Links & Resources

Below are links to training and other resources (e.g., blogs, etc.) I recommend in classical and traditional martial arts.

Koryu

Ellis Amdur leads Araki-ryū torite-kogusoku and is a shihan of Tenshin Bukō-ryū. In addition, some of his students are certified as instructors in Taikyoku Araki-ryu, an offshoot of Araki-ryu torite-kogusoku. Ellis maintains the blog Kogen Budō.

Takamura-ha Shindō Yoshin-ryū is a koryu jujutsu ryuha led by Toby Threadgill. I am directly familiar with Doug Walker in Portland, OR and Michael Heiler in Washington, DC. Michael Heiler was my sponsor to the Hōbyōkan.

The Hōbyōkan of Dr. David Hall in Rockville, MD maintains a practice of Shindo Muso-ryu jo, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu heiho, and Kashima-shinden Jikishinkage-ryu kenjutsu. This is where I studied some of the kata of Jikishinkage-ryu.

Two of my swordsmanship students, Nicky Sayah Sina and Jake Harlin, who I have been working with since 2018, now lead a practice of their own, which I call Tōsha Dōjō ( 闘者 道場 ).

Internal Martial Arts

Yin Cheng Gong Fa North America (YCGF) is the Chinese internal martial arts organization led by Zhang Yun laoshi, lineal disciple of the late Grandmaster Wang Peisheng. Several training groups are listed on the YCGF Group List; in addition, there are activities in Pittsburgh, PA and Bellingham, WA I can recommend.

Naido-Bujutsu Aunkai led by Akuzawa Minoru focuses on internal power development and the cultivation of a body and mind optimized for bujutsu without a focus on the execution of kata. Some of my sempai from the Hobyokan cross-train in Aunkai.

Aikido & Aiki-jujutsu

Capital Aikikai is a traditional Aikido dojo in Silver Spring, Maryland, led by Clyde Takeguchi.

The Yushinkan is a Daito-ryū Kobukan and Takumakai shibu (branch) in NYC which teaches a traditional form of aiki-jujutsu as passed down by students of Takuma Hisa.

The Ryuzukan (龍頭館) is a Daito-ryū dojo led by and Brian Wagner (4th dan) and Chris Covington (2nd dan) in Baltimore under the permission of Kondo Katsuyuki. Chris and Brian are my sempai in Jiki Shinkage-ryū; Brian is now the highest-ranking mainline Daito-ryū practitioner in the United States.