Instructors

We follow the technical direction of Patricia Hendricks Shihan, 7th dan.

Lineage:
Morihei Ueshiba - Founder of Aikido; trained primarily under Sokaku Takeda (Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu)
Morihiro Saito - Student of the founder at the Iwama dojo for 23 years; caretaker and chief instructor from 1969 until his death in 2002.
Patricia Hendricks - Student of Morihiro Saito Shihan since 1976; opened Aikido of San Leandro in 1984.

Charles Bland (4th Dan; chief instructor; dojo-cho) started Aikido in 1995 at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. The University aikido club was instructed by Ted Jones Sensei, a student of Shigeru Kawabe Shihan in Akita, Japan.

Bland Sensei with Hendricks Shihan at North TX Aikido
Bland Sensei with Hendricks Shihan at North TX Aikido (photo by Keli Fink)

Training history:
  • 2022 - Assisted Hendricks Sensei as uke for the World Games demonstration in Birmingham, AL
  • 2020 - received rank of yon-dan from Patricia Hendricks
  • 2015 - received rank of san-dan from Patricia Hendricks
  • 2013 - Founded Kinjo Dojo in Wheat Ridge, CO
  • 2009-2013 - studied under Andrew Blevins sensei at Kiryu Aikido in Lone Tree, CO 
  • 1999-2009 - trained at prominent Denver area aikido dojo
  • 1999 - attended Morihiro Saito Sensei seminar in Denver, CO
  • 1996-1997 - traveled to Japan for a university exchange program, trained as soto deshi in Kyoto under Higuchi Takanari sensei, a direct student of Saito Morihiro and Tanaka Bansen.
  • 1995 - Started aikido at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC

Charles makes regular trips to Aikido of San Leandro to train with Hendricks Shihan in order to bring back and share with Kinjo Dojo.


Tyffany Stipetic (4th Dan) began aikido training in 2005 in Denver, CO. In 2009 she became a student at Kiryu Aikido under Andrew Blevins Sensei. Tyffany started Kinjo Dojo with Charles in 2013 and became a student of Patricia Hendricks Shihan.

Tyffany and Jason-Sensei in Bismarck, ND
Tyffany teaches kids classes at Kinjo dojo and makes regular trips to Aikido of San Leandro to train under Hendricks Shihan.