Our dojo’s founder, Irvin Faust Shihan, 7th Dan, trained in martial arts for over 40 years. His instructors were Luqman Hakeem Sensei and Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan (New York Aikikai.) Sensei taught at Albany Aikido from 1985-2020. Faust Shihan traveled to Japan with Yamada Sensei in 1986 to participate in a national Aikido demonstration. In addition to classes at his dojo, Faust Shihan also taught a college Aikido club at RPI in Troy, NY. In addition to Aikido, Sensei held rank in Tae Kwan Do, Karate, and Kung Fu.

Albany Aikido is a fully accredited member of the United States Aikido Federation (USAF). We are dedicated to offering a defensive martial art to all practitioners in a safe, respectful environment. We train to learn a martial way, to improve our fitness and grow our spirit, and to enjoy a serious workout. The dojo offers a large practice space with traditional tatami ensuring a safe workout.

Meet our Chief Instructor, Keith Pray Sensei

Keith Pray, 5th Dan Shidoin, began Aikido in 1998 under Irvin Faust Sensei after reading a book on Aikido. Falling in love with its philosophy of non-violence and needing to see the art first hand, Keith found Albany Aikido and watched a class taught by Motier Haskins Sensei. Inspired by the energy and movement coupled with the philosophy, Pray immediately joined the dojo and began his Aikido journey. Soon after beginning practice, schedule conflicts led him to Jamie Flores Sensei in Schenectady, where he practiced regularly until moving to NYC in 1999.

In 2000 Keith joined the Aikido Club of Queens under Perry Dortch Sensei. For six years, he trained as much as he could, learning from both Dortch Sensei and the dynamic aikido of Eddie Hagihara Sensei in Long Island. Hagihara Sensei was a direct student of O’Sensei (the founder of Aikido) as well as one of the founders of New York Aikikai.

After starting a family, Keith moved back to the Capital District in 2006, rejoining Albany Aikido, where he has trained and taught ever since. Honored to now be chief instructor, Keith is thankful for all the wonderful members that are helping carry on Faust Sensei’s legacy and the legacy of all of those who have come before.