Aikido of Connecticut

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Instructors
Putkonen Sensei
Sensei Brian Putkonen has been involved in Martial Arts for more than 40 years beginning with his study of Tai Chi and Kung Fu. That all changed after seeing an Aikido demonstration in 1981 while in Boston Mass. Immediately, the quest to find a Dojo in the Hartford CT area began. After a short walk down a flight of stairs to a basement Dojo, training began.


On the other side of the door was Sensei Ralph Chiaradia who began his training in 1964 and was at one time associated with Tohei Sensei (who visited the Dojo on a few occasions). Satome Sensei was a frequent traveler to the Bond Street dojo, before becoming an independent Dojo late in the 70s.

Putkonen Sensei was promoted to Godan in 2005 and remained a faithful student for 34 years to Sensei, friend and fishing partner, Ralph Chiaradia, until his passing in 2016. Sensei Putkonen has been fascinated with all aspects of Ki development and building an individual Aikido from within. He believes it is not only important to learn power through softness as repeated by Sensei Chiaradia, but softness through power as developed through internal work and practice. Putkonen Sensei has been a professional educator for 35 plus years and is most interested in the development of his training and students who share his enthusiasm and devotion to the art of Aikido.




Sensei Guglietta
Sensei Guglietta began his study of Aikido in 1994 under Sensei Ralph Chiaradia and Sensei Joanna Tedone. He was awarded his 4th degree black belt in 2015. Sensei Guglietta began his teaching filling in for Sensei Chiaradia in 1997 and established his own Dojo, Aikido of Indian Rock in 2005, teaching adult and youth classes until 2014. He became Sensei Chiaradia Dojo manager in 2004 and assistant Instructor in 2014 until the passing of Sensei Chiaradia in May of 2016 when he assumed leadership of Aikido of Connecticut along with Sensei Brian Putkonen.
Sensei Guglietta professional training is in biology. He served as Executive Director of the Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut from 1975 until his retirement in 2013. Sensei Guglietta taught a broad spectrum of educational programs including Aikido at the Indian Rock Nature Preserve.

Sensei Guglietta teaching philosophy is that as Sensei he travels the same path as his students, though farther ahead, providing guidance, helping students to travel their own path, while recognizing that students must take their own steps along the path. Sensei Guglietta goal is to help his students travel the path faster, hoping one day his student will catch up and join him side by side, each shining light on the journey ahead, with one day having the joy of seeing his students travels continue beyond.