Aikido - Basic and Intermediate Studies »

John commenced studying Aikido in 1990, the year of his 50th birthday, in Santiago, Chile while on an extended visit. His first teacher was Jorge Rojo (now 6th Dan and Technical Director of Aikikai Chile) who wasa such an inspiration that John and his son trained every day for the three months they were in Chile.

After Returning to Australia he continued with his studies of Aikdo with Aiki-Kai Australia under the direction of Sugano Shihan (8th Dan, President and Technical Director of Aiki-Kai Australia ) and his appointed senior insturctors in Melbourne, training 5 days per week.

On retiredment John moved to the Gold Coast where he continues to study 4 days per week teaching on one of them. In recent tiems he has also travelled across to New Zealand a number of times to study under the direction of Takase Shihan (7th Dan) and other visiting senior instructors from Japan.

John holds Australian Government National Coaching Accreditation to teach Aikido as well as Fuku-Shidoin (Assistant Instructor) accreditation from Aiki-Kai Australia.

John also writes about Aikido and other matters. He is the editor of Aikido Australia, the official newsletter for Aiki-Kai Australia, and has contributed articles to that journal as well as Aikido Today magazine in the USA, Bujutsu International in Australia, and several websites. He is the author of Cinematography Underwater (Oceans Enterprises) and Convergence - Aspects of the Change (Fiction from Zeuss Publications). He is also a keen photographer and in that capacity has contributed articles to Australia Photography, and Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic.

A comprehensive, fully illustrated textbook covering: disturbing balance, connection and harmony, timing and leading, making use of gravity, basic pins and other concepts that can lead to effective Aikido.