West Wind Schools Alameda is a family-oriented, respectful and supportive space that gives you the skills you need to defend yourself in a life or death situation. I first walked into the West Wind Schools Alameda Dojo because it was conveniently located smack dab in the middle of the Park Street Shopping District (5 bus lines get here, there's a parking garage right down the street, it's a comfortable riding distance from anywhere in Alameda, I walk here...). After about a year, I have come to think of West Wind as the center of town where local people of all ages and walks of life can come to learn martial arts, stay in great shape, and be a part of something bigger than themselves. My experience here so far has been great.... The instructors are profoundly well-educated, enthusiastic, and dedicated to their students' development. Seriously, the people who run this place are just so awesome (hard to put into words, but I'm getting a little choked up here actually - I know that's sappy but it's totally true!). Being a student at West Wind Schools is like having a family of super-heroes! Gushy stuff aside - I really can't believe I lived in the Bay Area for so long without any self-defense training. Child or adult, man or woman - if you live in the Bay Area, you need to know basic self-defense. I don't know about the other locations, but the Alameda dojo has a super flexible schedule that enables anyone to get discounted introductory classes, so call and talk to them right now! DO it! I have a deep sense of gratitude for West Wind Schools Alameda. I hope they stay right there forever and keep doing exactly what they're doing. Go A-TEAM! read more

Come to protecting is always good when u walk alone out there Strangers everywhere isn't a safe place anymore we all live. Self defense can safe your life n other good people read more

West Wind Schools - Martial Arts Near Me - Alameda, California

I entered West Wind as a wild and angry teenager in massive need of self-discipline and an outlet for my volatile energy. My parents and I were constantly at odds, and I had started to make a lot of bad choices about who my friends were and how I did in school. I didn't care about anything; I stopped putting effort into school or any of my relationships with family or friends. Instead, I ended up putting a lot of holes in my bedroom walls. Though I had been in counseling for two years, I was basically in the same chaotic state as I had been when I first began. Had I stepped into West Wind initially, I would never have needed anything else. In a moment that I would never have estimated to be as pivotal as it really was, my sensei, who had been working with me for about six months, pulled me into the back office during one of our private lessons. I was going through an extremely difficult period to say the least, and even though I hadn't told her any of what was going on, she still sat me down and said intently, "You're a very bright young lady, and I see a lot of potential in you. But right now, from one person to another, I'm worried about you. Now you don't have to tell me anything, because I'm not trying to get into your business, but I want you to know that I'm always here for you if you need me, and West Wind is always here for you, too. And no matter who you are, what you do, how you choose to dress, who you hang out with, I will always be your teacher, and you will always be my student." Having said that, it is impossible for me to talk about West Wind without making three things clear: They are my family, they are my refuge, and their belief in me, which has never wavered, is the force behind who I am as a determined, hard-working, and confident woman. West Wind's commitment to self-defense has generated an awareness of my surroundings that has kept me out of dangerous situations, and a fearlessness to take someone down should the circumstances call for it. As a woman, both of these attributes are paramount to living in today's society. I can't stress enough how important it is to arm oneself with both the physical capabilities and the fierce mindset that it takes to survive. West Wind has been absolutely invaluable to me in these aspects. After nearly 11 years, I've reclaimed control of my life and become more successful than I ever thought I could. Though there have been countless moments like the one I just wrote, it was in that short conversation that the nature of my dojo, West Wind, became clear: Their dedication to their students - not just as martial artists, but also as people - is unconditional. If you let them, they will change you for the better. read more

