Our Instructors

Sensei Jorge Valladares, 4th Dan

My family and I came to the U.S. in 1971 at San Francisco, California. I was 16 years old. Back home, El Salvador, my father introduced me to boxing and wrestling. In San Francisco Chinatown I found an instructor who was accepting non-Chinese students and it was then that I started the long road of studying the way. Choy li fut Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan I studied while in San Francisco. Three years later I moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. Here I found excellent instructors in Wado Ryu Karate, Hapkido and Aikido.

In 1994 I met Koho Yamano Sensei, dojo cho for Wagokan Aikido suren dojo, Osaka, Japan. He was teaching a very beautiful, very flowing and effortless kata no nai Aikido. He asked me to come to Osaka for some training so that I could be his representative in the U.S.

Yamano Sensei explained how their dojo name and their Kata no nai Aikido was given to them by the founder of Aikido. They have a certificate from O'Sensei to prove it. This was given to Masao Yamano, Yamano sensei's father, on December 5, 1963.

So I am happy to be a member of this special Aikido Dojo. Koha Yamano sensei has apponted me as Kata No Nai Aikiko Master Instructor and he representative for the U.S. Western region.

At seminar training we put safety first, having fun second and meeting new friends third.

Logan Heinrichs, 2nd Dan

Logan started learning Aikido in 2000 at the University of Utah under Jorge Valladares Sensei and now holds the rank of Nidan, or second degree black belt. Prior to Aikido, Logan dabbled in various martial arts including Kempo Karate, Capoeira, and wrestling. After beginning Aikido, Logan’s martial focus has led him to studying Tai Chi Chuan and Brazilian Jiujitsu.

Logan has been teaching aikido for 4 years and has taught martial arts to both adults and children. Students have received instruction from Logan at Paul Evans Martial Arts and at Rowland Hall St. Marks Elementary School where he currently teaches children’s after-school martial arts classes.

Logan earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Utah in 2006. While studying at the U of U, he held the position of Aikido Club President. He now works as the Sales Manager for Xcel Fitness at the Jordan Landing location.

Ben Hollenbeck, 2nd Dan

Ben holds the rank of nidan and is an assistant instructor at Wagokan Aikido Utah dojo. For more information about Aikido and classes, please call 801-971-3915