Ljubomir Vračarević

Ljubomir Vračarević (Serbian Cyrillic: Љубомир Врачаревић; 6 May 1947 – 18 November 2013), was a Serbian martial artist and founder of Real Aikido.

Biography

Ljubomir Vračarević has studied aikido since 1971. During his first visit in Japan he was practicing in Hombu Dojo with Kisshomaru Ueshiba, the son of the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba.

During his second stay in Tokyo in 1993 at Yoshinkan, the school of Gozo Shioda, he met with Shioda, who rarely received visitors because of his age.

So far in his bodyguard instruction career, Vračarević has held more than 150 seminars worldwide. Clubs of Real Aikido were host to more than 120,000 students.

His special area of teaching is the Real Aikido school for kids. He works with kids aged 5 to 12 through a program called “With play to Master”, which is adjusted to children's physical and mental needs. Real Aikido is included in Serbian elementary school curriculum from 2005 as elective subject.

Vračarević is author of 12 books and videos dealing with Real Aikido and self-defense. The books are written in Serbian, while some of them were translated to Russian or English. These include: “Defense From Knife”, “Aikido-Judo”, “Defense Without Fear” (self-defense for women), “I Was Training The Bodyguards”, ”Real Aikido”, “From Beginner to Master”, “Licence for Trainer”, and “Knife, Gun, Stick Techniques”.

Vračarević is an honour member of MAA, an international association of combat skills with headquarters in Germany, technical director of Real Aikido at Odbranaworldwide organization and the founder and president of World Centre of Real Aikido and European Matrial Arts Hall of Fame.

Vračarević is an instructor in IBSSA, the International Bodyguard & Security Association. He is also a college professor for sport trainers in Belgrade.

In August 2002 the United States Martial Arts Association elected Vracarevic to its Hall of Fame and awarded him the title Grandmaster, black belt 10th dan, Sōke. This award is not recognized by any of the mainstream aikido organizations such asAikikai and Yoshinkan.

He appeared as actor with small roles in movies Kako je propao rokenrol where he played ninja instructor and Šejtanov ratnik(Devil's warrior) in which he appeared as himself.