Matthew Hayes started his Aikido training under Hagihara-shihan and the Long Island Aikido Association in 1993, which kicked off an extensive and intensive career in Aikido. He trained at multiple locations, including Suffolk Aikikai (under Gene Monteleone-Shihan) and Aikido of Nassau County (under Joseph Nemeth-Shihan) before meeting Donovan Waite-Shihan in 1997. After many years of travelling with Waite-sensei, he moved to Philadelphia to formally become Uchi Deshi in 2001. He received his Sandan under Yoshimitsu Yamada, sponsored by Waite-sensei in 2002. Hayes-sensei returned to Long Island in 2003 to begin a dojo, but due to family and time constraints, had to close down. However, he continued his martial arts training under Milton Regis of Kioto BJJ in Sayville, attaining the rank of blue belt. A skilled practitioner and enthusiastic teacher, his extensive and decades long study of both Aikido and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu provides the unique opportunity to broach principles of both arts, giving the chance to apply it in actual practice. For those who are interested in adding more grappling work into their Aikido curriculum, this is the perfect chance to do so!