Abergavenny Aikido

General information

Anita first encountered Aikido as part of a self defence program for the Girl Guides, continuing to study it as an interest in it’s own right for a few years whilst she was a teenager. Anita then returned to Aikido in 2000 when she lived in Banbury, practising under Keith Denny, and it has been part of her life ever since. During a year out in Australia, Anita experienced Ki Aikido in N. Queensland and Takemusu Aikido in Sydney. Upon her return to South Wales, UK, Anita began training with Kobayashi Dojos UK with Mac Sensei in Bristol in April 2003.

Anita was awarded funds from Musubi Fund in Kobayashi Dojo Japan to train with them for 6 weeks as Uchi Deshi. In August 2007, Anita returned to live in Japan for two years, during which she trained in Aikido every week-end and regularly throughout the week. This culminated in a 5 month stay as Uchi Deshi and successfully taking her Shodan examination at Hombu Dojo. Anita says “Aikido has helped me deal with some rough times in my life, it never lets me down. I find it a lot of fun and I’m really keen to pass this on to others’

On her return to the UK Anita passed her Coaching Level 1 and is now back on the mat with a vengeance having had two children. This summer she passed her Nidan and is now working on starting her own Dojo, called O Taka Hiro around her home area of Raglan,S.Wales and Bristol. Anita’s goal is to offer a range of classes to a wide range of age groups and abilities.

Anita is also proficient in the little known Martial Art of Salsa dancing: Hiroaki Sensei awarded her a nidan in Salsa in 2015.