A Kyokushin Karate grading was held on Saturday September 13 at Turramurra Dojo.
1st Row, L-R: Sempai Jon Ellis, Sempai Rob James, Sempai Alex Lloyd. 2nd Row, L-R: Sempai Todd Murphy, Jeremy Gray, Will Brook.
Shihan Howard Lipman assessed KIMAA students from Sydney, the NSW Far North Coast and Brisbane. A number of Little Lions and adults participated in the grading for kyu and dan (black belt) grades. The black belts who attempted the grading included:
Sempai Alex Lloyd (1st Dan Kyokushin): Sempai Alex is a student at Turramurra Dojo, Sydney, a former Knox Karate student and now instructor.
Sempai Todd Murphy (1st Dan Kyokushin): Sempai Todd is a student and instructor at Annangrove Dojo, Sydney.
Photos from the day
Kyokushin senior grading, September 2014
Sempai Alex
Jeremy
Sempai Rob
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Kata
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Fitness & Kumite (sparring)
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All attempting the grading performed to a high standard. Congratulations to everyone who participated. Special mention goes to the new black belt grades: Jon Ellis received his Sandan (3rd Dan) and the title of Sensei; while Rob James, Alex Lloyd and Todd Murphy were graded to Nidan (2nd Dan). Jeremy Gray fought an admirable 20 fights for his 1st Kyu (Senior Brown Belt) and Joshua Darley was graded to 2nd Kyu (Brown Belt). Will Brook also was graded to 2nd Kyu, despite having to attempt the grading with a broken hand!
James receives his Shodan in Kobudo from Shihan Lipman and Sensei Hokama, September 2012
Sempai James has gone to Okinawa twice to train in Karate and in Kobudo. He went in 2010 and 2013.
As Josh Darley is an inspiration to the kids, Sempai James is an inspiration to the adults with his dedication and discipline towards his training.
James has a genuine love of martial arts and has spent many more hours than most students in the pursuit of his Shodan and Nidan.
He has followed an intensive weight training routine under the guidance of Shihan Howard Lipman and Shihan Rick Cunningham, and runs in addition to the weights and general Karate training. His dedication towards his training has led him to have an in-depth understanding of kata, bunkai, and the development of Karate techniques. James is now in the phase of using his techniques in tournament fighting and I am sure he will eventually move from this to become one of Kyokushin’s better Senseis.
In May and August 2014, Sempai James represented KIMAA in State and National tournaments.
Sempai James, March 2011
Sempai James Campbell vs Sempai Jessica Den with the Bo, September 2012
The second of the biannual KIMAAKyokushin seminars for 2014 was held on the weekend of August 16-17.
There was a special Kobduo training session on the Saturday afternoon at Annangrove Dojo. Sydney Kobudo practitioners and guests from the Brisbane and North Coast dojos then enjoyed a dinner at Shihan Rick Cunningham‘s after training.
The Sunday session began promptly at 9 am. Before training commenced, Shihan Howard Lipman awarded some new grades. In Kobudo, Sempai Todd Murphy and Sempai Alex Lloyd were promoted to 1st Kyu, and Trish Tan was promoted to 5th Kyu. In addition, after years of dedication to Kyokushin and teaching at Annangrove Dojo, Sempai Ian Holdaway was promoted to 3rd Dan (Sandan) and to the title of ‘Sensei’. Congratulations to these KIMAA members on their new grades.
Shihan Lipman & Sempai Alex
Shihan Lipman & Sempai Todd
Shihan Lipman & Trish
Shihan Lipman & Sensei Ian
After these grades were awarded, training began, continuing on from the ground covered in the April seminar. Bunkai – the application of practical self-defence techniques derived from kata – from Pinan Yon and Pinan Go were studied. Sempai Jon Ellis and Sempai James Campbell demonstrated bunkai throughout the day under the instruction of Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham. Students worked in pairs, constantly swapping partners to work with a range of karateka from the various KIMAA dojos.
