This is training with KIMAA:
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To newcomers, we look forward to seeing you at training.
Author: adnlloyd1
North Coast Karate & Kobudo Seminar – July 4-5, 2015
A Karate and Kobudo seminar was held on the weekend of July 4-5 at Lismore Dojo on the NSW Far North Coast. Instructors and students attended from Lismore, Ballina and Aspley dojos.
The seminar was taught by Shihan Rick Cunningham (6th Dan Kyokushin, 6th Dan Kobudo).
Also instructing were Sensei Mark McFadden (3rd Dan Kyokushin, 3rd Dan Kobudo), Sensei Jon Ellis (3rd Dan Kyokushin, 2nd Dan Kobudo), Sempai Rob James (2nd Dan Kyokushin) and Sempai Wally Gray (1st Dan Kyokushin).
Saturday’s class focused on Kyokushin, with a particular emphasis on bunkai.
Sunday’s training included a Kobudo grading.
Congratulations to everyone who graded.
Thanks go to Shihan Cunningham for travelling from Sydney to teach the seminar, to Sensei Mark for hosting, Patricia for her organisational skills (including feeding a small Kyokushin army), and to Genevieve, Amanda and Julie for other lunch duty assistance.
Student Profile: Jermaine Downs
Written by Sempai Rob James
(Update: Jermaine is now a 1st Kyu in Kyokushin Karate and assistant instructor for Sempai Rob James at North Brisbane Dojo.)
Jermaine Downs began his Kyokushin journey in early 2012. When I opened the Aspley Dojo in September 2012, Jermaine was first through the doors.
Jermaine progressed in time to the rank of 3rd Kyu and has been a solid member of Aspley Dojo since the beginning. He is patient, easy to get along with and is a very well liked and respected karateka by other members of the dojo.
His strength is definitely his kumite. Jermaine regularly leaves his training partners with heavy bruising – not from striking, but simply by blocking their attacks. A very hard body indeed.
Jermaine is a great support. I’m lucky enough to call him both a friend as well as a student and I wish him all the best in his endeavours.
NSW State Kyokushin Championship – May 31, 2015
Eight students of Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia competed in the NSW State Kyokushin Championship.
The competitors came from Turramurra and Annangrove dojos. They were:
Male 16 & 17 Years Division
Angus Sweeney
Male 13-15 Years Division
Victor Sweeney
Ethan Franke
Male 10-12 Years Division
Joshua Darley
James Parasyn
Bernard Wilson
Male 8 & 9 Years Division
James Kosimar
The support/coaching team on the day was made up of Shihan Howard Lipman, Shihan Rick Cunningham, Sensei Peter Olive, Sensei James Sidwell, Sempai Don Cheong and Sempai Alex Lloyd.
Everyone fought well against their opponents. Notable mentions go to James Parasyn and James Kosimar for their wins, including James Parasyn’s two jodan mawashi geri techniques that led him to victory in his first round.
Victor Sweeney came equal third in his division and powered through many rounds to win his trophy.
Congratulations to Victor, and all involved.
Kobudo Grades Awarded – May, 2015
Sensei Hokama (10th Dan) awarded new Dan (black belt) grades in Kobudo during the recent Okinawa tour. Sensei Hokama awarded these grades based on what he saw during training, as well as on the recommendation of Australian Kobudo Branch Chief, Shihan Howard Lipman (8th Dan Kyokushin, 7th Dan Kobudo).
These grades included:
7th Dan: Shihan Howard Lipman
6th Dan: Shihan Rick Cunningham
4th Dan: Sensei Mark Shelmerdine
3rd Dan: Sensei Paul Finnerty, Sensei Mark McFadden
2nd Dan: Sensei Jon Ellis, Sempai James Campbell
1st Dan: Sensei Ian Holdaway, Sempai Jessica Den, Sempai Todd Murphy, Sempai Alex Lloyd
KIMAA students in the tour group were presented with their certificates by Sensei Hokama and Shihan Lipman.
The remainder of the grades – certificates and belts – were presented in Sydney by Shihan Rick Cunningham (6th Dan Kyokushin, 6th Dan Kobudo).
Congratulations again to all who graded.
KIMAA Weekend Seminar – May 9-10, 2015
The first KIMAA seminar for 2015 was held on the weekend of May 9-10 at Annangrove Dojo.
Sensei Mark McFadden (3rd Kyokushin, 3rd Dan Kobudo) and Sempai Wally Gray (1st Dan Kyokushin) brought down students from Lismore and Ballina, while Sempai Rob James (2nd Dan Kyokushin) brought some of his students from Aspley.
Training began on Saturday afternoon under the instruction of Shihan Rick Cunningham (6th Dan Kyokushin, 6th Dan Kobudo). Shihan Cunningham took the students through Kyokushin basics, focusing on the progression from initial basic training to practical use in kumite (sparring). This involved various partner work and light contact exercises.
Students were broken up into groups for Kobudo, focusing on the Bo and Sai. After this, everyone came back together for bag work and more contact drills.
The senior grades and visitors from the Far North Coast and Brisbane then went to Shihan Cunningham’s for dinner.
Sunday morning started at 9 am with a basics session led by Shihan Howard Lipman (8th Dan Kyokushin, 7th Dan Kobudo). The first session had an emphasis on technical precision, to check standards and ensure uniformity across the five KIMAA dojos. The class also practised Sanchin kata.
Everyone then rotated through partners for practising bunkai, including from the senior kata Seienchen.
After a lunch, prepared by Sensei Ian Holdaway (3rd Dan Kyokushin, 1st Dan Kobudo) and Shihan Cunningham’s wife, Kirsti, students again broke up into groups for Kobudo.
Sensei Paul Finnerty (4th Dan Kyokushin, 3rd Dan Kobudo), Sensei Mark Shelmerdine (4th Dan Kyokushin, 4th Dan Kobudo) and Sensei Ian took various junior groups through the Bo, while Shihan Cunningham, Sempai James Campbell (2nd Dan Kyokushin, 2nd Dan Kobudo) and Sempai Alex Lloyd (2nd Dan Kyokushin, 1st Dan Kobudo) took the senior Kobudo grades through the Bo and Eeku. This advanced group also consolidated knowledge from the recent Okinawa trip and all the training with Sensei Hokama.
The final session had students break up into groups based on what they wanted to focus on. This included more Kobudo, Kyokushin kata and applying a choke.
At the end of the class, Patricia Tan received her certificate for 4th Kyu in Kobudo.
The KIMAA senior grades and other students extend their thanks to Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham for organising another successful seminar.
The next weekend seminar will be held in the second half of the year.
Sunday Seminar Group.
Queensland IKO State Titles – April 11, 2015
In September 2012, Aspley Dojo was opened by Sempai Rob James. Within three years of the opening of KIMAA’s Brisbane dojo, on April 11 this year, Sempai Rob and students celebrated their first milestone: five Aspley Dojo fighters competed in a state tournament – the Queensland IKO State Titles. Some have been training with Sempai Rob since the beginning, while others are a lot more recent to join the fold. All did their dojo proud.
Aspley Dojo came away with three medals:
- 1st Colts Middleweight Novice
- 2nd in the Men’s Light Weight Novice
- 2nd Boys Aged 7-8 Years
Sempai Rob was “extremely proud” of all of his students, “not just the ones who came away with a medal. You all worked hard on the day and displayed great spirit and determination.”
Congratulations to the competitors of Aspley Dojo, and to Sempai Rob. Special thanks also goes to Sensei Mark McFadden, who came up from Lismore to help support the team on the day.
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 