Yamada-sensei taught the Saturday morning class.I'm always amazed at his ability to so quickly and efficiently teach aikido. I had another new partner and I had to give her some advice. She was quick and getting it, but Sensei just walked over, grabbed her hand and said, "like this" and walked away, perfectly handling the situation.
He came over several more times and even demonstrated on me . It was the first time I took ukemi for him and I was pretty freaked out about it -- at least afterward. I didn't really have any time to think about it beforehand.
"I hope I followed well enough. Did I maintain the connection?" etc. It's really kind of silly because it was the quickest and most minor of ukemi possible. Not even the full technique. I have no doubt that he has no memory of it whatsoever.
Anyway, it was a great class, focusing similar openings with katatetori, omote, ura and different hand levels to allow for different techniques. Cool stuff.
1 comment:
Tom, you know if you were freaked out you really didn't show it.
Do you remember Sensei said
"Same shape! Same shape!" as I fumbled through the disconnecting/connecting of hands after a morotetori atemi.
I think about what he said a lot and I'm going to apply it when ever I hit a wall of confusion.
Argh, that's usually every class.
See you around!
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