Aikido of South Florida - Donto Iwama Ryu - Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai USA
Osensei
Morihiro Saito Sensei
Hitohiro Saito Sensei
Stephanie Yap Sensei

Student Testimonials

I first became interested in Aikido after some brief research in about 1998. After researching and visiting other dojos and sitting through entire classes, I felt these dojos had too much competitive attitude and egos which went against anything I had previously read about aikido, and were also lacking the traditional Japanese dojo etiquette I was in search of. Therefore, it took me quite some time before actually finding the right dojo. It wasn't until January of 2000 after moving to Hollywood that I stumbled across Aikido of South Florida. From the moment I set foot in the dojo, the feeling was entirely different. The aesthetics of the dojo, the students and the instructor reflected more of what I had previously read on aikido, the dojo and Japanese culture itself.

In fact, to make sure that I was making the right choice, I sat and watched classes for two consecutive weeks, everyday! I think Sensei probably thought I was a stalker of some sort.

Immediately after joining, I knew I had made the right choice. The instruction is exceptional and the intensity level is always high. If you like detailed instruction, your brain will be on overdrive here!

The training is intense and I remember the senior students really seemed to make an effort to make me feel welcomed and assisted me greatly in my early stages of training. The style that is taught is extremely traditional and focuses on extreme details. This is all a reflection from the numerous years Stephanie Yap Sensei has spent living and training under Morihiro Saito Sensei, 9th dan, the longest uchideshi (live-in apprentice) to serve O'Sensei. Saito Sensei gave 24 years of his life to live and learn under the Founder.

Over the years, and after meeting and speaking with many students when we have either traveled to participate in seminars around the world, or when we have hosted seminars ourselves, they always mention how lucky we are to have Yap Sensei as our instructor. Her intensity, passion and attention to detail are evident to anyone watching her teach. I became so addicted to aikido I found myself training 6 days a week, 12 classes a week!

Now, more than ten years later, at age 43, and training towards my 3RD dan, I have become one of the senior students that are assisting the new members of the dojo with their training. The one thing I am completely sure about is that our dojo has a unique family feeling with all our students. For this reason, I will probably be here for the next ten years. I believe I have made some friends for life within the dojo.

Steven Lemus
Private investigator/Security Specialist

I have always been attracted by the beauty of Aikido and I consider myself fortunate to learn this impressive art from Stephanie Yap Sensei at Aikido of South Florida. I believe it is extremely important to practice the founding techniques of Aikido correctly within an unbiased environment and Sensei Yap's dedication and power to touch student's hearts through the eloquence of her teaching is very inspiring.

Beyond the high quality of instruction from Sensei Stephanie Yap, the camaraderie among students in the dojo also creates an even more powerful sense of confidence and enhances positive thinking, which all have positively benefited the unavoidable instabilities of day to day life. I warmly recommend this unique traditional school for all those who are willing to learn and practice the exceptional art of Aikido and enjoy the rewarding results of their passion and dedication.

Dan P.
Electrical Engineer

I have been a practitioner of Aikido for about 6 years, on and off. I have also trained in Krav-maga and I was a wrestler during my junior high and high school years.

I am currently working as a House Arrest officer for Miami Dade County. I do this job 4 days a week, 10 hours a day. This job requires me to check up on mostly pretrial offenders ordered to house arrest, by judges in Dade County (their charges can range from 1st degree murder to driving while license suspended). When an offender cuts their monitoring bracelet or leaves their home and fails to return, I also go looking for them…..In my off time, I am a Defensive Tactics Instructor for the Miami Dade College School of Justice (law enforcement academy). I have trained hundreds of police and correctional officers in self defense. And, one weekend a month and two weeks a year(normally), I serve the United States Air Force Reserve as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician(If you have seen the movie hurt locker, you know what I'm talking about). I have deployed twice to Iraq, as a team leader. I say all this so you will understand what type of environment I operate in and what dangers I am exposed to.

From November of 2008 to present I have trained at Aikido of South Florida, under the guidance of Stephanie Yap sensei. I have found Yap Sensei to be a competent and thoughtful teacher. She is consistently detail oriented and strives to instill this behavior in all of her students. Her methodology is contemporary, yet she maintains all the traditional aspects of Aikido teachings. She not only makes our classes physically and mentally challenging, but she makes them relevant and enjoyable. Her dedication to her student's growth is beyond reproach.

