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Old 06-03-2013, 05:48 AM   #2
Alex Megann
Dojo: Southampton Aikikai
Location: Southampton
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 401
United Kingdom
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Re: Interview with Aikido Shihan Shigenobu Okumura, Part 2

A: Well, what I can't understand even now was the feeling of his wrists. When you grabbed his wrist it felt as if you were somehow floating. When we were doing breath power training, even if I gripped him with all of my strength, it was just completely different. That feeling is still a mystery to me today.

Q: Was it softness?

A: It was different than softness. There was an elastic force, and even though I was grabbing it felt as if I was being grabbed...


Yep, that's what I'm looking for!

I saw Okumura Sensei in Cardiff about eighteen years ago. Although he was in his seventies at the time, and I was in my early thirties, that was one of the most physically exhausting weekends of my life! He taught almost nothing but iriminage, mostly from various grabs, and was very fond of making explanations at the flip chart.

Here is some footage of Okumura Sensei in Holland the year before he came to the UK.

Thanks again, Chris, for posting these terrific interviews.

Alex

Last edited by Alex Megann : 06-03-2013 at 05:51 AM.
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