At Utsusemi Aikikai (Aikido of Galveston) Ken McGrew sensei provides the Birmingham area with martial arts instruction in traditional post-war Aikido. Our dojo is affiliated with Aikido Schools of Ueshiba, an organization headed by Shihan Mitsugi Saotome, a personal student of the founder of Aikido, Ueshiba Morihei (O Sensei), from 1955 until the founder's death in 1969. From 1960 until 1975, Saotome Shihan taught at the world headquarters in Tokyo, Japan before leaving his position as a senior instructor to relocate to the United States. Aikido Schools of Ueshiba is affiliated with the International Aikido Federation. Our dojo members include school-age students, college students, graduate students, working-age adults, and retired persons from the Galveston community.

"In Aikido, there is absolutely no attack. To attack means that the spirit has already lost. We adhere to the principle of absolute non-resistance, that is to say, we do not oppose the attacker. Thus, there is no opponent in Aikido. The victory in Aikido is masakatsu agatsu (correct victory, self-victory); since you win over everything in accordance with the mission of heaven, you possess absolute strength."

-O Sensei from an interview in 1957