Peter Choles

Trustee/Teacher, Aikido Mountain West

Biography

Peter Choles began his martial arts training in Tae Kwon Do under Dr. S. Paik (8th degree) in Madison Wisconsin in 1972. After moving to Salt Lake City in 1979, Peter began studying fundamental body mechanics through Tai Chi with Casey Clayton and then Yang style Tai Chi under Mr. Chen at the University of Utah. In 2003 Peter began his study of Aikido and Iaido at Utah Aikikai. Peter holds a Sandan and Shidoin from the SMAA Iaido Divison and studies Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido under Max Roach Sensei. See Mountain Wind dojo website for more information. Peter has also worked under Nicklaus Suino Sensei 7th Dan, Iaido director of the Shudokan Martial Arts Association and director of the Japanese Martial Arts Center in Ann Arbor Michigan. 

Peter has had a keen interest in the Japanese arts and ways for many years including the practice of Shodo, the way of the Japanese brush, as well as the multiple forms of Japanese martial arts. 

Credentials

• 4th Dan Iaido, (Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu)

• Shidoin (Shudokan Martial Arts Association Iaido Divison)

Iaido/Judo Teachers and Technical Advisors

Collin Max Roach Sensei

• 4th Dan Iaido, (Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu)

• 4th Dan Aikido Shidoin

• Chief Instructor, Mountain Wind Aikikai of Salt Lake City, UT

• Roach Sensei also holds Dan rank in Aikido with Aikikai/Honbu Dojo and Aikido World Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.

• Publications:

  • • Japanese Swords: Cultural Icons of a Nation. A detailed study of the history, iconography, and metallurgy of the Japanese sword, Tuttle Publications 2010.

    • Pursuing the Martial Arts, article in the Deseret News

    • Katsujin Ken, The Sword of Compassion, article in the Shudokan Budokai Journal

    • Why Do Wise Old Men Whittle Sticks? , Rokyo Times, the Sixth Teaching

    • Iaido and Self-Actualization, the Interconnectedness of Self and No-Self, Shudokan Budokai Journal

    • The Mountain Wind Aikikai and the art of Traditional Japanese Swordsmanship, article In the Shudokan Budokai Journal

Nicklaus Suino Sensei

• 6th Dan Iaido (Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu), granted by the Soke in the Eishin-Ryu Traditions Association

• Renshi, 5th Dan Iaido (Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu)

• Shihan, 7th Dan Iaido (Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu) Shudokan Budokai

• Shihan, 6th Dan Judo (Kodokan) Shudokan Budokai

• Fuku-Shihan 4th Dan jujutsu, Shudokan Budokai

• Renshi, 4th Dan jujutsu

• Shudokan Budokai, Iaido and Judo Division Director

• Publications:

  • Art Of Japanese Swordsmanship

  • Practice Drills for Japanese Swordsmanship

  • Arts of Strength, Arts of Serenity

  • Budo Mind and Body: Training Secrets of the Japanese Martial Arts