Aikido is a non-aggressive form of self defense for defending yourself with dignity and grace. The focus is to finish the confrontation quickly and decisively. In short, this means WIN!!! FAST!!! Don't trade punches. Don't wrestle. WIN!!! NOW!!!

This means, you are not taught to go looking for a fight. You are taught to avoid the fight. Go the other way. If you are never attacked, you may never have to use this. However, If you are attacked and there is no escaping, then finish the confrontation immediately in a way that teaches the attacker to NEVER think of attacking you again. This is tough love.

Aikido of Gainesville specializes in Iwama and Nishio styles and focuses on basics while studying the leverage, balance points and physics within the techniques to gain maximum effectiveness with the least effort.

Taught by
Sensei Tom Huffman

4th Deg. Aikikai Black belt

22 Years Experience with 6 Years in Japan

To get a visual idea of Aikido, watch this video with numerous techniques, relationships and applications click

An explanation of the difference between the

Below are free Youtube video clips of Tom Huffman Sensei giving detailed explainations of positions, movements, leverages and balance destabalizing points that enhance Iwama Style techniques. These techniques make up the majority of basic classes at Santa Fe Community College and at the Unified Training Center.

Do not assume that there are not advanced concepts and techniques within the Iwama Style. The repertoire of techniques that Saito Sensei received from O'Sensei is vast and these techniques were passed on to Hitohiro Saito. In addition to this O'Sensei and Saito Sensei taught about the spontaneous development of new techniques. This is the meaning/translation of the term "Takemusu Aiki". Techniques that you were never taught; things you have never seen just appear. Sometimes you don't even know how to duplicate them. It's exciting when this happens.

The folowing four video clips show the warmup that is done at Aikido of Gainesville and the SFCC Aikido Club. The time added in explanation and the limitations set for Youtube clips required me to break it up into four clips. The different exercises have been compiled over the years using pieces from Karate warmups, Yoga warmups, Ki Society warmups and various other warmups. I know that people move, whether on their own decisions or as the result of other peoples' decisions and may not have a warmup, but need one. Feel free to use this as a reference and take pieces as you like for your own warmups.

The mission of Aikido of Gainesville is to provide an opportunity for citizens to learn a non-aggressive yet dynamic form of self defense in a controlled atmosphere of fun, self development and education. Self development will improve students' courage, confidence, strength, endurance and coordination in handling physical conflicts without harming an attacker. In addition this, practice will promote leadership skills that can be applied in the community.

The location for practices is in the Unified Training Center : 809 W. University Ave., Gainesville, FL. 32601. The building is at the corner of SW 8th Street and W. University Ave.

Practice Times

Weapons..................................................2:00-3:45pm .............Sundays

Empty Hand..............................................4:00-6:00pm .............Sundays

Advanced Empty Hand.............................6:00-7:30pm..............Sundays

Empty Hand..............................................7:30-9:30pm .............Mondays

Aikido for Lunch.......................................11:00am-1:00pm .......Mondays & Fridays

Aikido for Kids.........................................4:00-5:30pm ..............Tuesdays & Thursdays

Empty Hand.............................................7:30-9:30pm ...............Wednesdays.

Weapons Take-aways (Open Advanced)..7:30-9:30pm ...............Thursdays

Iaido (Japanese Sword)............................7:00-8:30am.................Saturdays

When I started in Aikido the quality of what I found in Florida did not compare with what I practiced in California. I made a decision to get stationed in Japan while in the Navy and learn as much as possible from top masters and bring top quality Aikido back to Florida. In Japan, I studied with the #2 (Morihiro Saito Sensei) and #3 (Shoji Nishio Sensei) masters (at that time) in the Aikikai Aikido System. I had the opportunity to go and practice with the #1 master (Kishomaru Ueshiba), however I had met many of his students at various seminars around Tokyo and they were not as impressive as the other masters' students. I focused my studies on the two styles which I felt were the most effective.