Ted Howell has been a martial arts practitioner for 40 years and is currently the Senior Technical Advisor to the Aiki Martial Arts Institute. He has studied aikido under the Aikido Association of America, United States Aikido Federation, Aikido of Hawaii International, and the Aiki Martial Arts Institute. Over the course of his study, Ted has had the good fortune to also train with exponents of Yoshinkan Aikido, Iwama-ryu Aikido, Shinshin Toitsu Aikido, Nihon Goshin Aikido, Tenshin Aikido, Yoseikan Budo, and Daito-ryu Kodokai. He is a martial arts enthusiast and has a background that includes the study of Hakko-ryu Jujutsu, Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu, Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu, Inosanto Filipino Kali, karate (AAKF), and scholastic wrestling. Howell Sensei is the author of “Mainline Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Revisited” and “Aikido Politics and the Growth of Korindo in America (published in the Aikido Journal).
Ted Howell Sensei holds the following:
- Shihan (Master Instructor License) 2022
- Shihandai (Rep. Instructor License) 2021
- Shidoin (Instructor License) 2006
- 6th dan Mikata Korindo Aikido (John Goss, 2021)
- 4th dan Aikikai Aikido (Aikido World Headquarters, 2002)
- 2nd dan Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu (Daito-ryu World Headquarters, 2005)
- 1st dan Aikido (Aikido Association of America, 1991)
Ted is a retired command level police officer from the Mount Laurel Police Department, New Jersey. During his career, he held the positions of Agency Training Supervisor and Senior Supervising Firearms Instructor. Ted is a law enforcement instructor of defensive tactics, impact weapons, firearms, and active shooter scenario-based training. While a police officer, he was exposed to both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (under Professor Brian McPherson / Team Renzo Gracie) and Israeli Krav Maga (under USA Chief Instructor David Kahn).
Brief Biography
Ted began studying martial arts in 1983 and was first introduced to the art of aikido in 1985. While in high school, Ted studied Hakko-ryu Jujutsu, karate (AAKF), and scholastic wrestling. Upon attending Stockton University, he studied aikido under the direction of Eugene Waddell Sensei (5th dan Shidoin, Aikikai), Peter Tamagni Sensei (Chief Instructor Vineland Aikikai), and Shelby Broughton Sensei (Stockton Aikido Club). He later went on to study aikido under Fumio Toyoda Sensei (6th dan Shihan Shinshin Toitsu Aikido / Aikido Association of America) and John Goss Sensei (7th dan Shihan Mikata Korindo Aikido / Aiki Martial Arts Institute).
In 1997 Ted began studying Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu under Katsuyuki Kondo Sensei (Menkyo Kaiden, Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Somucho) and has since trained under Kondo Sensei in both the United States and Japan. He is the senior member of the Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Study Group established under the guidance of John Goss Sensei and is recognized as one of the first jujutsu practitioners to be awarded black belt ranking in (Mainline) Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu outside of Japan. Ted was an assistant instructor of Daito-ryu at Budo Philadelphia, under Derek Steel Sensei (Shibucho), and was authorized by Kondo Sensei to teach Daito-ryu at the Shobukan Dojo in 2004.
Howell Sensei’s Mentors:
- Keith Meido Moore (6th dan Shihan Aikikai / 5th dan Shihandai AAA)
- Herbert Kondo (6th dan Aikikai / Aikido of Hawaii International)
- Stanley Pranin (5th dan Aikikai / Editor-in-Chief Aikido Journal)
- Sumie Hasegawa (Kaiden no Koto, Kyoju Dairi, Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu)
- Derek Steel (3rd dan Shibucho Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu / Menkyo Shinto Muso-ryu Jo)
- Damian DiLuigi (Moy Yat Ving Tsun Kung Fu / Inosanto Filipino Martial Arts)
Howell Sensei has also trained with the following teachers:
Aikido Association of America
- Glen Matsuda (6th dan Aikikai / 5th dan Shihandai AAA)
- Alex Rusinko (4th dan Shidoin AAA)
Aikido of Hawaii International
- Robert Kubo (8th dan Shihan Aikikai / Founder AHI)
- Thomas Kaulukukui, Jr. (7th dan Aikikai / AHI)
- Donald Shimazu (6th dan Aikikai / AHI)
Aikikai - Iwama-ryu
- Vincent Salvatore (6th dan Aikikai / Iwama-ryu)
- Donald Lyon (4th dan Aikikai / Iwama-ryu)
United States Aikido Federation
- Yoshimitsu Yamada (8th dan Shihan Aikikai / President USAF)
- Henry Smith (6th dan Shihan Aikikai / Aikikai of Philadelphia)
World Aikido Aikikai Incorporated
- Zenko Okimura (7th dan Shihan Aikikai / Founder WAAI)
Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu (Mainline)
- Shizuo Amano (6th dan Hidden Mokuroku)
- Youya Yokohama (5th dan Hidden Mokuroku)
- Scott Vogeley (4th dan Shibucho)
- Marc Sumi (3rd dan Shibucho)
(Above list includes only teachers of influence)
Note: Ted Howell is the Director / Chief Instructor of the Shobukan Dojo located in New Jersey. The school was originally opened under the name Pinelands Aikido and was an affiliate dojo of the Aikido Association of America (NJ-06). The name “Shobukan” (Victorious Warrior Hall) was bestowed by Kondo Katsuyuki Sensei in 2003. The school was open to the public from 1992 to 2006. Currently, Howell Sensei teaches privately in New Jersey and oversees the instruction of Korindo Aikido in the United States and Mexico.