It’s an impressive discipline. I was a Tae-Kwon-Do student for in the 60s, but switched to A-Kimber45-Boom after getting robbed and shot in ‘75.
Aikido is tough. I am pretty good at throwing people to the mat and small joint manipulation. I quit Aikido at 64 years of age...tough to get up off the mat. I am 66 and teach Tae Kwon Do. Thank goodness for ibuprofin
My Aikido instructor is from Philippines. He studied at the academy in Japan with the son, #1 advocate of Morehei Ushiba. Jose Soriano trained with Segal.