The Westside Dojo has operated out of the YMCA in West Los Angeles since 1972, when it was a part of the newly founded West Los Angeles YMCA on La Grange Avenue. In 2018 that building was torn down and replaced with a new facility nearby. The Westside Dojo followed the YMCA and now meets in the new Collins and Katz Family YMCA on Westgate just off of Santa Monica Boulevard.

The fit of the Westside Dojo and the YMCA is an excellent one, with the goals of fitness of body, mind, and spirit being essential to both entities. The dojo places a great deal of importance on character development as part of the learning process, incorporating Hawaiian values such as Ohana (family) and kokua (to give without thought of reward), as well as honoring such tenets as Service above self and We take ability, and turn it into responsibility.