Photo of Sensei Jack Poole with Doshu Ueshiba Kisshomaru taken in Japan.

Sensei Jack Poole began formal Aikido training in the mid 1960s. In early 1969 he met and joined Kazuo Chiba Sensei (Head of the then Aikikai of Great Britain). For Sensei Jack Poole training in Aikido under the direction of Kazuo Chiba Sensei was a hugely significant mile stone in his Aikido career in that Chiba Sensei had kindled within him a spark which when fully ignited became a raging fire that needed to devour as much Aikido as was possible. Because of this passion for Aikido Sensei Poole has travelled extensively including to Japan. Sensei Poole has taken Aikido instruction from many of the famous Sensei from different styles of Aikido. Nevertheless, Kazuo Chiba Sensei has remained hugely important for Sensei Jack Poole and has remained his mentor over many years

For a good number of years Sensei Jack Poole was Chairman of the British Aikido Federation (BAF successor to Aikikai of Great Britain). During the late 80’s and early 90’s Sensei jack Poole was greatly troubled by his sincere desire to remain loyal to his Aikido roots while at the same time being faithful to his own needs to follow his own path so that he could also remain honest and true to himself and his students

These years of personal turmoil were finally resolved for Sensei Jack Poole when in 1993 with the blessing of Kazuo Chiba Sensei; Sensei Jack Poole decided it was time for him to leave the BAF. This decision and subsequent action allowed Sensei Jack Poole the desired freedom not only to expand his knowledge of Aikido, but also to develop his own style of Aikido which focuses on: the flowing movements of Aikikai supported by the structure and discipline of Yoshinkan Aikido. Sensei Jack Poole established UK Shinwakai Aikido as well as UK Shinwakai Association which includes organisations following Traditional, Yoshinkan, and Iwama styles of Aikido. Sensei Poole’s reason to choose the name Shinwakai was because it meant ‘Truth and Harmony’ which is exactly how Sensei Poole feels about Aikido

Sensei Jack Poole believes with great conviction that without truth one’s Aikido will not develop and expand and he also understands that to be able to deal with real force or to control real force one must harmonise with it and by doing so one can take over this force and can defeat it. It is from this beginning that UK Shinwakai Aikido was conceived and grew

Sensei Jack Poole also strongly believes that Aikido should be for everyone not just the fit and healthy who look good as Tori and can move well in Ukemi, but also for those who may not be as fit and as fast as their fellow Aikidoka or those who, through many years of hard and dedicated Aikido training, may now have reached an age or a level of physical fitness that prohibits them from taking active ukemi practice and that to deny them the right to train is not only against the principles of ‘Truth and Harmony’ but is also discriminatory and unacceptable 

During an Aikido training session in Oxford, Minoru Kanetsuka Sensei pinned paper on the wall and drew little match-stick men and from there he explained the importance of maintaining good posture in your Aikido practice. This was like a revelation to Sensei Poole and he understood more from that one session than he had learned from the whole previous year and he can still today visualise those tiny little match-stick men 

As the years passed Sensei Jack Poole’s health has deteriorated. Following many bouts of surgery it became necessary for Sensei Poole to find a way to be able to continue his Aikido practice in his much weakened condition. One day out of the blue it suddenly dawned on Sensei Poole that his Aikido was now more powerful in his weakened state than it had been when he was a stronger and younger man