On Sunday April 13 a Little Lions Karate grading was held at Lismore Dojo in Goonellabah.
Sensei Mark assesses his students.
Sensei Mark McFadden and Sempai Jon Ellis ran the grading. The students participating were all juniors from the Lismore and Ballina dojos, ranging from Year 9 down to Kindergarten.
A sausage sizzle was enjoyed after the grading.
Thanks to all the adult Karateka who came on the day to assist and congratulations to the following on their new ranks:
Elijah Fraser – 7th Kyu (Senior blue belt)
Wes Snyder – 7th Kyu (Senior blue belt)
Brad Chisolm – 10th Kyu (Orange belt)
Cooper Powell – 10th Kyu (Orange belt)
Isaac McAlphine-King – 10th Kyu (Orange belt)
The first Kyokushin kata and bunkai seminar of 2014 was held on Sunday April 6. Students from Turramurra, Annangrove, Aspley, Ballina and Lismore dojos all attended, including members of the Little Lions and Knox Grammar School classes.
Saturday afternoon Kobudo group
This seminar followed the one in October 2013. Shihan Howard Lipman introduced these seminars to be held twice a year as a compulsory component in senior gradings. They are to keep students across all five KIMAA dojos up to speed on kihon (basics), kata (pattern or form) and bunkai (application).
Basics training led by Shihan Howard Lipman
Sensei Mark McFadden, Sempai Jon Ellis, Patricia Tan and Little Lions Ben and Jack came down from the North Coast dojos.
Sempai Rob James, Gen Moller and Jermaine Downs travelled from Aspley Dojo. They all arrived on the Saturday.
That afternoon, a three hour Kobudo class was conducted by Shihan Rick Cunningham with the visiting KIMAA members and Sydney Kobudo students. The weapons focused on were the Bo, Eeku, Jō and Sai.
The class finished at 5pm and was followed by a group dinner, kindly hosted by Shihan Cunningham and his wife, Kirsti. Shihan Cunningham broke out a case of Orion beer imported from Okinawa, a fond favourite of those who have been there.
Shihan Rick Cunningham demonstrates bunkai on Sempai Don Cheong
The main Kyokushin seminar began at 9am on the Sunday. Shihan Lipman led an opening session on basic techniques.
After this, the Taikyoku and Pinan sono Ichi, Ni and San katas were revised. Shihan Cunningham took the class through bunkai for these katas, with Sempai Jon Ellis and Sempai Don Cheong demonstrating throughout the day. Sensei Peter Olive provided some alternative bunkai techniques in Pinan sono San.
The bunkai covered all moves of the katas and were taught in great detail. Students practised their bunkai, throws, chokes and takedowns in pairs.
Learning bunkai is not just an important syllabus point in students’ gradings, but also to improve their depth of knowledge of the katas, the importance of each movement and to improve their understanding of what they are doing and why.
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As always, KIMAA students enjoyed the experience of training with members from all dojos.
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These seminars shall continue, with the next one on August 17. It will be focused on bunkai for Pinan sono Yon and Pinan sono Go, as well as tameshiwari (board breaking).
KIMAA students extend their thanks to Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham for organising the weekend.
On March 15, Aspley Dojo held its first Karate grading for 2014. The grading was conducted by Sempai Rob James.
The Little Lions kicked off the day at 8am.
The Adults class followed at 10am.
Sempai Rob was very happy with the technical ability displayed on the day. Everyone participated with the ‘Kyokushin spirit’. Particular congratulations go to Aspley’s senior student Jermaine on his 4th Kyu, earned after 8 kumite bouts, and Little Lion Sarah on her 5th Kyu after 5 kumite bouts. Sarah trains under Sensei Mark McFadden and Sempai Jon Ellis in Karate at the North Coast NSW dojos, but graded with the Brisbane students today.
Congratulations to all those who graded.
Aspley Little Lions after the gradingAspley Adults after the grading
On Sunday December 15, the final Sydney Kobudo class for 2013, a grading was held. Sempai Don Cheong, Sempai Alex Lloyd and Sempai Todd Murphy all successfully graded.
A Senior First Aid course was held on Saturday February 1 at Annangrove Dojo. The course was taken by Shihan Des Paroz (6th Dan Shorinjiryu Karate). Shihan Paroz has trained with KIMAA before at Sensei Hokama’s Australian 2012 seminar, as well as introducing KIMAA’s Kobudo students to the Jō last July. KIMAA students were fortunate to receive Shihan Paroz’s expertise on an area other than the martial arts. He also related some treatments in the first aid syllabus to common martial arts injuries.
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KIMAA extends its thanks to Shihan Paroz, and his assistant Kevin, for their time.
Members of the Lismore and Ballina dojos finished training for 2013 with a beach session at Wardell. Sensei Mark McFadden and Sempai Jon Ellis led instruction on the day. Sempai Rob James of Aspley Dojo also attended the training session.
The morning was spent on ‘The 3 Ks’ of Kyokushin: kihon, kata and kumite. The junior grades then worked on cardio, running along the beach while the black belts practised kata. Following this was some self-defence work, kumite drills, moving basics and finally some sparring.
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At the end of training, some North Coast students received new grades. The North Coast ‘Student of the Year’ and other awards were also presented.
After the beach session was a party at Sempai Jon’s house.
Thanks go to Sensei Mark and Sempai Jon for organising a great day of training and to Sempai Rob’s partner, Kerry, for the wonderful photography.
Sempai Rob James, Sempai Wally Gray, Sensei Mark McFadden & Sempai Jon Ellis
On the weekend of December 14-15, KIMAA student Patricia Tan entered the National All Styles Championships, held at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre, and achieved great success.
On the Saturday Patricia performed Saiha kata for the Kyu Grade Kata competition, intermediate section, and won the Gold Trophy. Patricia also performed the Bo kata Sushi no Kon Sho in the Traditional Weapons section, which was an open division. Sensei Mark McFadden and Sempai Jon Ellis performed the Bo kata Ufugusuku with Patricia, displaying the application partner work and finished with a take down for the Creative Weapons demonstration. This demonstration won them the Silver Trophy.
Patricia entered the Continuous Sparring and Points Sparring divisions on the Sunday. These were the Veterans Open division and the fights were against black belts from a mix of styles.
North Coast KIMAA students, including Patricia, have previously enjoyed success in the National All Styles competitions in October 2012 and May 2013. Congratulations to the North Coast students for their consistently high standard of performance in these national competitions. Extra congratulations to Patricia Tan for becoming an Australian champion!
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 