Vice-President of International Euro-Asian Aikido Federation, President of Takemusu Aikido Russia, 6th Dan Aikido Aikikai

Oleg Yakimov was born in 1965. Has graduated Saint Petersburg National State University of Physical Education, Sports and Health Named by Lesgaft as the professional trainer. Became the USSR Master of Sports of the International Level, from 1982 to 1986 has been the member of the USSR fin-swim national team.

Has been practicing Aikido since 1989, Takemusu Aikido from the beginning and till present times. Before 1989 had a little Karate practise under the direction of Vasili Ivanovich Emelianenko, whom he knew from the times of his membership in the USSR national team. In 1988 V. I. Emelianenko (at that time – Karate trainer and the masseur of the Leningrad fin-swim team) has invited Oleg Yakimov to practise martial arts at his training center.

In September 1989 the delegation from the Copenhagen Aikido Club, invited by V. I. Emelianenko, came to St. Petersburg. This delegation included Morihiro Saito sensei students: Ithan Weisgard (in 1989 – 3rd Dan Aikido), Yan Stephansen (in 1989 – 2nd Dan Aikido), Lars Landberg (in 1989 – 2nd Dan Aikido) and Kit Bartolette (in 1989 – 3rd Dan Aikido). In 1989 they appeared to be the highest-levelled Aikido masters, that had ever come to Russia. The first Aikido seminar in Russia took place for 2 weeks. By the results of this seminar, the members of the delegation have graduated V. I. Emelianenko as the 1st Aikikai kyu, which has later (in 1990) become the first black belt Aikikai graduation in the USSR. Oleg Yakimov was certified with the 5th kyu.

On the 31st of September 1989 "Takemusu Aiki" club was established. This was the first Aikido club in the USSR to study the concrete Aikido school, to follow the concrete teachers. Along with Emelianenko, Oleg Yakimov had taken part in establishing the new club.

"Takemusu Aiki" follows the Saito sensei’s school. He used to say, that Takemusu was not the organization, it was a club network. In his view Takemusu is a "family school", where the mutual aid family relations are held.

Untill he died in 1992, V. I. Emelianenko had been the first Head of the club, while Oleg Yakimov had been working there among other Aikido trainers, like Y. I. Davidov, A. V. Zolotukhin, A. M. Tyan, I. M. Orel. Nowadays Oleg Yakimov is the Head and the Leading Trainer of the "Takemusu Aiki" club.

In 1990 V. I. Emelianenko with the help of the "Sovietsky Sport" newspaper had invited all the ex-USSR inhabitatns, interested in Aikido, to take part in the Takemusu Aiki seminar in Leningrad. There were so many interested people, that the seminar was devided into 2 parts. There were many people, who after returning home from the seminar have established the Takemusu Aiki clubs in their native cities. In October 1990 "Takemusu Aiki" had become the basic club of the whole network all over Russia.

When interacting the other Takemusu clubs in Russia or abroad, "Takemusu Aiki" follows the Saito sensei’s school. He used to say, that Takemusu was not the organization, it was a club network. In his view Takemusu is a "family school", where the mutual aid family relations are held.

"Takemusu Aikido" club has helped the organization with the first development steps, and nowadays is in good and friendly relations with other Takemusu clubs in other countries: Takemusu club in Pyarma (Estonia), Kaunas (Lithuania), Kiev and Chernigov (Ukraine), eight Takemusu clubs in Georgia (90% people, who are fond of Aikido in Georgia, practise Takemusu). In 2008 the first Takemusu club in Finland was opened. Most of these clubs were established with the help of "Takemusu Aikido".

There is a strong temptation to start making money on Aikido, but the internal confidence and my personal beliefs don’t let me do this. I’m lucky to meet Morihiro Saito sensei, and lucky to have Ulf Evenas as my teacher.

In 1992 the "Takemusu Aikido Russia" representation was established. Oleg Yakimov is the Head of this organization, among his duties is accepting new clubs – but not all of them, only the ones, that are directed on development and cooperation. Nowadays more than 3000 people in 42 russian cities practice Takemusu Aikido. Besides, Oleg Yakimov is the official representator of "Takemusu Aikido Russia" in the Aikikai Hombu Dojo.

From 1992 to 2002 Oleg has been taking part in many different Morihiro Saito sensei camps all over Europe. In 1997 he was the Morihiro Saito’s uchi-deshi in Ivama (Ibaraki, Japan). Following the tradition, established by Morihey Ueshiba, uchi-deshi ("inside" students) unlike soto-deshi ("outside" students) live and train in dojo, also have some special favors: to clean the territory around the Aiki Shrine, to take part in the morning weapon trainings. To become an uchi-deshi, it is necessary to have the recommendation from the elder Ivama students. After spending some time in Ivama, as an uch-deshi, Oleg has become the elder student (sempai), so that nowadays he has the right to give the uchi-deshi recommendation by himself.

Though Oleg Yakimov has been training as the Morihiro Saito student for some time, he believes the shihan Ulf Evenas (7th Dan Aikido Aikikai) to be his teacher.

A little advise, that Oleg gives to those, who practise Aikido: "Do not loose persistance. Learning takes time." Also he adds: "Aikido is not my job. There is a strong temptation to start making money on Aikido, but the internal confidence and my personal beliefs don’t let me do this. I’m lucky to meet Morihiro Saito sensei, and lucky to have Ulf Evenas as my teacher."

Oleg Yakimov works as the managing director of a retail net of shops and, besides his Aikido activity, likes snowboarding, when having some free time.