My work environment can be very chaotic; I find relief in Aikido. Stress is the cause of many health and personal problems for people in my line of work. Aikido is a great tool to manage and relieve tension. Whether it's the yoga we do for warm up, the weapons or empty hand training, you have to recruit a great majority of the muscles in your body. At the end of class, you would be hard pressed to find a group of muscles that haven't been loosened up…During class you have to maintain focus; and discipline is a must. I operate in an environment, where lack of focus and discipline can be life threatening. Aikido has helped me to maintain my composure in tense and unpredictable situations.

Being someone who has a hand in training new law enforcement officers, I find Aikido to be a perfect fit. I would recommend it to anyone of my colleagues. The focus on body movement, balance displacement and joint manipulation are all aspects of defensive tactics for law enforcement officers. Aikido would be a compliment to any style of martial arts practiced and it would greatly enhance your vision and responsiveness.

Lastly, Aikido of South Florida is not just a place to learn, it's a place to grow. When you join this dojo, you become part of a family; you are not just another face in the crowd.

Gavin Sinclair
Correctional Officer/ Defensive Tactics Instructor / EOD Technician

Joining Aikido of South Florida three years ago has been the best physical activity experience in my life. When I started, I had never done any martial arts and really did not know what to expect. I was not very coordinated, so learning at the beginning was very tough. But lucky for me, I found a place with a Sensei (Stephanie Yap) that just never has given up on me and would not take an “I am not coordinated� or “my body cannot do that� excuses. By training regularly, I have much improved my flexibility, focus, strength, patience and learning skills.

I use what I have learned not only on the mat, but in my everyday life. On top of it all, I have gained a wonderful group of friends with a one of a kind martial artist mentality.

Marianne N.
Accountant

It's not enough to know the type of martial arts and to have the guts to actually learn it. You have to do your research ‘coz enrolling in a school can either make or break you. I believe I chose the right Aikido school. Based from my inquiry and observation of the classes before joining, as well as my first-hand experience with Sensei Stephanie Yap and the sempai (higher belters), I can attest that they really know their craft. What's unique about the school is that I not only learn the open hand techniques (what Aikido is known for) but also the weapon techniques. I didn't even know that Aikido uses weapons before this. Thus, I got more than I bargained for! What's more, the atmosphere in the dojo is very welcoming. It's a fusion of different cultures with people from different walks of life yet sharing that bond known as Aikido. We also get to hang-out after classes. Sometimes have parties at the dojo, so it's like having an extended family. Which I think is so cool!!

Being in aikido class for me is a therapy. It de-stresses and helps me cope with depression caused by the struggles of my personal life and my stressful work. It makes me zone out everything for at least 2 hours while on the mat and just focus on the class. Aikido is self-defense and my form of exercise. Looking at my friends who are depressed and so stressed out with work, I'd say in my mind…that used to be me. But, I'm feeling better now, and I ain't going back to that!

Would I recommend Aikido of South Florida to friends? Most definitely…not only to friends but to all the readers of this article! I stand 5', but I can work with anybody in class (be it a 6' guy), it doesn't matter ‘coz it works. If I can do it, so can everyone else!

-Van V
Auditor

I guess my martial arts journey began in the late sixties when I studied Tae Kwon Do with Henry Cho in New York City. After that I went to London around 1969, and started studying Aikido with Sensei Chiba for a couple of months, after which I had to return to the States because I couldn't extend my visas in London.

I knew I wanted to stay in Aikido so I went to the New York Aikikai & trained with Sensei Yamada. Around that time I started Tai Chi Chuan with William CC Chen & stayed there for around four years. I stopped doing any martial arts after this and in 1990 I moved to Hollywood, Florida. It was around 1996 that I started to get the itch to get back into martial arts & I started looking around. One day I happened into a martial arts store & they had a card from Aikido South Florida. The people there said I should check it out, that the teacher there was very good.