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After working through the bunkai in great depth, Pinan Yon was demonstrated by Sempai Jon, Sempai Ben Ng and Sempai Don Cheong, and young Josh Darley; and Pinan Go by Sempai Don.
From the August 2014 seminar.
The group took a break for a BBQ lunch, kindly prepared by Shihan Cunningham’s wife, Kirsti, Shihan Lipman’s wife, Masumi, and Sempai Rob James‘s partner, Kerry. Sensei Ian Holdaway took up his usual post at the BBQ, of which he is a master.
Following lunch, the seminar was split up. Junior grades were taken by Sensei Paul Finnerty and Sensei Peter Olive to run through kyu level katas and their bunkai, while seniors practised Saiha and its bunkai.
The groups then recombined for tameshiwari. This literally means ‘trial by breaking’ and is the Kyokushin term used for board breaking. Breaking techniques for sokuto (knife-foot), hiji (elbow), shuto (knifehand) and seiken (forefist) were used to break the wood. Adults broke one to three pieces, depending on their grade level. Little Lions and Knox students broke one, or a ‘kids board’ depending on their age. After this, 2nd Dans (or those attempting that grade soon) performed a ‘multi-break’, as demonstrated in the video footage below.
As always, the KIMAA students were grateful for the time and effort put into the weekend by Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham to further their understanding of Kyokushin and the techniques and kata they do in everyday training. The tameshiwari was particularly enjoyed. Special mention also goes to those from Lismore, Ballina and Aspley dojos who made the effort to fly down to Sydney.
Following this seminar will be the senior grading at Turramurra Dojo in September.
On Sunday August 3, four KIMAA students entered the 38th annual Australian Open Full Contact Karate Tournament. Sempai Ben Ng, Sempai Don Cheong and Sempai James Campbell from Shihan Howard Lipman‘s Turramurra Dojo and Daniel Williams from Shihan Rick Cunningham‘s Annangrove Dojo competed in the tournament.
The standard of the competition was very high, and KIMAA’s four entries did the organisation proud. Ben, Don and James all fought against opponents who ended up winning their respective divisions (medium, light and heavy), while Daniel won the 3rd and 4th Kyu Open Heavy Weight division.
Sempai Ben Ng
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Sempai Don Cheong
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Sempai James Campbell
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Daniel Williams
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Congratulations to all who competed and represented KIMAA, and again to Daniel on his excellent win.
Josh began when he was six years old. In the last six months, at just nine years of age, Josh started attending the Adults classes as well as the Kids classes. Despite being half their height, his jodan mawashi geri (roundhouse face kick) techniques will still smack them in the jaw if they’re not careful!
Josh has exceptional ability, an affinity for Karate and an amazing amount of focus and dedication for his age.
Josh embodies what the KIMAA Little Lions program is all about. He is an energetic and talented young man who is using his Karate to improve his personal and physical development. Josh is a source of inspiration for all the kids at the Dojo and does not expect nor is given any special treatment.
KIMAA held a Senior Kyokushin Grading on Saturday June 7. Black belts and senior kyu grades from Annangrove, Aspley, Lismore and Ballina dojos came to Shihan Howard Lipman’s Turramurra Dojo to participate.
Shihan Lipman graded Sempai James Campbell to 2nd Dan (Nidan), and Azaan Vohra and Jason Lambe to 1st Dan (Shodan). The full list of results is available below:
Knox Karate gradings for the winter sports season were held on Saturday May 31st. The Senior School grading ran 8 – 11 am and the Prep School grading 11.30 am – 1 pm.
Senior School grading photos
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Shihan Howard Lipman assessed the students while former Knox coach Sempai Alex Lloyd took the grading. Assisting on the day were Sempai Gavin Humphries, Sempai Rebecca Humphries, Stephen Runge and Knox Karate coaches Simon Emmerson and Nick Cheng.
Senior School grading kumite
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Shihan Lipman was impressed by the students on the day, especially their endurance during the kumite rounds.
Prep School grading photos
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Standout mentions go to Clayton Ho, Vince Su, Brian Ding and Jared Nipatchroen, who double-graded. The full list of results are available below:
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 