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Old 05-19-2012, 04:05 PM   #3
siwilson
Dojo: Kenshinkai Yoshinkan Aikido
Location: Portsmouth
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 450
England
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Re: It Had To Be Felt #17: Chida Tsutomu: You Never Felt his Hands

Hi Rob Sensei,

I met Chida Sensei in 2006 in Poland... I remember him teaching Nikajo and can get an idea of what you are saying. He didn't position the angle of the forearm, which is what I was doing, but instead applied it at 90 degrees to the angle of the forearm. If you lifted your elbow he went to that hip and if you dropped your elbow he went to the opposite elbow. It was full on and I, of course, asked as often as I could to feel the techniques from Chida Sensei.

I then stayed for the following week to train again with Terada Hanshi, who was wonderful and despite his age would straighten as he stepped on the mat. His techniques looked quite different and he had a soft and hard side to them. The Shihonage he showed looked like he was throwing you with his head, making it heavy. My fondest memory is of sitting in the hotel, just the two of us passing notes back and forth to communicate, as he couldn't remember how to speak English, but he could write it. Sadly that was the last time I was to see him, but had the honour of doing an Embu for him.

I have trained under Thamby Rajah Sensei a few time and I have a photo of him throwing me this Shihonage - the hardest Shihonage I have ever felt and it shocked the hell out of me.

Now, this month, I have had the honour of training with Takeno Sensei. So dynamic and his techniques are like a shock. He did Kote Gaeshi on me but on my closed fist. One moment I was upright and the next I was literally upside-down with my feet when my head had been... There didn't seem to be anything in between, I was just suddenly there!!!

Best wishes as always,

Si

Osu!
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