Newport Beach Aikido – Shin Do Kan Dojo

A great Aikido school has an experienced instructor with outstanding teaching credentials. If the instructor him/​herself had a world-​class instructor, that will be a big plus. Add a great student group who wants to see you succeed and you will have a terrific environment for personal development. In my opinion, Aikido Shin Do Kan has all those elements.

Pennewaert Sensei does an amazing job! I have been training for my entire adult life and we recently had Sensei out for a seminar and he was truly amazing. His knowledge, teaching style, and through understanding of his art allow him to connect with you and your students. We hope his schedule will allow him to visit us annually. if he is near your town do yourself and your students a favor and get there. It will be time well spent.

A long overdue review. I’m back at the dojo after five years. It’s like coming home. Warm and inviting with a patient and wise sensei.
During my initial tenure, I had a bad back and neck due to a car accident. I was very nervous about doing martial arts again (I previously studied Kenpo). However, one of the beauties of Aikido is the ability to adjust to any body style or level of fitness. Women excel at this form of martial art as they don’t try to muscle their way into the movements. Well, two years into my study under Sensei Pennewaert I had not experienced one flare up in my back or neck. That alone was worth the price. Unfortunately, I moved to Washington state and had a five year absence.
Returning to the dojo I was a nervous as a first-​time student. However, Sensei allowed me to progress at my own speed. I’m happy to be back amongst friends and the warmth of the dojo.
If you’ve ever considered martial arts, please try Aikido. Your fellow students and teachers will support you unlike the competitive nature at many martial arts schools. It’s not about belts, but personal advancement. Sensei Pennewaert and the other instructors embrace this philosophy. Hope to see you here!

I had heard many good recommendations about this dojo and wanted to give it a try. After practicing for several months, I realized that this was my new Aikido home. Sensei Pennewaert is very skilled in identifying the subtle details and is an excellent teacher. It’s clear why he is invited to teach at seminars and is praised for his weapon techniques. Sensei Pennewaert was the otomo of Sugano Shihan, the late master swordsman, and now he is my Sensei. What a privilege! I am amazed that he is so dedicated to teach all the classes while other dojos have only senior students demonstrating techniques. I highly recommend anyone serious about studying Aikido to stop by this dojo. I am certainly glad that I did.

I practice (d) regularly @ the NY AikiKai, which is basically the mothership of Aikido in the US, and am ecstatic to have found aikido instruction that mirrors the same quality I have come to expect, in Orange County. It’s great to know that Pennewaert Sensei studied under both Yamada and Sugano Sensei as Uchi Deshi (live in apprentice) and also taught @ the NY Aikikai mothership, which means, getting legit instruction.
Peeps are nice, instruction, exceptional. Boo yea.

A truly great dojo, and I’ve seen plenty, training in Japan for 5 years, traveling around the US and Europe. Pennewaert Sensei’s standards are absolutely the tops, as well as his technical and teaching abilities. A must see for anyone seriously interested in Aikido.