Nice to see it sometimes works! (Even if it’s just being aware).

(Email from a past student).

“Hi Peter, sorry been a while since said hello.
Chris probably said I was in Bournemouth now, hope everything's going well up there.

A little while before Christmas had a couple of thugs tried to beat me up.
First time, he pretended he wanted a word then went psycho on me, he grabbed for my throat, and I just stepped back quick and he had that eye-popping-out-socket look we get in aikido, like saying "what just happened?" 

Stayed calm, kept my hands up, and managed to block a swipe he took at me (and kept glasses on my face with the block!) Eventually he gave up and went back into this little clothes shop he manages.
I thought, maybe this'll blow over –

I had just located an aikido group in Bournemouth, and thought it would probably be a good idea to get along, and there was a class the very next day. Would you believe it, but he was teaching the very same escape from the throat-grab that I'd done the day before.

Anyway, the class wasn't much good - he didn't believe in the energy aspect of aikido and didn't do break-falls because "if someone can break fall the technique is not very good". When I asked but what if someone did something like a hip-throw, he just looked confused.

Decided after a few weeks to go past this shop again, and some guy comes running after me, saying "Hey, friend" but I knew something was up again.

So as he was running I turned to face square on, and then he started moving really slowly - like pretend slow motion. So I turned again and moved away quick, and he started to run again (obviously to hit me from behind). Did the same thing again, turning square-on and again he did this pretend-slow-motion thing again. The road was really busy, so somehow he got me cornered against a full glass window on 2 sides (like an L-shape). He kept speaking to try and distract me, he wanted to punch me when I wasn't aware, I just kept moving my arms in the right place; this went on for quite a while without him able to throw a punch. The guy who attacked me the first time was a few steps away as well behind him to the right. I could really feel the energy of how hard his punch would have been if it hit me at one point. Was surprised I didn't have an adrenaline dump, so that was good, but mentally I realised I could get killed here through the window pane. Was concerned about my glasses, he must have picked up on that, he says "Now you can't see," took a grab at my glasses and took a couple of steps back, that gave me my chance to get off of the window and decided to just make a run for it.

What was amazing though is that not one punch was thrown, even though they obviously intended to really smash me down.

So a long overdue thank you definitely in order, your aikido saved the day :-)
I did find another aikido group down here that I've been going to, they were incredulous that the other teacher doesn't teach rolls and falls! Much better, they do get the energy component. Hope everything is calmer in the North-East!

Hopefully see you soon,

Steve”

To find out more about Sensei Seth's club visit www.zanshinaikido.co.uk
You can e-mail Peter at psethp@yahoo.co.uk