Perry Lambert's Dojo

When I first began training in Aikido there were only two dojos in the city worth going to. Since then, there are quite a few very nice venues to train and I would like to share my experiences with one of my favorites.

I first met Mr. Lambert when I was about 4-kyu. He visited the USAF dojo I was a member of. I believe he had just moved to town and was checking out the scene as it was. We didn’t talk much, we just trained. He wore a kuro obi, but I don’t know if he was 2- or 3-dan at the time. Much later, when I was perusing the ads in the phonebook for martial arts, I came across a listing for his dojo and I gave him a call. We talked and we remembered that we had already met, and we agreed that it would be fine if I were to pay him a friendly visit and train with him.

A little background on Perry is necessary and what I put here is from his dojo’s website:

"Sensei Perry Lambert, Chief Instructor of Aikido of Jacksonville, began training in Karate-do at the O.D.U. Martial Arts Program (headed by Dr. Hiroyuki Hamada) during his college years at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA from 1986-1990. Originally from Richmond, VA, Lambert later returned to his hometown, and began training in aikido with Shihan Steve Steele at Aikido of Richmond in 1993, along with camps and seminars conducted by Sensei Roy Suenaka. In 1996 Lambert moved to Charleston, SC where he trained in aikido and karate directly under Roy Suenaka. After becoming a U.S. Border Patrol Agent in 1998, Lambert was stationed in Eagle Pass, TX where he introduced aikido to the Eagle Pass area. In 2000, Lambert moved to Jacksonville, FL, and opened what is now known as Aikido of Jacksonville."

I had read Roy Suenaka’s book and I was more than curious to see his Aikido in person. I was more than impressed. One of the most painful sankyo I have felt in my life. The most economic iriminage I’ve been thrown in in a long time. A nikyo that hurt so bad I felt it my leg! My favorite, however, is when he threw me with kotegaeshi. When I used breakfall, his throw was so powerful I nearly landed standing straight up on my feet.

That covers my first visit to Perry Lambert’s dojo. My second visit was after he moved to a new location. Everyone was extremely cordial. That was not a surprise, it was just something that stood out. Perry was extremely warm and open with me. He made a point to ensure that I understood every detail and difference of his waza. He also made a point to work out with me each time on every technique. He took ukemi each time to ensure I was doing the waza as close as possible to what he was teaching.

His keynote feature is that the Aikido he learned is street effective and considers the realities of using the waza against conventional street attacks. I won’t go into much detail about that except to say that he is very successful at just that. Stylistically, when I think about martially effective Aikido, I think of the compact, bone-crunching dynamo that is Peter Bernath from USAF, the militaristic, no-nonsense teachings of Thomas Huffman, a student of both Morihiro Saito and Shoji Nishio (receiving a technique from Thom feels like you just had a car door slammed onto your body!), the subtle, efficient use of Aiki from Yoshinkan’s own T.J. Cooper, or the imaginative vigor of any number of the ASU camp. Perry’s Aikido was definitely unique in its feel. The best way that I can describe it is to say that it’s as if he effortlessly reaches out for dry twigs and snaps them off.

On a personal note, I have sort of adopted Perry as my Aiki Big Brother. We have had numerous conversations where he has given some of the best advice ever. Anyone in the Jacksonville, Florida area should definitely look him up.