Michael Field Sensei 4th dan Aikikai commenced his Aikido training in Japan in 1979 at the Founder's famous "open-air" Dojo in Iwama. The founder Morihei Ueshiba, died in 1969, well before Michael's arrival, however he had left his home Dojo in the skilled hands of Morihiro Saito Sensei who had trained more hours on the mat with him than any other person. A record that cannot be broken.

Saito Sensei is the heir of the founder's technique, both open handed and weapons, and Michael Field is the Australian who has spent the most time on the mat with Saito Sensei. The Aikido that Saito and Field Sensei's teach is known as Iwama Ryu (Iwama Style), a style dedicated to preserving and teaching future generations the founder's technique open handed and weapons, unaltered. They teach Aikido not just as a "health system" but as an effective martial art.

Michael is a full-time professional Aikido teacher stationed in Melbourne with a large dedicated Dojo in Fitzroy and branches in Werribee and Wheelers Hill. His students hold classes in Ararat (Vic), Leeton (NSW), Port Augusta and Whyalla (South Australia). He returns to Iwama and his teacher, Saito Sensei, regularly with senior students of his dojo to ensure technical and cultural accuracy.

He is the author of the "Precision Aikido" video series; the series being used by martial artists Australia-wide. who have previously had no access to a properly qualified Aikido teacher. The sales of "Precision Aikido" tapes in Australia have been so successful that they will be launched on the international market in 1996.

Field Sensei teaches the whole of the Aikido technical system, culture and philosophy. For him, Aikido is a way to grow spiritually through the acquisition of defensive skills. Michael teaches Aikido as a creative mindy-body discipline, as a practical means of handling aggression, and as a way of life that fosters fearlessness, wisdom, love, and friendship. He believes that its principles of reconciliation, harmony, cooperation, and empathy could be applied bravely to all the challenges we face in - life - in personal relationships, as we interact with society, at work and in business, when dealing with nature. Everyone can be a warrior for peace and paradoxically as experienced Aikido students know, the shortest path to address personal violence is to train on the mat with all comers. Michael filed Sensei holds that peace will come gradually when we have the courage to seriously study violence.

Warning: Do not attempt this Aikido technique, known as Gunseki Otoshi, unless your partner is an expert at falling as she will be otherwise hurt when falling to the surface. If you are not a conditioned martial artist do not try this technique even if someone expert at falling, as you could do damage to yourself with the lift.