be starting a kids class in the spring. I can't think of a better place to get my child involved with a diverse community of gracious martial artists.