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Pricing has never been transparent. My little sister has been going to this school for over 4 yrs and she has recently decided to let go of what she once used to love attending to. Her first teacher was Mr. Rodriguez and since he left, things have gone downhill since.. He was seriously the best in making sure my sister was on top of her skills and she was the loudest one in her group classes. Then prices were going up and they still are going up.. Student teachers were teaching her after Mr. Rodriguez left and the quality of those lessons have obviously dropped drastically compared to the level of Mr. Rodriguez teachings.. Many Latino/Black students sort of went through a form of gentrification but in karate school. Higher prices mean less chances to cater to all socioeconomic backgrounds. But we knew our sister loved her classes so our parents continued paying those ridiculous unrealistic prices.. Until she was encouraged to attend the Black Belt Board which meant paying an extra $100 for this examination of skills. She was told she was going to get a blue belt if she passed her test with everyone else. She was out on the spot in front of all the students on her belt level and the higher ranked teachers.. But she failed! An 11 yr old little girl was humiliated, embarrassed, and ashamed ever since! She instead got a full purple belt and the teachers knew all along that she had 2 "DANS." Mr. Mitchell told her the news she got a full purple belt but originally was examining for a blue belt when she was encouraged and pushed to go through this exam! Can you believe that her peers got the blue belt and she didn't? She was excluded. This is a form of bullying and exclusion in the business of karate school lessons!! No one apologized to her. She didn't fail because she wanted to. She wasn't ready! She told me she wasn't ready! And the only reason why she went through this exam was because she believed in the teachers that encouraged her that she was very ready for this!! So of course when the adult and student teachers tell a kid to join the Black Belt Board, it makes a kid push their parents to pay extra money for this sort of exam! It gives a kid false promises though! Who made the mistake here? She was NOT set up for success on this day! She was lied to in order to make our parents pay that extra money! The young student teachers aren't great and I hope they know that.. And maybe thats why the quality isn't the same and the pay rate is less when you accept having another black belt kid student teach your child karate lessons.. These kids aren't mature! When you have experienced adult teachers teaching your kid private lessons you are paying big bucks!! To this day this experience of embarrassment, humiliation, and false promise has effected her tremendously. This effected her personal confidence in many ways ever since. She didn't go to karate class because she wanted to anymore.. She didn't feel excited about it after this crappy experience. She was let down by everyone in this business believe it or not. She lost trust in all of them. She wasn't as enthusiastic in her classes anymore. And I don't blame her. Her teachers failed her, lied to her, and embarrassed her. Do they know they did this to her? Did they know what they did to her mentally, and emotionally? This is the real reason she left! We moved on. Had I been there on the day they did this to her I would have said something to all the teachers in person. But luckily they haven't been exposed to who I am when I see something go very wrong. Which is why I am posting the truth of this matter on here. I have no reason to lie. I don't get paid to lie. I am posting this for my sister. I never heard her express how terrible and haunting this shitty experience was to her. So I need parents to know this! And the business needs to watch wtf they are telling young children. It hits them hard when they are led to believe something that isn't reality. And I'll say it again, don't waste your money on the young student teachers teaching your children.. They are not great compared to mature adult teachers. This is why I strongly believe my sister didn't pass. She had a young girl student teacher and she was nowhere on Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Mitchell's level. Just because a young student has a black belt doesn't mean they are mature enough to really spend the quality of time to teach other students. Its either that or, they purposely wanted to boot her out of this school by making her feel this way and lose a great capable student! I dont understand. I really dont. Why else would they make this happen to an 11 yr old girl? Did the karate teachers really have no clue they messed up here? I find it hard to believe! read more

I love this place! The kids enjoy their lessons with their teachers as they provide a good teaching relationship. It's fun to watch them work and get the techniques done successfully for the first time. Even the teachers get so excited! read more

