8th Degree Black Belt Hapkido
28 Times World Self-Defence Champion Hapkido/Taekwondo

I have been involved in the Martial Arts for over 39 years, and in this time Aikido Master Mal McRae is one of the best I have seen in this industry. His movement and techniques are of high ability and his understanding of his internal ki is rare to see as effortless power. I believe ki energy is a vital part of self-defence and complements non aggressive techniques that we both will be promoting to Martial Art instructors and students. Mal and I have joined together to offer workshops combining the best of Aikido, Hapkido and Taekwondo and I am very much looking forward to working with an outstanding Aikido teacher.

Yours in Martial Arts,
John Gill

Head Instructor
2nd Degree Black Belt Hapkido

I have trained in Hapkido for over a decade. During this time I was aware of the concepts of Ki energy and its applications in Martial Arts but it was not until meeting and training with Mal Sensei that I became aware of the full and very realistic and practical application of Ki. In over two years I have found Mal Sensei to be a very gracious and patient teacher.

The skills and knowledge which I have learned and continue to develop in using Ki with Aikido principles has directly translated to improving my Hapkido. The principles to which Mal Sensei has introduced me apply not only to the similarities between Aikido and Hapkido but to all areas of training: locking, throwing, kicking, striking and grappling as well as the mental and spiritual aspects of Martial Arts training.

5th Dan Goju-Ryu Karate
1st Dan ki fusion Aikido
1st Degree Black Belt Krav Maga

Having started learning Goju karate some 30 years ago I was convinced karate was the way to go and had serious doubts as to the practicality of the aikido that I had witnessed. That was before my introduction to ki fusion Aikido and Mal McRae Sensei. Mal Sensei turned my understanding of the martial arts on its head. No longer were strength and speed important. Moves in the karate kata representing locks, holds and throws that were obscure suddenly became crystal clear under Mal Sensei’s instruction. My understanding of ‘ki’ in karate was expanded substantially as I was exposed to the power of the ‘soft ki’ taught in ki fusion Aikido.

I have been cross training under Mal Sensei for nearly seven years now and can say that it has been an experience that needs to be felt to be believed. Without doubt, ki fusion Aikido is the thinking martial artist’s martial art.

2nd Dan Zen-Do-Kai Karate

I have been training in various martial arts since I left school 36 years ago at 16. These include boxing, kickboxing, Brazilian ju jitsui, traditional and two free style karate styles. I am currently training in three arts. Zen do kai karate with a present rank of Nidan, Brazilian ju jitsui which I am currently purple belt, and ki fusion Aikido with a current rank of 3rd kyu.

I was introduced to ki fusion Aikido through my friend and training partner Sean Bowring. I first attended Mal Sensei’s traditional dojo in November 2005. I was amazed at his prowess and I came away with a completely different understanding of the martial arts. The techniques demonstrated appear impossible to the layman but once mastered could be executed by a smaller person against a much larger opponent to overcome them effortlessly and effectively by extending ki energy and taking away their centre.

Started at Tenshin Dojo under Steven Seagal
Former Mr. Universe Body Building Champion

Having trained in Aikido for the last 24 years not to mention the other forms of Martial Arts that I have tried, I have always sought out the best teachers, including my acting coaches and bodybuilding champions. Steven Seagal Sensei and Matsouka Haruo Sensei were my first teachers in Aikido, and they truly embodied and taught me the physical attributes of this marvelous Martial Art. When in Japan I had the privilege to be taught the spiritual and Ki aspect from my Master Abe Sensei. I have to say without a doubt that Mal McRae in my honest opinion embodies both, and is one of the great teachers of our time and I need not look any further.

Mal McRae’s Aikido works and as Steven Seagal Sensei says, if it doesn’t take up dance lessons. I am humbled by his dynamic Aikido and incredible ki power. I highly recommend Mal McRae Sensei to any Martial Artist who is serious about his Art. Mal McRae has taken my Aikido to a different level completely. All I have to say is leave your ego at the door.

Yours in Aiki,
Peter Lindsay

I was amazed the first time I attended the class, and I still am, by how Mal sensei demonstrates the techniques with ki. They seem to be the same Aikido techniques I’ve learned elsewhere, but they are based on a different principle that makes them much more powerful and effective. The fact that soft ki can actually overcome hard physical power in the Aikido we practice here is not just amazing to watch but also really fascinating to experience ourselves through training. Everyone here is friendly and incredibly encouraging. I feel very lucky to be part of Ki Fusion Aikido.

Aikido is amazing.  The concept of using ki instead of muscle and power is something I had not considered before starting my aikido journey.  In reality, we use ki every day, but when confronted in an agressive manner, our default instinct is to react with strength.  ki Fusion Aikido teaches me the way to use softness and ki when confronted.

I have been training with Sensei Mal McRae for only short time (around 2 years at the writing of this) and I am hooked. Mal’s Aikido training is like no other he is truly a gifted teacher, dedicated to his students and our progression. His focus on the Ki aspects of the mind boggling strength and power behind being soft will stay with me for the rest of my life. He has taught me not to resist, don’t try and be strong or fight with strength, not to be tense and instead to place my mind forward past where I want to go. To focus with intention
‘think up to go down’ and broken timing are some principles that have enhanced my everyday life. I implore anyone who is even toying with the idea to come check him out. After just a few sessions the likelihood is you will be both baffled, and enthralled by the empowering strength of harnessing your Ki!
Thankyou Sensei, it is an honour to train with you.

Timothy A – 5th Kyu

Ki fusion Aikido has taught me a lot of things, but the most important to me so far has been the art of Ukemi – the art of receiving a technique, or how to roll, or how to receive a grapple. I did not know how important they were before going into Aikido, and they’re very important. I’ve done a few martial arts before I practiced Aikido. These include such martial arts as: Karate, Judo, and even Jujutsu. None of them delved into how to receive a technique. The most we did was learning how to roll, but we didn’t roll that often. Furthermore, we never learnt how to land from a throw or roll from a throw, or land from a take down.

With Ki Fusion Aikido, not only do we learn how to roll properly, but we do rolling almost every lesson, and we get taught correctly how to receive techniques, and we’re taught how to properly receive grapples, and how to roll out of a throw, and how to properly receive a takedown.