North London Aikido

I’d like to introduce The Wellbeing Centre in North London where I’ve just done aikido.

Classes in aikido, shiatsu, chi gung, tai chi are lead by Linda McQuillan and Ken Gannon. Linda and Ken are long-term students of Kantesuka Shihan and I first met them ten years ago. I had the pleasure to attend an aikido class taught by Linda recently, while in London. Normally in London I visit the SOAS dojo, which as it is several floors down, the joke is it would be the only dojo to survive a nuclear war. But anyway…

Linda’s McQuillan’s aikido is both relaxed/sensitive and powerful/positive, a balance of the two sides of aikido that I rarely find. She taught clean, good quality basics emphasising posture, connection and zanshin. The other students were friendly and the training atmosphere relaxed without being slack. I highly recommend the dojo and wish them success, especially as I know that renting a permanent space in London is not a cheap venture.

Aside from North London, here are some other dojos in London I recommend:

East London/ UCL dojos under Mire Zloh and Brabara Sotowich of the UKA (traditional)
Chiba Senseis old dojo for intense physical practice – Shinmeikan
Kilburn – a ki orientated dojo (amusing webite too)
David Rubens, a senior Yoshinkan instructor and AE International Board member
Adrian Tyndale’s Tomiki aikido dojo