Our Instructors

Tom Burden, Chief Instructor
Central Aikido & Rolla Aikido

 

Tom Burden Sensei began studying aikido in 1991 under Vic Montgomery Sensei of Midland Ki Society, where he studied for approximately two years. After an extended hiatus he returned to the art and co-founded Central Aikido with Cliff Fuller Sensei. Over the years he has been under the instruction of many sensei including Larry Graham in Kansas City, and Dan Hayes in Omaha. As a founding member Burden Sensei was the President for the first 5 years of the club and has been Dojo-cho since its founding. In his years of training, he has been privileged to have received training from many great instructors in the US Aikido Federation and beyond, and maintains ties to many high level instructors with whom he trains with often.

He began studying iaido in 2016 after attending a workshop in Chicago. In 2017 he trained in Manhattan under Eisele Sensei and Wallace Sensei and later with Para Sensei. He was the head senior student of Seishinkan Iaido Warrensburg and lead classes in sensei’s absence until 2021 when he left Seishinkan Iaido and began training under James Nakayama Sensei.

In addition to aikido and iaido Burden sensei also leads zen mediation.

Rolla Aikido

Paul Stephens
Head Instructor

Rachael Leitz
Dojo-cho & Assistant Instructor