Dojo Recommendation in Birmingham, AL

[Please visit our sponsor:]

[Greg Jennings]

Friends,

Someone reached out to me looking for a dojo in Birmingham, AL for their daughter who will be at UAB starting in the Fall semester. She as been training near Tampa for four years.

Let's say that I don't have my finger on the pulse of aikido in Birmingham. I've exhausted my direct resources in the state and am thus reaching out.

Any good recommendations?

Regards,

Greg Jennings

[Greg Jennings]

If you have something that you don’t want to post in public, please PM me.

[Greg Jennings]

“Anyone? Anyone?” ;)

[Larry Feldman]

Start with the Dojo Search engine here. I know it is out of date, but may be a start.
Google Aikido in Birmingham.
Check around at the School.

Two hour drive to Atlanta - I teach a Saturday class.

[Greg Jennings]

Larry, thank you for the pointers. Both were done before I posted looking for a personal recommendation. I’d like to give the young lady local options before recommending that she drive to Atlanta or to Montgomery, where my old dojo is still in operation.

[Larry Feldman]

Agreed. Sometimes there is a club on campus. We had someone come up from AL, a club at a University - but it was many years ago....

[Garth Jones]

A quick Google search didn't turn up much. There is a dojo called USA Martial Arts that has some Yoshinkai derived aikido. That's all I could find.

[Larry Feldman]

Under the circumstances, she may have to start a club just so she can practice.....

[Adam Huss]

Under the circumstances, she may have to start a club just so she can practice.....

Larry,

Here is a link to a dojo in the area. https://www.bluffparkdojo.com/home.html

They have aikido, judo, and a karate/TKD mix called Chong Shin Kwan. The dojo is affiliated with my organization. Unfortunately I have not been able to visit the school since like 2005 or so, but I know the current head instructor and he is a full-time dedicated martial artist.

Our Aikido; its background is a little unusual. The dojo's two main influences in aikido are through Roger Jarrett (a former senior student of Fumio Toyoda, founder of the AAA), and Kevin Blok (a former student Kushida Takeshi Sensei and also trained with Shioda Gozo (Yoshinkan)). I'm not sure what their testing syllabus is exactly, as dojo cho have some leeway in our organization, but mostly testing is more similar to aikikai styles, with some Yoshinkan fundamentals and training drills influencing fundamentals.

Good luck!
Adam