Is this Tomiki Aikido or??

Hi, recently Ive been looking to start back into martial arts after over an almost 2 year layoff. I was taking a striking style art that was basically a McDojo for over a year and half and needless to say earned 5 belts in that time. Ive always been interested in Aikido and found an instructor close to me who ive talked to on social media as well as the phone and from what I can tell he told me he started training in aikido in NC in the 80s. He was in the military or college, I don't remember. He told me it took about 10 years to earn his black belt. I cant really remember all the stuff he said, but basically when I asked what governing body his aikido is with, I do know he said he was under 3 different senseis..one local, one in a big city nearby and with Tomiki Aikido of the Americas with a Nettles Sensei. I cant remember all of the story but basically he said his aikido came from the JAA and it was kind of like it broke things down into a simpler way. I am going to check it out this week and maybe I will be able to ask again and remember more, but from what im getting I think he studied shodokan/tomiki? Im not asking to have his background scrutinized, im just asking for a little more information on this style of aikido. I don't think they do tournaments which is a big plus. The school also teacher Japanese jiu jitsu which I would basically be the only aikido student he would have because of the economy being so bad in our state. He even has dropped the aikido price down a lot due to that fact. They do have jj students, a lot and as he said its hard to get people interested in aikido because of course with the UFC mindset etc. Thanks for any insight...I want to learn aikido, and right now other than an hour and half drive this is it!

I would need more details but I do know Dave Nettles having trained with him during his visits to Shodokan Honbu in Japan. He is a key player in JAA USA - may actually be the head instructor of that organization (he was when I last looked). He certainly knows his stuff.

The Shodokan aikido curriculum is very well developed and technically focussed making it easier to get a good solid grounding in the art - at least for me. It doesn't make things simpler just easier to understand and practice. The competitions are not a mandatory part but the style uses a judo-esque type of randori which allows you to test your technique in a more chaotic environment. Also a good thing IMHO.

Thank you for the reply, I really don't remember a lot he said that day. When I called I had about 20 minutes to talk to him because of an appointment I had. He never said the word Shodokan, but he did mention Nettles Sensei and from what I understand he does have affiliation with Tomiki of the Americas. He also is under a lady sensei who was taught by her father in Japan, starting in the 50s. She is in a nearby large city and her site says it's an independent school. I'm pretty sure it is Shodokan aikido now. From what I've read online at other sites there is a kind of love/hate relationship between aikikai and Shodokan. Well maybe not to that extent but some criticism maybe. I just want to study aikido!

Well - one tries to avoid politics between styles. If you find a good teacher who does what you want to do - go for it.

Perhaps the most futile thing you can do, the single biggest waste of time, is to try and understand different styles before you've stepped onto the mat. And trying to sort out the politics? Worse than a waste of time. Go, look, decide if you want to do what you see on the mat, train or don't. Leave the politics and the lineage and the who's-talking-to-who out of it. It really need not concern you as a beginner and it's only a needless distraction.

Mary Malmros wrote: Perhaps the most futile thing you can do, the single biggest waste of time, is to try and understand different styles before you've stepped onto the mat. And trying to sort out the politics? Worse than a waste of time. Go, look, decide if you want to do what you see on the mat, train or don't. Leave the politics and the lineage and the who's-talking-to-who out of it. It really need not concern you as a beginner and it's only a needless distraction.

Yep!

I think you folks have taken what I said out of context. It may just be my way of phrasing it too. Where I live there are very few options for what I would consider "real" training. I spent almost 2 years of my life in a McDojo, earning belts every 3 months that most wouldn't earn one color in a year! Having said that, there are a couple of other dojos that have what I would call the mystery martial arts..the style you can not really find a lot about with the 40 year old 10th degree grandmaster. If you get my meaning. There's also the 3 year contract TKD school. This Sensei I found was not even really advertising and I found his place entirely by accident. I'm really not bringing politics into it and I'm sorry if it seemed that way. I am just trying to avoid what I've already ran into, and I had never heard of Shodokan/Tomiki until I researched it. It does seem to have a solid base. I apologize if it seemed like I was instigating something. I wasn't.

Well from what you said I would try it out. If you like it stay.

I see no red flags.