We are a small, private, non-commercial dojo located in South Austin in the area of Oltorf and Lamar. We train primarily in progressive non-competitive Tomiki Ryu Aikido, flavored with Daito Ryu Aikijujitsu, Judo and Tai Chi. The group is headed by Eric Pearson, Yondan 4th in Tomiki Aikido from the Kaze Uta budo Kai. He is an associate professor rank in Daito Ryu AikiJujitsu from the Shofukan (formally Renshinkan) under Ota Ikou Sensei in Numata, Japan. He also holds a shodan in Judo. Call for class time, directions or with questions 512-947-9585.
I continue my education under the patience, watchful eyes and good humors of Russell Waddell, Brendan Hussey, Zdenek Matl, and Nick Lowry.
Founded in 1972, and once led by it's first student Bill Lee - "Grandfather of Austin Aikido" The U.T. Aikido Club is the oldest aikido school in Austin. The club is currently led by 7th-degree black belt Steve McAdam. The U.T. club is a Seidokan affiliated.
This club is run by Ross Robertson, a U.T. Seidokan splinter. Currently they are calling their art Honmatsu Aikido (independent). I have trained with Ross several times now. He is an excellent teacher. He sees Aikido in explorative ways, and teaches through many useful models of motion. He has a very philosophical and ethical teaching paradigm.
Founded Craig Phillips as a Nissho style then handed off to it's current head Brendan Hussey. Hussey Sensei is another of the U.T. Seidokan branch schools who has gone independent. Hussey Sensei is a Aiki principles driven teacher. He is highly inspired by the works of Morihei Ueshiba Sensei, Kobayshi Sensei and Henry Kono Sensei. Hussey Sensei is also an accomplished Judo player, so his work has more ranges and dimensions than many Aikido teachers. His style is extremely soft touch, pain free, ethical and philosophical.
Round Rock Martial Arts is a Coop style dojo. Many talented and world class teachers gathered under one roof. Here is a film when he came and visited me at my place.
As a personal note on this group - I traveled up to Round Rock to do Judo with Matl Sensei, when I first met Hussey Sensei. He proved himself to be knowledgable, kind, generous and sharing. Within two sessions we decided to adopt him into our dojo as one of our visiting teachers. He is our resident Aiki-Maven!! Us folks at KyuRyu Dojo try to make up it to Round Rock as often as possible to train with him. Personally, I rank him as the most talented Aiki player I have yet to meet in Austin.
Austin Ki Society recently made the move up to the north side of town. They are headed by Kathey Ferland, Yondan (4th Dan), with Chuden Ki rank. I believe they are another of the U.T. spin off clubs.
Ki Society Aikido tends to be a more spiritually centered Aikido. Their focus tends to be more on the development of Ki than martial form. They actually have 2 ranks, one in Aikido and one in Ki.
Austin Ki Society was the first dojo I joined when I moved to Austin the first time in the mid 1990s. They are extremely kind and welcoming. Some of the members would take me out for a burger afterwords because at the time I was hungry college student. I can't thank them enough. But coming from a Tomiki line of Aikido, at the time I personally found that I could not merge my ideas of practice with theirs. They are still worth checking out if you are searching for Tohei flavored Aiki.
Austin Community College instruction group headed by Mark Leidig. According to the online resume of Mr Leidig he is one of the U.T. splinter groups. Certified Austin Ki Society as authorized dojo in the 1980s, but now seems to be affiliated directly with Imaizumi Sensei and the Shin Budo Kai.
I have not yet met Mr Leidig, but one of my friends is his student. She speaks very highly of the program.
Mark Leidig Resume website
Aikido of Austin is a USAF-AIKIKAI school. Head instructor is Josef Birdsong, who holds a 5th-degree black belt and has been teaching aikido since 1974. He is also on the faculty of Austin Community College.
I have stopped by Aikido of Austin several times over the past few years. They have the largest mat space in Austin. The dojo is a lovely place.
