Meet Your Instructors
An 8th Dan with 57 years of training leads every program. That’s not a marketing line — it’s the reason our students learn faster, fall safer and stick with it longer.
Kaicho Pete Nappier: 57 Years on the Mat
“Kaicho” (会長) means head of the organization — the senior instructor a dojo is built around. Pete Nappier has earned that title the only way it can be earned: by training continuously for 57 years and holding the rank of 8th Dan (hachidan) in Aiki Budo.
Kaicho’s teaching blends the traditional Japanese methods he was raised in with modern instruction that works for today’s kids and adults. He is known around Hickory for his patience with young and neurodivergent students, his no-nonsense adult classes, and a weapons curriculum — bokken, jo and tanto — that few dojos in North Carolina can match.
Beyond the dojo, Kaicho is a U.S. military veteran and an advocate for conflict de-escalation, speaking locally on how Aikido principles can defuse confrontations before they turn physical. His philosophy is simple: develop confidence, character and practical self-defense without unnecessary violence.
- 8th Dan, Aiki Budo
- 57 years of continuous martial arts training and teaching
- Founder, AikiDojo of Hickory / Samurai Institute LLC
- Specialties: Aikido, Aiki Budo, Japanese weapons, de-escalation, youth development
- U.S. military veteran
Tony Robinson: Assistant Kaicho
Assistant Kaicho Tony Robinson is Kaicho Pete Nappier’s right hand on the mat — a senior student and instructor who helps lead adult, teen and weapons training at AikiDojo of Hickory.
Tony brings a calm, technical teaching style and years of training under Pete to every class he leads. Adult beginners in particular appreciate his ability to break a complex throw or lock into pieces that make sense. If you visit an evening class, there’s a good chance Tony is the one making sure your first fall is a safe one.
Ask Tony about the weapons program — he trains alongside Pete in the Friday night Advanced Weapons Class.
Why Experience Matters When You Choose a Martial Arts Instructor
Safety Comes From Skill
Teaching a child to fall without injury is a skill that takes decades to master. Our students learn ukemi (falling) before they learn anything else.
Small Corrections, Big Results
An 8th Dan sees the half-inch of foot placement that separates a technique that works from one that doesn’t — and fixes it in seconds.
Every Student, Every Class
Kaicho and Tony are on the mat in person. No franchise curriculum, no video instruction, no rotating part-time staff.
Train With an 8th Dan. Your First Week Is Free.
Come meet Kaicho Nappier and Tony in person. Pick a class, show up, and see what 57 years of experience feels like from the inside.
Hickory, NC
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