View Single Post
Old 01-28-2012, 04:44 PM   #12
tlk52
Dojo: Aikido of Park Slope/NY Aikikai
Location: NYC
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 112
United_States
Offline
Re: What He learned from his near mugging

my actual mugging :

1989 nyc on 8th ave across from the port Authority station. 5pm summer/broad daylight with lots of people around. i was @ a nidan practicing at NY Aikikai 39 years old 5'9" 165.

I'm a pianist and was on my way to rehearsal carrying a keyboard and went into a deli to buy bottled drinks. the 2 muggers must have marked me because as I came out of the delicarrying the keyboard and groceries, with no talk or warning, (I'm reminded of the Terry Dobson quote about carrying a baby and groceries when it hits the fan) a very tall guy (6"5") went in front of me as if he was walking in the deli.

As I went around him he grabbed around my neck from behind locking his arm with his other arm and tried to pick me up. I suppose that their technique was that the big guy picks them up and the other guy (6" 185) gets the goods/wallet/can hit them from the front or whatever

I dropped my weight and he couldn't pick me up, I tried the koshi nage directly forward over the right shoulder, like the one tohei used to teach in the 60s

(similar to the one at 47 sec http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tKhG-eSDTU)

). However, he was so tall that though he went forward his feet were still on the ground, but he never changed what he was doing and just kept trying to choke me and lift me up. I was able to leap forward and try it a 2nd time/ went all the way to the ground and he flew over my head on the sidewalk...so far so good

but, i was still carrying the bottles and when I went down to the ground one broke, cutting deeply through the webbing of my fingers/i was looking into my hand when at that moment the 2nd guy did get my wallet/they ran off/I got in a cab and went to the hospital and fortunately recovered.

I leaned a lot.
*it took me a few seconds to realize that he was actually attacking me/not a training partner/that he was trying to harm me...
*and then about ma-ai, awareness,
*...and forgetting about the bottles was really dumb!
*also maybe koshi wasn't the best technique on a guy that tall but he was really holding onto my neck for dear life and was stronger than me

there it is

Last edited by tlk52 : 01-28-2012 at 04:59 PM.
  Reply With Quote