Capital Aikikai

Tuesday
5:30p - 6:25p Teens/Tweens
6:30p - 7:40p Beginner
7:45p - 9:00p Aikido Weapons (advanced) w/ Takeguchi Shihan

Wednesday
6:30p - 7:40p General
7:45p - 9:00p General

Thursday
7:00p - 8:30p General

Friday
6:30p - 7:30p Open mat for weapons practice
7:45p - 9:00p Katori Shinto Ryu

Saturday
9:00a - 10:00a Children
10:15a - 11:15a Beginner w/ Takeguchi Shihan
11:30a - 12:30p Advanced w/ Takeguchi Shihan

Sunday
10:00a - 11:30a Katori Shinto Ryu Capital Area Katori
1:00p - 3:00p Capital Qi Gong (external group, not covered by our membership dues)

Our Instructors

The teaching staff at Capital Aikikai is one of the most diverse and experienced in the United States.

Clyde Takeguchi Shihan is the founder and director of Capital Aikikai. Takeguchi Sensei is a shichidan — a seventh degree black belt — and a Hombu-certified shihan instructor. He began his study of aikido in 1958 in his native Hawaii. He has taught aikido at the police departments in Honolulu and Madison, as well as at the US Customs Academy in Washington, DC. In addition to founding Capital Aikikai in 1973, Takeguchi sensei also founded and directs The Capital Aikido Federation (CAF), an independent association consisting of 24 aikido dojos across the country. CAF ranks are recognized by Aikikai Hombu Dojo and the International Aikido Federation.

Bill Plank, Shidoin, 6th Dan, is the chief instructor of Capital Aikikai. He is a Hombu-certified shidoin instructor. He has been training with Takeguchi Sensei since 1981. Plank Sensei teaches several beginning and advanced classes during the week and is also chief instructor of the Jackson Hole Aikikai, in Jackson, Wyoming.

Dave Millar, Shidoin, 6th Dan, is assistant chief instructor at Capital Aikikai. He holds the rank of rokudan — sixth degree black belt — and is a Hombu-certified shidoin instructor. He began studying aikido in 1981 under Shuji Maruyama Sensei in Philadelphia. In 1987 he moved to Washington, D.C., and began training with Takeguchi Sensei at Capital Aikikai. He also trained for three years in Aomori, Japan. Millar Sensei is responsible for Capital's popular Saturday children's class and teaches several beginning and advanced classes during the week.

Valarie Barr, 5th dan, started Aikido in 1979 at the student club of the University of Illinois, a member dojo of the Midwest Aikido Federation under Akira Tohei Shihan. In 1983, she was fortunate to come to the DC area and spent three wonderful years training with Takeguchi Sensei. After a brief time spent in Gainesville Florida, she returned to this area and has been happily training and learning at Capital Aikikai ever since.

Fred Richards, 5th dan, started Aikido in 1988 at the Central Illinois Aikikai, a member dojo of the Midwest Aikido Federation under Akira Tohei Shihan. In 1992 Fred experienced his first Aikido class with Clyde Takeguchi Sensei at the Midwest Aikido Federation Summer Camp, at which Takeguchi Sensei was invited to instruct. In a fortunate coincidence, that summer Fred had also secured a job in the Washington, DC, area. Except for a two-year period of running a tiny dojo in Gaeta, Italy, he has been training and learning at Capital Aikikai since the fall of 1992. In 2012 he was awarded the title of Fukushidoin by the Capital Aikido Federation.

Sarah Guroff, 4th dan, began studying Aikido under the instruction of Jim Walsh Sensei while attending Swarthmore College. After graduation, she traveled abroad and had the good fortune to train under Miguel Morales-Bermudez Sensei, at Centro Aikikai in Lima, Peru, and Edy Kamalski Sensei, at Aikidoschool Sankaku in Arnhem, The Netherlands. A native of Maryland, Sarah returned home in 1999 and has been studying with Clyde Takeguchi Sensei at Capital Aikikai ever since.

Meipo Martin, 4th dan, started out as a Goju-Ryu Karate student in college, and by a fortunate twist of fate, ran into an aikido class taught by the late Hiroaki Izumi Sensei in 1991. She soon joined the Hong Kong Aikido Association and started training under the direction of the late Kenneth Cottier Shihan. Meipo first met Clyde Takeguchi Shihan while visiting Washington D.C. in 1993. In 1999, Meipo moved to the D.C area in order to learn from Takeguchi Shihan.

Lou Mastriani, 4th dan, began training in the martial arts by studying Goshin-do karate in college. He then became a student of Tadashi Yamash*ta in Shorin-ryu karate. In April 1994 he was fortunate to join Capital Aikikai and has been a student of Takeguchi Shihan ever since.

Tom Tedeschi, 4th dan, was introduced to aikido in 1993 at one of Capital Aikikai’s satellite dojo, under the direction of Al Sambuco. Since then he has been a student of Takeguchi Sensei at Capital Aikikai. He additionally has spent many years studying under Gordon Sakamoto Sensei of Northern Virginia Aikikai. Tom instructs in Capital’s teens and children's classes and has also studied Yagyu Shinkage Ryu (koryu) under Paul Manogue Sensei in Philadelphia.

Mark Klock, 2nd dan, began training in martial arts in 1998 studying Tang Soo Do with Tompkins Karate Association. He was promoted to shodan in that organization in 2006 and served as an assistant instructor there from 2002-2013. In 2002 Mark was introduced to Aikido at Capital and has been a student of Takeguchi Shihan ever since. Mark has also been practicing Katori Shinto Ryu since 2010.

Brian Beach, 1st dan, began studying Martial Arts (Tang Soo Do) as a child but was sensibly forced to stop by his parents when he roundhouse kicked his little sister. He restarted as an adult in 1997 studying Hapkido. He earned his 1st degree Black Belt in 2002, his 2nd Degree in 2004. While studying Hapkido helped teach the kids classes and also taught at the White House Athletic Center. Brian has been at Capital Aikikai since 2005, earning his Shodan in 2016. He has two daughters who are also students at Capital Aikikai.