This dojo was sanctioned by Yamada Shihan. If you are in the North Austin area I give this group a thumbs up to check out.
Accordng to their website, Damir Jamsek, 4th degree black belt (yondan) and a certified instructor (shidoin) in the United States Aikido Federation, is the head instructor at Austin Aikikai.
I spent a weekend seminar and an after dinner with this group. They are knowledgeable, friendly and have a good thing going. Damir is talented and kind. He kicked my rear at seiza work. Also he was accepting of me raiding into their party, which I appreciate openness in training. Their dojo is a work of art, a worthy temple to aiki training. I believe they also have formal sword training from a different instructor, which is a nice bonus.
I saw one thing I thought was really neat from this group. They were mentoring a young teenager. I talked with his mother and she was extremely grateful to the group for their support. I think this showed this group is a tight family, not just a commercial Mcdojo. It is really special.
I hear they do not often use air conditioning. This is something to consider when choosing a Texas dojo. Their sensei told me they will kick it on when the heat is brutal out. Not having climate control does have an traditional appeal, but I tend to overheat really easily.
They are closely tied to the New York Aikikai scene. They train with Yamada Shihan and Harvey Konigsberg Shihan. These teachers are giants in American Aikikai.
This group is in south Austin by the Alamo Drafthouse. It is headed by Leslie Libby. Libby Sensei holds a 4th Degree Black Belt in Aikido (Yondan)
After she graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering she went to Japan. She so enjoyed training at the Aikido World Headquarters in Tokyo that she lived and trained in Japan for 5 years. During this time she trained with many Master Teachers (Shihan) and also with the founder's son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, and grandson, the current Doshu, Moriteru Ueshiba. While in Japan she also trained in the art of Japanese Archery, which she continues to practice to this day.
This dojo is an affiliate of the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba under the leadership of Mitsugi Saotome Sensei. They were once part of Leslie Libby's group, but went there own way and moved about 3 miles further south on Lamar.
This group is headed by Jay Lindholm. The last business card he gave me said he was a nidan, 2nd degree black belt.
I have stopped in this dojo 4 times the past year. They are always friendly and inviting. Their technique looks solid and they have a good group dynamic. The last time I stopped by I was very surprised that Jay Lindholm did not say a word the whole class. It is rare to see an instructor empower other members of the dojo and let them teach unrestricted. Overall this is a beautiful place, nice folks with a good practice.
The instructor there is Michele Ruschhaupt 3rd dan. Affiliated with Birankai North America, founded by T.K. Chiba Shihan, 8th dan.
I got the oppertunity to briefly meet and train with Michele at an Aikikai Harvey Konigsberg seminar. She seemed strong and focused. She had an interesting intensity. Something I appreciated about her technique: I attacked her with the wrong hand we were supposed to be using. She did not miss a beat, she made another technique and still launched me across the room.
I have not made it to the dojo yet, but if you in the Oak Hill area and need to train, you might want to check this place out.
Austin Aikido Tenshinkai Dojo was started in November, 1995. This is a first branch of the International Aikido Tenshinkai Federation of Sensei Dang Thong Phong in the United States by Sensei Tran Phu Huu and Sensei Nguyen Van Ky Minh Phuong, both of them are sandan, 3rd degree black belt. Its seems the majority of their group comes from Austin's Vietnamese community.
I had heard they gathered at an Asian culture center, but apparently the are now sharing space with Aikido of Austin.
Shin Budo Kai Aikido/ Kuroda Shinbukan Ryugi/ Aikijujitsu / Ralph Hutchins/ Cliff Derdeyn / Ph. 512 656-3107
Mr. Derdeyn has studied the martial arts for at the last twenty-six years and he trains in and instructs in Aikido, Aikijujitsu, and part of a study group based in San Antonio, Tx for Shinbukan Kuroda Rugi.
