Instructors
In many start-up schools and clubs, shodan (first degree black belt) is essentially a license to teach. Not at Moving Freely Martial Arts. We will not compromise quality of instruction for quantity of members. It is only when a member gets to the level of nidan (second degree black belt that he or she will be considered for regular teaching responsibilities.
Chief Instructor – Jim (zazen, aikido, sword, staff)
As the head of an independent club, Jim is no longer bound by external rankings. But for those who would like to compare, his sustained 20+ years of aikido training (15+ years as the Chief Instructor of a nationally recognized dojo) would place him as a 5th degree black belt in an average ranking system and 6th degree black belt in the most liberal of ranking systems. (As you may guess, all ranking systems are not created equal.)- Jim’ martial arts experience (aikido, sword, staff) began in 1989 with the teaching of Wade Ishimoto. Wade is a life-long karate practitioner turned aikidoist, and was one of the original members of the Army’s elite Delta Force. (Wade ‘was there’ in the Iraq desert during the failed Iranian hostage rescue in 1980.)
- Jim has been studying zen since the late 1970′s, the last 20+ years with Seiju Bob Mammoser at the Albuquerque Zen Center. Both Seiju and Jim are students of Joshu Sasaki Roshi, and twice a year Jim goes on a week-long sesshin (marathon meditation retreats) with the 102 year old Roshi – regarded by many as the greatest living zen teacher in the US (certainly the oldest).
For you, Jim’s traditional and practical aikido training, along his extensive zen perspective of ‘understanding through practice’ means that classes are intentionally designed for you to experience for yourself the wisdom of zen and the martial arts – seeing clearly, moving freely.