When I joined West Wind two years ago, I was an angry mess going through some really tough things in my life. I would walk past the school on Park Street for a year with my son as he gazed on through the windows. Mr. Baker would come out often and encourage him to look inside or try a class, but he was very shy and afraid he might get hurt, so he would always refuse. My son has an impairment in his legs and a learning disability, and the hours that we had put into physical therapy were not giving us any results. I had received a suggestion for him to try gymnastics or martial arts, and after walking by the dojo for over a year, I was determined to convince my son to join. But he refused, initially. So I decided to march in and sign myself up. It was the best decision I have ever made. Personally, I have grown in ways that I had never thought possible. My anger was channeled into a honed passion, I became strong and flexible, and I had finally found a family. My son was there with me, every practice until he grew confident enough to try for himself. He was very shy and scared, and his legs would hurt from the stances and the stretching, but he kept at it. After six months at the dojo, he achieved what years of physical therapy could not, and he is walking normally for the first time in his short ten years on the earth. Many people say that it is expensive, and honestly, it is. But you get what you pay for, and West Wind has the best teachers I have seen. They are incredibly devoted to their students and very hardworking. I have had the privilege of seeing some of the younger teachers blossom and earn their degree black belts. My teacher Mr. Michel and my son's teacher Ms. Amato have always made time to make sure that we are healthy in body, mind, and spirit. West Wind is very inclusive to those with special needs. My son had been turned away from other martial arts schools in the past when they learned that he would need specialized instruction. That did not stop the West Wind teachers at all. Ms. Amato jumped in and learned right away what my son needed to be successful. There are different packages and you can choose the one that works for you and your needs. They have a flexible payment plan, or you can pay upfront for a discount. If you want, you can sign up for additional classes like the black belt board formatting if you feel you need some extra training before your belt test or the summer boot camp program. They try to do their best to help those who are financially limited, and as a single mom, I could choose the package that worked for me. The belt tests really test your endurance, skill, and commitment to learning the material. You need to test in front of the entire black belt board with all the other students, and for some younger kids, that can be intimidating. Not everyone passes their belt tests, though, even with extra training or classes. The bar is set very high, but that's because they want to make sure each belt is genuinely earned and fought for. It can be a hard lesson for younger kids when they don't pass, but it teaches them to persevere and that nothing comes easy in life. These are the life lessons that West Wind has taught my son. How can you put a price on that? I came here to put a review on Yelp because I wanted to share my experience at the school honestly. In a world with so many half-rate dojos or teachers to claim to the be best to only suck money out of you, this school is the real deal. They have been around for 50 years and are not going anywhere! I hope that my teacher will guide me to complete my training and earn the black belt. read more

West Wind Schools - Martial Arts Near Me - Alameda, California

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It's a nice-looking dojo on Alameda's Park Street and the students (especially the little kids) seem to be enjoying themselves. The staff is polite and professional EXCEPT they will not give any prices, for anything. I see here on another Yelp review that this refusal to name any price is a known issue with this business. The insistence that our entire family attend the introductory classes and "ceremony" at the end -- both parents, other siblings, etc. -- seems to have no purpose beyond figuring out how much a family might be convinced to pay for a kids' martial arts lessons, or how willing the parents are to do anything the kid is psyched up to do, regardless of cost. Well, we are not Google employees. And even if we were rich tech people, we wouldn't agree to purchasing things without a price tag. What a weird way to do business! We got to the end of the $20 (or "free," if you go to their website and print a coupon) introductory lessons for our child, and unfortunately we cannot get so much as a vague clue as to what the classes would cost. Today I called and spoke to the teacher working with my son, and he was pleasant as always but would not budge on telling us the cost of the classes. (I don't blame him; it's clearly the management style of the karate school chain.) Sadly, we will have to find another karate school (there are plenty in Alameda) where prices are revealed before some hard-sell "ceremony." Can you imagine not being told the prices for swim lessons, music lessons, tutoring, or any other kids' activity? (The director of the karate classes replied to another Yelper here who complained about the business being "cagey on prices," saying most kids are paying about $120 a month for lessons. That's not *insane* for weekly classes, if that's what is being described, and we would most likely sign up for classes at $30 a week. Instead, we're forced to start over at another karate class because West Wind steadfastly won't tell their own customers what the prices are.) read more

West Wind Karate Schools is an amazing place to train as a student. The instructors are amazing and they truly care about their students. They are humble, kind, and able to talk to you on a personal level. One instructor is particular I would like to give a shoutout to my own personal teacher Mr. Dalli. He is a knowledgeable instructor and very professional. I know him from when he was my counselor for almost 4 summers at Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind and Visually Impaired. He volunteers his time every summer to teach the Camp Karate Program where he works with the teenagers. He is a lot of fun to be around and teaches me a lot during our lessons. Another instructor whom I would like to give a shoutout to is the Senior Chief Instructor, Mr. Thompson. He is a masterful teacher who also truly cares about his students. He also volunteers his time up at the blind camp every year. I hope they continue to do so in the coming years. If you can't tell by now, Kenpo Karate is my passion and I love what I am learning.  I am learning self defense techniques to defend myself while becoming stronger and more confident along the way. My goal is to keep working hard to earn my own Bok Fu black belt and one day earn my very own 5th degree black belt like my Instructor and follow in his footsteps to reach my Red Belt Instructor Rank. read more

