Capital Aikikai: Senior Teaching Staff

Clyde Takeguchi is the founder and director of Capital Aikikai. Takeguchi sensei is a shichidan -- a seventh degree black belt -- and a shihan of the United States Aikido Federation. He began his study of aikido in 1958 in his native Hawaii. In addition to founding Capital Aikikai in 1973, Takeguchi sensei founded the aikido clubs in Madison, WI, and Charleston, SC. He has taught aikido at the police departments in Honolulu and Madison, as well as at the US Customs Academy in Washington, DC. He is currently a member of the US Aikido Federation's Technical Committee.

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Bill Plank is the chief instructor of Capital Aikikai. He holds the rank of godan -- fifth degree black belt -- and is a Hombu-certified shidoin intructor. 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, Wyo.

Dave Millar is assistant chief instructor at Capital Aikikai. He holds the rank of yondan -- fourth 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.

(photos courtesy of Tim Gion)