On two evenings at the beginning of September Lia Suzuki in our dojo, founder and director of Aikido Kenkyukai International USA ("AKI USA"). Heidelberg was just one stop on this year's Seminar tour in Europe, which also took her to Bonn, Düsseldorf and Ireland.

These two evenings were indeed something special, as the announcement had promised: characterised by a special atmosphere and completely new approaches to well-known techniques. Suzuki Sensei emphasised the lightness of the techniques, the almost imperceptible - but clearly noticeable - shift in weight, the search for uke's kuzushi point. No pushing, no pulling - uke and nage in harmony with the movement, that was the goal. She used the shoto, a short wooden sword, to help her. If you have your hand on the sword, you can no longer grip with it: this is how you can break the habit of trained bad habits. Incidentally, she presents many of her tips on her Website in the form of videos or leaflets.

We very much hope to be able to welcome Lia Suzuki back to our dojo next year. The two evenings under her guidance were an impressive experience for beginners and advanced students alike.