Aikido of Noe Valley

This is by far and away the best dojo I’ve ever been a part of. I’m a beginner (white belt, 6^th kyu) and have been training at Aikido of Noe Valley for almost a year. I honestly cannot recommend it more highly. As a kid, I trained in Taekwondo, and as an adult I tried out four different Aikido dojos (and checked out numerous others). This is the first dojo I’ve been a part of where I’ve felt completely comfortable, supported, and truly inspired (seriously). Here are my reasons:
*The teacher, Sensei Steve Gengo, is a rare person in martial arts (or any aspect of life). He is a professional and skilled Aikidoist, while also being highly intelligent, friendly, and sympathetic to the needs of his students. He exudes an easy going confidence and warmth that inspires respect. He brings a wide body of knowledge about Aikido and many other disciplines (psychology, massage, Chinese medicine, etc.) that enriches his teaching. He also engenders a sense of joy and curiosity about the world in every class.
*The students are a welcoming and supportive bunch. While being dedicated to learning and improving their Aikido skills, they are not overly serious, competitive, or aggressive. This is a safe and comfortable group that will kindly nudge you along and encourage you when you need it.
*The atmosphere is warm and casual while also be rigorous and challenging. It’s an unusual, but very enjoyable, combination.
*The price – it’s the most affordable dojo around!

I have been practicing Aikido for almost 17 years and am a second degree black belt. Since October 2006, I have been going to Aikido of Noe Valley and I must say that this dojo has greatly improved my practice. Steve Sensei is an excellent teacher who is welcoming and friendly to all. If you’re looking for a safe and caring place to practice the martial art of Aikido, then check out Aikido of Noe Valley!

We attend as a family, with dramatically different backgrounds… my husband is a Kung Fu master, I have no background, but lots of dance training and our 8 year old daughter is a complete novice.
Stevan is an extremely patient, kind and effective teacher with all of us. Aikido is a difficult art to learn, especially if you don’t have a martial arts background (I liken it to learning Mandarin rather than taking Spanish), but Stevan is patient, all levels work together, and everyone is helpful.
I’ve grown enormously from taking Aikido and really treasure the supportive and safe environment. My shy daughter went from being terrified to asking to stay afterward to perfect her rolls and other moves.
My husband is enjoying being a white belt again, despite his extensive martial arts training — there is a lot to learn and a wonderful bunch of people to learn with. He often returns from class with feedback that it was both challenging and oddly familiar.
This dojo is an especially wonderful place for kids — it feels safe, loving and nurturing. I stay and watch Stevan with the kids sometimes, and I really enjoy watching them — I can tell he really enjoys the kids and they respond to this with joyous respect.
The space is spartan, with few adornments on the walls, and a simple shinto shrine and a few pictures of O Sensei. There is no drama, no ego, just a nice place to learn a beautiful martial art. Adult classes are MWF, during the lunch hour (12 – 1:30) and again at 6:00 — 8:30. Kids class are the same days, 4:30 — 5:30.
What I find most interesting is that Stevan is quite an intellectual, and often brings other streams of thinking — whether they be psychology, philosopy, kinesiology or history — to help teach. I find it to be intellectually, physically and mentally stimulating and I“m so glad I found it!

I have been training here for about 10 years, going from absolute beginner to black belt. Sensei Steve Gengo, the instructor, is an excellent teacher. He promotes a gentle nurturing environment that attracts enthusiastic friendly students who are dedicated to their own and the community’s advancement. Gengo successfully lives and teaches a non-​competitive form of this gentle and powerful martial art. It is a great beginning dojo. The upper ranks help the beginners in a friendly and welcoming manner. The basic style taught is a slow often static Iwama, but the sensei is wide ranging in his interest and experience in styles, and shares that knowledge with both the advanced students and the beginners. The dojo environment is friendly and somewhat informal. There is plenty of laughter and smiles that go along with a serious study of the art. Hierarchy rank is observed, but not emphasized. There is a distinct lack of ego here.
This is a small dojo. There are 2 small dressing rooms, a bathroom, the mat and a front area with chairs to watch the classes. Adult class size ranges from 6 to 14, if they get much larger than that it gets kind of crazy in there, and you really have to pay attention to the bodies flying around. All ranks train together, the classes start slow and easy with basic moves and falling for the first hour and move into more complexity, motion and speed in the second hour. A range of ages study together from 12 years old to elder adults. There is a big emphasis on safe training and modulating your approach to care for both yourself and your training partner. The range in ages, genders, bodies, and aikido experience helps to imprint the underlying peaceful philosophy in this otherwise dangerous training.
The mats here are very giving and soft, sometimes I think a bit too soft as they absorb a lot of my momentum where a harder surface would let me bounce back up. But for beginners just learning falling techniques that softness can be comforting, and I remember appreciating them when I first started. The Aikido dojo shares the space with a Judo dojo, and has only 3 days of classes each week with a variable weapons training on Sundays (sometimes outside at a park or on rainy days in the dojo). The monthly price is really good for the quality of training provided. (I’ve recently been looking at incorporating a yoga practice along with my aikido, but I’m appalled at the prices the yoga studios want, especially when I see their class sizes and level of instruction.)
The dojo sits on the corner of 26^th st and Castro in Noe Valley right on the 24 bus line and close to the 35 line. We wear white uniforms-​Judo or karate gi, but when you come to try the dojo out you can wear sweats and a t-​shirt. I think the Sensei has a startup deal where you can get a complete uniform for some kind of commitment… I’m not sure of the details, but I see him handing them out to new students, ask him about it.