It was about a week later that I went to observe a class. I could see that the school was very traditional & the Dojo was clean & immaculate. I had just hit fifty years old at the time & so I decided it was either now or never. I have always loved Aikido & I'm happy I got back into it when I did.

Sensei Yap can be a taskmaster at times but she is an incredible teacher. She knows her shit! It's been fourteen years now & I still love going to class. I don't go as much as I use to but I expect to train until I am physically unable to.

The Dojo has been & still is an incredible place for me to be, it's very much like an extended family & everyone there is sincerely into helping each other.

Mark Chin
Photographer

Aikido of South Florida dojo is an excellent school to learn the traditional Japanese martial art of Aikido. The dojo environment is disciplined yet very friendly and outgoing. They are always open to newcomers regardless of skill level, size, or strength. It is like a second home where the instructor and students are always willing to stay after class and assist you with your techniques. Sensei Stephanie Yap is extremely knowledgeable and an excellent instructor. It is amazing to watch and learn from such a skilled aikidoist.

Aikido is not only a great martial art for self defense, it is also a good way to get exercise, lose weight, reduce stress, and improve your mental focus and clarity. If you are looking for a traditional martial art that instills discipline, camaraderie, excellent hand to hand and weapons training, then the Aikido of South Florida dojo is for you. I would highly recommend this school.

Darren Watson Investment Consultant

Walking into Aikido South Florida for the first time was quite an experience. The dojo has an expansive, spacious feeling with a distinct Japanese decor. When there is no one on the mat, it has a zen-like energy, quiet and calm. However, when training is in motion, the atmosphere changes to being dynamic and vibrant. It is a welcoming environment to train, to learn, and to just be.

Training with Sensei Yap has been an amazing experience. I will never forget the first time I heard her kiai. Her power and strength are immense. Being a student of hers is humbling, with her knowledge and high standard of Aikido. Her instruction is a blend of direct focus with gentle encouragement. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to train under her.

The senior students at Aikido South Florida are wonderful people. They create a feeling of family, and are always willing to assist and guide. I have only felt support from them, and have never felt the stereotypical aire of superiority often found in higher ranks. The process of entering the world of Aikdio has been amazing. With no previous martial arts background, it has been, and continues to be, a huge learning curve. I am learning a new language, both literally as well as in physical form. It requires my full attention at all times, which is a great opportunity to be in the present moment. I am so grateful to have found Aikdio of South Florida, with its roots in Sensei Yap.

A. Eager Educator

I started training at Aikido of South Florida over ten years ago, and it hardly seems to have been so long. During this time, I have had the opportunity to experience so many adventures that would have normally escaped my life. I for one, have evolved greatly through my involvement with the dojo, which in turn, has enriched my life on many other levels. I feel incredibly appreciative to have a teacher so dedicated to the art and to her students, as well as to her own teacher, Saito Sensei. Sensei Yap continues to inspire all who she seems to touch and so much of her experience has been engrained in her students due to her relationship with each one of her students.

I am a part of a very unique environment that is not only due to the exceptional instruction, but also the unique sense of family and trust that permeates throughout the dojo and it's members. The classes at Aikido of South Florida are just as noteworthy as they are a combination of being physically and mentally challenging. Sensei Yap creates an atmosphere which somehow compels you to perform better and help others to do the same. Being a member has afforded me some of the best experiences and it is a lifestyle changer. I will not hesitate in the least to recommend this school as something that must be experienced.

Noam Lipaz Executive Chef

Sensei,
Thank you so very much. Although words will not do justice to express my gratitude, let me say that I am changed as an aikidoka but more so in a personal way in your presence. I am honored to be on the mat with you and Aikido South Florida. For me, aikido is viewed from the lense of ukemi and there have been no greater expressions of joy and vigorous practice than my opportunities to connect with you as uke. Rest assured I hope we have much more time to meet up so that I can continue my study of the art we both love.

I realize that I may not be able to offer much, but know that I am sincere and would offer 100% of my intent. I have found myself stunned by your intensity, professionalism and friendly nature. I am humbled and feel the urgent calling to continue to be in touch with you. I could probably go on at length, but let me wrap up by saying: DOMO ARIGATO GOZAIMASHTA SENSEI!

Gasper LaRocca