It is a work out like no other. Words cannot express the fulfillment and value this dojo brings. Take advantage of the priceless coupons to see for yourself!! You will love it!!! read more

I've been a student at West Wind in Alameda for over 2 years. This system has been incredibly challenging to my body and mind and has taught me immeasurably about respect, discipline, and self-defense- all of which is exactly what I was seeking in a martial arts practice. The West Wind Bok-Fu (white tiger) curriculum has been developed over the last 40 years to incorporate multiple styles from Kenpo to boxing. As I progress, I'm increasingly impressed with how well thought out the arc of the material is and how well rounded the students are. If anyone is in doubt of this system I would suggest they watch a West Wind black belt test. Now there, is an immense demonstration of skill, endurance, memory, and aggression that only a few attempt each year and even fewer are able to achieve. Unfortunately, even the arts need to maintain a business model in order to survive. It would be nice if there was more separation between the money and the practice, but that's not how a school stays in business. But what the tuition gives you here is a weekly private lesson with a rigorously trained and passionate instructor, the option of attending any of the group classes (offered 6 days a week), and freedom to practice on the mat any time during business hours. And each time on the mat is so much more than a visit to the gym! Students are encouraged to learn each other's names and there is a great sense of community and camaraderie as we are all on this challenging physical and mental path together. It is also, as with many things, the opportunity to get out of it what you put in. If you are a dedicated student I have no doubt that at this school your limits will be stretched and your interest will be nurtured as much as can be. read more

This place have energetic teachers. I highly recommend if you have kids. My son's teacher Ms. Amaden is great!!! She's very patient with my 4 years old son. read more

This school is a fun karate school. it provides all the self- defence you need when you get attacked. It also is fun. It is fun because you can practice and your friends can come watch you do it. Another thing is that, you can make new friends at the dojo. This school is fun and very nice to go to. . read more

My son is 6 and joined the school from May. The teachers are awesome and very educated. At first he was shy when we walked in and as soon as he started his introductory class, he loved it. This is a long term commitment and he is willing to do that. He gained so much energy and confidence, and his kicks are stronger. He really enjoys the class and show off to his friends the kicks, tricks. I really recommends this place. read more

West Wind Schools - Martial Arts Near Me - Alameda, California

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Enrolled my younger sister about a month ago and West Wind has definitely helped her with so much! Her confidence, discipline, and strength has developed tremendously. All of the teachers are wonderful and we are very happy with West Wind. read more

Super nice and devvoted instructors, and a good dojo facility. Only three stars because of the type of instruction they provide; lots of kata (solo routine) memorization but almost no actual sparring where you learn how to defend yourself or repel an attacker. No fitness or strength training. West Wind is very focused on tournament preparation. After a year of twice a week training even if you won a gold medal at their tournament it is unlikely you would be any better able to defend yourself or your family. read more

Westwind Karate School in Alameda is the best martial arts school around. It has a great program for the kids and adults to learn martial arts. The program teaches good values including respect, self discipline, self esteem, persistence, etc. Teachers are polite and patient, always very informative about the progress of each lesson and upcoming events at the school. Teachers are always training and teaching students to be at their best. Martial art is great for woman. I recently attended and participated in classes offer for woman and it was an excellent and an amazing class. The class was taught by their top and highest ranking woman instructor, Mrs. Thompson. She is an amazing instructor and very inspirational. If you need to choose a martial arts school, choose Westwind, they are the best! read more

My daughter has been enrolled for a year and a half and absolutely loves her teacher and the school. The school has a real sense of community to it and works with children in all facets of their lives, not just the bok-fu style karate. Its been a great source of strength to her to feel that she is working and training towards a goal. Those who are critical of the pricing may find that other options are lower in cost but the experience is not one of a true community of highly disciplined sensei's and instructors. This is not just another 'class' but rather an investment that we have been glad to make as we've watched our daughter's confidence and physical strength steadily progress. read more