The dojo is shared with the fellow Judo club, but it is clean and well established. I would like to say, as a practitioner of multiple styles of both Japanese and Chinese martial arts (Karate, Jujitsu, Judo, Kempo, etc), this place astounds me. The students of all belt levels are helpful and insightful. In addition, many of students who train there are from other schools, so a melting pot of techniques and methods can be aquired. At it’s heart lies Steven Sensei, who is very talented and patient with everyone. He knows the right words to convey the essence of Aikido to all of the students. I love the more relaxed style of class, and for those of you who like the more militaristic style of training, come find either me or edward afterwards to get a butt whooping of extra training.
Pros: Excellent teacher, great place to train, wise and insightful peers, cheap, and great exercise
Cons: The area can be a bit small at times when 16 people are throwing themselves around the mats. A bit slow sometimes. No weapons training right now.

Having searched out other Dojo’s in the area, it only took a few minutes of being at Aikido of Noe Valley Dojo when I knew that I had found the right spot. Sensei Steve Gengo has successfully created a space that is compassionate and energetic. This allows for each student to grow and develop from where they are now. The Dojo has a steady stream of wonderful practitioners of all levels who bring a kind and ernest quality to each practice. If you have an interest, don’t hesitate, investigate!

Steve is an amazing guy and instructor! I was not sure if my my five year old was was going to make it in the class being the youngest in the group. Steve has been wonderful and very patient with my son who has grown to respect him so much. Aikido is an excellent way to have your child learn to focus and be more disciplined! I am so grateful for Unilocal and my little sister who found this place!

Me: absolute beginner. No martial arts experience at all. Looking for a weekday fitness routine that doesn’t involve gym memberships.
Noe Valley Aikido fits the bill perfectly. Clean, open space. Knowledgeable, friendly, responsive teacher. Welcoming, helpful (and very patient) students.
Stevan was kind enough to allow a free session to try out the class. After just that one I was convinced it was right for me. As a previous reviewer mentioned, the class is slightly informal, so may not appeal to all, but as a beginner it’s less intimidating.
Also, the classes are mixed levels, so you just jump in with everyone else and go, which may or may not appeal to you. I was a little lost at first, but with the patient help of the more experienced students, I felt like I was slowly getting the hang of some of the moves.
Overall, great experience!

Location:
The dojo is in the heart of Noe Valley at the corner of 26^th and Castro. The space is fantastic for both spiritual and physical rejuvenation. The space is on the smaller side but still roomy enough for 12 – 15 people to practice comfortably. Also, the floor to ceiling windows allow for the late afternoon San Francisco sun to shine through and light up the space.
Sensei:
Steve Gengo, 5^th Dan is a wonderful teacher. He is exceptionally talented in teaching both the physical and mental/​spiritual aspects of practicing Aikido. Steve is a fair and disciplined instructor and extremely approachable during and outside of class.
Students:
Everyone at this dojo is friendly and approachable. New students are welcomed to the dojo community at the start of their first class. While the rank hierarchy is observed, the more advanced students are often more interested in helping the lower ranks advance than displaying their seniority. This is one dojo where it is possible to find serious training partners as well as new friends. (Sounds cheesy, but, it’s true).
Cost:
For only $ 80 per month you can take up to an average of 28 classes per month.
Classes:
Classes are every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. MWF: 12:00PM-1:30 PM and 6:00 — 8:00PM and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (outdoors weapons practice).
Cons:
The only cons are that sometimes with such a relaxed and friendly dojo, the Aikido etiquette is not always observed. Additionally, the weapons classes do not draw very many students which is a shame since weapons are integral to the full Aikido practice.
Last Note:
Come try out a class, you will not be disappointed!

— PROS —
Dedicated sensei with a sense of humor and an interest in the cerebral (this is sometimes hard to find in a martial arts school /​dojo). Friendly students, helpful sempai (senior students). Strong sense of family /​community. Cushy tatami (well padded mats). Long classes. Great place to start as a beginner. If you’re interested in joining, just email or call the teacher up — he’s a friendly guy, quite personable. You can train for free and see how you like it.
— CONS —
First hour may run slow (though it’s by design). No militant crazy drilling (to me this is a plus, but to a lot of martial artists, this is a con).
— ABOUT ME —
This is my favorite place to train. I’m at Aikido of Honolulu and at the University of Hawai‘i Aikido Club right now, and I’ve also trained at San Francisco State University (in class and in the recreational club). My martial arts background prior to Aikido is primarily in grappling (wrestling and judo).

As a student of Aikido of Noe Valley, I must say this is a wonderful place. The Sensei, Steve, is kind, compassionate, and makes me feel safe and empowered. Even though I’m a slow learner when it comes to physical stuff, he is a very positive teacher and makes sure to point out when people are doing well. He also incorporates the spiritual and intangible elements into our practice, so classes here are nothing like taking kickboxing at a 24 hour fitness. Be prepared to make a lifetime commitment to the art of aikido. The first hour of class is devoted to stretching, meditations, and blending excercises.
The other students are friendly people of all ages, and the atmosphere is very non-​competitive/​aggressive. The dojo isn’t huge, but it’s clean, airy, and the sprung floor and tatami mats make taking falls almost comfortable. I’d love the dojo to be open during lunch time or more evenings during the week, that is my only complaint! The prices are very reasonable at just $ 80 a month. Highly recommended for those who are interested in a spiritual, physical, and intellectual art without a lot of attitude. Plus hot guys with their shirts open never hurts! That’s spiritual isn’t it?