The quality of a martial arts school depends on the excellence of the primary, active instructor's depth of experience and understanding of an authentic art.

Shobu Aikido of Boston is unique because the school's actively-teaching chief instructor is an internationally-respected author on aikido whose first 10 years of studying aikido were spent training in Japan with the most talented and closest students of the founder of this relatively young martial art. He teaches seminars nationally and internationally.

Sensei Gleason, a 6th degree black belt, is the head instructor at Shobu Aikido of Boston. He lived in Japan from 1970-80, where he trained in traditional aikido and sword at the aikido world headquarters (Honbu Dojo). Morihei Ueshiba sensei ("O-sensei"), the founder of Aikido, had passed away the year before Gleason sensei arrived in Japan. He practiced intensively, under the best possible instruction in the art, with the founder's most prominent students and uchi-deshi, including Takeda sensei, Osawa sensei, Watanabe sensei, Koichi Tohei sensei, Saotome sensei, Sasaki sensei, Endo sensei and the Doshu (the founder's son).

He trained most often and intensely with the late Yamaguchi sensei, who became his mentor and friend. Gleason sensei describes his teacher as such, in his account of his early training in Japan:

"No one could understand or agree with his techniques, which seemed to flow so effortlessly. This is really no surprise. Even the high-ranking teachers of Honbu dojo couldn't usually understand how Yamaguchi sensei was able to so effortlessly do what he did. Taking his ukemi was an indescribable experience. His touch was like a feather, yet you would fly off your feet as if you had been hit by a tornado and hit the mat like a sack of stones."

Since 1980, Sensei Gleason has taught full time at Shobu Aikido of Boston (a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization) in addition to conducting aikido seminars worldwide. He is the author of two books on aikido and a DVD on aikido and sword. Aikido is truly his life's work and passion.

The school is a member of the internationally-recognized ASU that is under the head instruction of Saotome sensei, a former uchideshi of O-sensei. Our students' ranking is internationally recognized by Aikaikai Hombu Dojo through this affiliation. Several of Gleason sensei's students have opened their own affiliated schools and currently teach around the country.

Over the years, there have been thousands of students, with up to 75 active members at the highest point. Average evening classes currently range in size from 10-30 students. Sensei Gleason teaches classes 7 hours per week, every week, in addition to teaching 5-10 hour intensive seminars that occur approximately every other month.

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