What is so important about this school is HOW it makes you achieve. They don't hold your hand, they don't beat you down; you learn as an individual what is important in your own live and what you can personally bring to the mat. They are a valuable resource for the individual's journey from white to black belt. They teach the young and the aging, gifted and struggling, confident and shy, the graceful and the awkward--all to be better students. I joined several years ago in order to get a few classes in self defense--now I'm training for my black belt. It has made a real difference in my life and how I look at everything in it. read more

West wind schools ranks among the top martial arts schools in the nation. Their indtructors are highly trained and praised for their dedication to their students. The parents are friendly and the young students love their personal and group lessons with the teachers. If youre looking for a school that focuses on discipline, self defense and confidence building in all parts of life, youve found it. read more

My kids and I have been studying at West Wind for 4 years now. It is a challenging program that takes a long time to get through. The cost is higher than most other martial arts schools, but no more than joining a good athletic club. You get one on one instruction every week and then can join in on group classes. It is a serious martial arts school with serious dedicated teachers. read more

This is by far the best Martial Arts school I have ever been to. The teachers their are amazing, you can really feel the good in the school. Its amazing read more

West Wind Is an amazing martial arts school. Being a student here for over 10 years I can say it's been one of the best experiences I've had. Not only is a good way to keep in shape but you learn how to be self-motivated, self disciplined, aware and over all it teaches you to better handle anything life throws at you. On top of all of those wonderful things, West Wind students and teachers are like family. I am the person that I am today because of them and I really like me. Thanks West Wind! read more

I used to go to West Wind and I would have to say that they are horrible. At first they were nice, but then even turned on their most loyal students. Aimel Kohgadi and Angelo Reyes turned on me. I was one of the stronger students, then they started messing with my lesson times after I paid for them. There is a saying that "A man of his word is a man of honor." These two are not men. They do not have honor or respect for other people. I have learned a lot from this experience. That is to say that it is not worth it to deal with these guys. read more

The worst school ever. I agree with other reviews about pricing. They see the family occupation and charge accordingly. Beware of it. I was almost one of their prey. I had read their reviews and negotiated the price. All the higher ranking teachers Mr. Baker, Delosantos and Mr. Crocodile are crooks. All they care about is organizing tournaments almost every month and collecting money from parents. They never teach real defense techniques. All they teach is techniques called "dojo" which will never come handy in bad situation. I had called the school and cancelled my daughter class giving them month in advance notice. Mr. Baker, one of the crook teachers, assured me that the school will not be charging me. As I had expected, they charged me. It's been two weeks , they have not refunded my money yet. Every time I call the school Mr. Baker tells me that Mrs. delosantos is not in the office to take care of it. I'm going to wait till the end of this week. If I don;t see my refund by this week, I'm going to dispute it. Therefore, this school is run by very unprofessional and crook people. Do not waste your money and time in this school. There are several good martial arts school in alameda which are cheap and professional. For instance, Team Sergio Silva Jitsu school. I transferred my daughter to this school. It's not been even a month and she already learnt several techniques how to tackle bad guys. read more

This school is all about the money. Like one reviewer commented, they try to scam you into getting more lessons with high pressure sales tactics. They have you prepay a full year of tuition, then only after 6 months, they tell you that their rates have changed and they try to sell you into another long-term contract. When my family had to move to Southern California, our request to refund the prorated tuition was denied, claiming that they did not have the money to refund the tuition, although we followed all the refund procedures per the contract. Their teachings of "respect" comes short when it comes to money. If you visit this place, beware of their sales tactics. Scam! read more