I have not had the pleasure of working out with this group yet. I called Clif Derdeyn, and he was pleasant and willing to share. I asked only brief questions about his claims to Koryu connections. I did not dig deep, but he is willing to share information for anyone looking for verifications.
This group is run by Stef Finley. Sensei Stef Finley was awarded a Shoden Menkyo teaching license, a traditional ranking system, by the Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Kai.
From his website - Sensei Finley operates his Shoshinkan Dojo in Austin, TX. Along with traditional classes in Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu,, Sensei Finley helps to train law enforcement and military personnel as a certified instructor for Stratego International.
I have not yet had the pleasure to meet this group. One of my students attended a seminar with them. He said they very good. He also reported they are a police and military kind of group. I have written them several times in the past, hoping for them to join us in training, but as of yet they seem to be content in being private.
Hakkoryu Jujutsu / John Cole / Ph. 512-302-5826
Address: 11713 Jollyville Rd; Austin, TX 78759 (Map)
Country: United States
Phone: (512) 336-5069
This group is run by Zdenek Matl Sensei 8th Dan judo, 7th Dan ju-jitsu. Mr. Matl's Judo is based on the classical style of Judo taught at the Kodokan Institute in Japan. In addition, his system includes recent technical improvements brought to Judo from other Martial Arts and competitive Judo.
Mr. Matl's system includes all of the techniques of classical Judo. His teaching emphasizes leg techniques, ground fighting, and techniques for unbalancing an opponent. Mr. Matl's system is taught in an informal setting and emphasizes the use of safe practice techniques. Mr Matl has made some major innovations to the Kodokan system. His throws are safe, simple, low power and extremely effective.
My personal note! Round Rock martial arts is THE place to learn Judo, Jujitsu or ground fighting in the Austin area. Mr Matl is the teacher's teacher in the Austin area. Whether you are looking for traditional jujitsu, judo, or looking to add more effectiveness to your aikido techniques - Matl Sensei is the teacher! I myself try to travel up to Round Rock once a week or so to train with Matl's judo group and Hussey's aikido group - in the same location. Recently I did a shiai match with Mr Matl and he threw me 40 times. I almost got him once. Almost.
One of Matl Sensei's students, who is now teaching is Chad Haas. He is a really nice guy, great teacher and a monster on the ground. Hussey Sensei also occasionally teaches his fantastic unique Aiki/Judo blend.
If you are in south Austin try us at KyuRyu Aikibudo (see top of list) We are an AikiBudo dojo incorporating Matl Sensei's judo, and Hussey Sensei's aiki-judo, and the Kaze Uta Budo kai Aiki/Judo into our practice. We come from the Tomiki system. Kenji Tomiki was a student of both Kano and Ueshiba, bridging the gap between Aikido and Judo practice. He saw Aikido as a natural extension from Judo practice.
Although Judo, Aikido and Aiki Jujitsu is part of our practice every night. We focus entirely on Judo on Monday practices. Call for class time, directions or with questions 512-947-9585. We ar eclose to the intersection of Oltorf and Lamar.
Here is a film of some Ashi waza Aiki-Judo.
This is a brand new Judo group growing in central Austin at 51st and Lamar. It is ran by Alex Guzzo, another one of Matl sensei's students. 512-470-4379 for class information and schedule.
Personal note!!
Alex is my Judo sempai. He is a really nice fellow and a solid technician. I invite him to teach at my place as often as I can get him! I would love to see this group grow. Since it is still small group you will get lots of private training time. If you are looking for sports Judo, Alex does compete, but also has a good head for self defense.
This club meets on campus, so I think you have to be a UT student to join. Again, I believe this group was founded by Matl Sensei.
Vandry BJJ up in North Austin off 183N has a Wednesday Night Judo class.
I personally have not trained with any BJJ groups in Austin yet, so I do not have any suggestions. If you are looking for the BJJ flavor, I hope this list helps.
http://austin.komeijyuku.com/index.php
http://www.austinkendo.org/
Araki Ryu
http://www.austinaikikai.org/
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