I've been a student here for almost 6 years and West-Wind Bok Fu has meant a lot more to me than just martial arts. I first walked into this school looking for a self defense class because I wasn't feeling too confident with mace as my only option in a life-threatening situation. Within the first few months of consistently attending group classes and one-on-one private lessons with my Sensei (instructor), I felt a dramatic change in my street confidence. My favorite aspect of West-Wind is how straight forward they are as to what they preach as a martial arts school, which is obviously self-defense. If you want to learn how to defend yourself in almost any conceivable and realistic situation that you might be confronted with someday (if you haven't already been) you will know how to handle yourself from the training you get at West-Wind. This is not a school dedicated to teach you how win trophies based on sport fighting, this is a dojo that is dedicated to teach you how to save your life in lethal confrontation. With that said, every lesson I have learned in the last 6 years at West-Wind has been applicable to every obstacle I've faced in my life since I've been here. One of the first things they tell you here (and both teachers and students alike preach this) is that Bok Fu is not just a martial art, it is a lifestyle. Every Sensei in the school has been teaching for at least 10 years and they dedicate their lives to instructing others the principles and guidelines of how to mentally and physically handle yourself in a fight. West-Wind is an extremely traditional martial arts school, and everything literally begins and ends in respect. I highly recommend West-Wind to anyone who is even remotely interested in martial arts. And since this is an art form, not only will you learn how to effectively protect yourself, but as you advance in the ranks, you will learn how to do it with your own style. I seriously don't know who I would be today if I never walked into this place. read more

Great place to have your children trained as martial artists. What parents fail to realize is that you get what you pay for, as I, too, am a parent of three and have "raised" my children West Wind. Having gone through the system myself, I now realize the point of it all--to learn how to apply your knowledge outside West wind's walls. Keeping this in mind will help you to understand what you are paying for. read more

West Wind in Alameda has been amazing! My three year old son has been attending for a few months now and enjoys it very much. Since he has been enrolled I've noticed a change in him..he is so much more disciplined! The instructors here are all so friendly. Mr. Lewis is my sons private instructor, but we are sad to say he will be leaving and not teaching my son anymore because he is going off to college. We are excited for him to start a new journey but my little one is bummed that he's leaving since they've built such a great relationship. We appreciate all that he's doing in order to make my son feel comfortable and ready to have a new instructor. Whoever his new instructor is, we know he will be in good hands. It is very neat to watch my son grow and see all the improvements he has made since his first day stepping in this school. His balance and focus is incredible for only being three years old, and this is all thanks to his wonderful instructors! read more

I have been a student at West Wind Alameda for many years. There is a reason they are one of the oldest martial art schools in town. They may seem pricey but they will work with you on that. The day you sign up is the day you stop being afraid of being hurt. read more

I have been a student of West Wind Martial Arts School in Alameda for about 3 months now and I can honestly say that I have never felt better about myself. I practice what I learned almost daily because I believe in honing my muscle memory and my self-discipline. The instructors are extremely knowledge with the history and the techniques of Bok Fu and my sifu, Mr. Baker, is a top-ranked and highly-sought after black belt instructor in his own right. I have nothing but rave compliments for West Wind and would recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn self-defense. read more

I have been a student at West-Wind for 2 years and I am a big fan. It is a very serious school and the teachers are extremely dedicated. They teach you respect, martial arts etiquette and discipline. You get a private lesson a week and can attend as many group classes a week as you want, and you can also walk in anytime to practice for yourself. The dojo is open 6 days a week, which I find really convenient, and there is always someone there to help. The head instructor, Ms. Delossantos (who also happens to be my Sensei) is very talented and driven. She pours her heart and soul into her school and teaches with passion. All the teachers there are very much involved. I can't say that I was a big martial arts fan to begin with, but I have come to understand the state of mind a lot better, and it has improved my life dramatically, thanks to my Sensei's support and motivation. The sense of accomplishment that you get when you pass for the next belt is priceless. You do have to work hard for it, so don't expect it to be easy. You have to be looking for more than just a workout, and be committed for it to work. read more

My son has been a student here for about 6 months. He's 4 years old with tons of energy and since starting karate he has learned so much more respect and discipline for a 4 year old than I ever thought I would see in my son. His karate has come a very long way as well. I since have also joined the studio, and our other son will be joining as soon as he turns 4. The entire staff here is absolutely amazing, to the point of where myself and my husband have spoken at lengths of staying in the area after he retires from a near by military installation, and that decision is based purely on the change I have seen in my son since joining the west wind family. read more