At the invitation of Shihan Howard Lipman and Shihan Rick Cunningham, Sensei Robert King (5th Dan) and Sempai Aaron Jones of Koryu Uchinadi (KU) Kempo Jujutsu were invited back to teach a second knife attack and defence seminar for KIMAA students. The seminar was once again held at Annangrove Dojo, attended by Annangrove and Turramurra students and Sensei Mark McFadden from the North Coast.
2013 June Knife Seminar – Group Shot
Some time was spent recapping content from the first knife seminar before instruction moved onto more techniques, styles of defence, take downs and responses to a variety of scenarios.
The seminar ran all morning, followed by a group lunch.
As with the first knife seminar, the students learned a great deal and much fun was had while receiving instruction about a serious, unfortunately common weapon.
KIMAA extends its warm thanks to Sensei Robert and Sempai Aaron for their time. You can read more about Koryu Uchinadi (KU) Kempo Jujutsu on their website here, and read more about Sensei Robert here.
Sensei Robert King runs the students through basic knife drill.
Sensei Robert King (5th Dan) and Sempai Aaron Jones of Koryu Uchinadi (KU) Kempo Jujutsu were invited to teach a knife attack and defence seminar by Shihan Rick Cunningham, who has trained with their organisation before. The seminar was held at Annangrove Dojo, attended by Annangrove and Turramurra KIMAA students as well as Sensei Mark McFadden and Sempai Jon Ellis from the North Coast.
The seminar focused on attack, block and counter-attack techniques and combinations involving a knife. There was a great emphasis on the reality of fighting with a knife, dispelling any illusion of imitating what one sees in film or television. A variety of different situations were covered as students were taught, if there is no alternative, how to use a knife effectively against an armed opponent.
Sempai Aaron (left) and Sensei Robert (right) demonstrate a combination.
Multiple sparring exercises were conducted in the class. The last one was a particularly effective demonstration of the lethality of the weapon, where students swapped their wooden and plastic knives for permanent marker pens, and were told to free fight with a partner. The number of arms and t-shirts coloured in red and black pen said it all!
After the seminar, the group went to a cafe in Round Corner for lunch.
The seminar was seen as a great success that was enjoyable, but also gave a realistic understanding of the knife as a weapon. Shihan Lipman, Shihan Cunningham and all the students were grateful for the time given by Sensei Robert and Sempai Aaron. To Shihan Cunningham and the guest instructors, the most important thing to take away from the seminar was a healthy respect for the knife, as well as a key martial arts principle: if one can walk away from a fight, walk.
Mark McFadden has been promoted to 3rd Dan in Kyokushin Karate by Shihan Howard Lipman. This grants Mark the rank of Sensei (teacher). The grade promotion was awarded at Shihan Lipman’s Dojo in Turramurra.
Shihan Lipman also promoted Sensei Mark to 2nd Dan in Kobudo. He will formally receive his certificate from Sensei Hokama in the upcoming November KIMAA Japan Tour.
Sensei Mark has been teaching Kyokushin since the 1980s and running his own Dojo since 1996. He has won places in local and state level tournaments, and has taught many students who have done the same.
Sensei Mark currently leads training at the Lismore and Ballina Dojo halls in KIMAA’s NSW North Coast branch, teaching Kyokushin Karate and Kobudo. Congratulations to Sensei Mark for his years of training and diligence as a teacher to so many fine students.
You can read more about Sensei Mark’s career in Kyokushin by clicking here, or his Kobudo career here.
Shihan Howard Lipman awards Sensei Mark McFadden his 3rd Dan
Shihan Cunningham and Shihan Lipman with their newest Sensei
Group shot of those at the class
Sempai Jon Ellis and Sensei Mark McFadden, head instructors of KIMAA’s North Coast classes
Grading tests were held at Turramurra Dojo for the Knox Grammar Senior School and Prep School Karate classes on Saturday March 9th. Shihan Howard Lipman, who has been the head instructor of the Knox classes since 2005, judged the performance of the boys on the day and was pleased with the standard displayed by the Knox groups. Click here to read more about the Knox Karate program.
March 9th was the final sports session for Term 1. Students are advised to collect their belt and certificate from Shihan Lipman before or during one of the public classes. Click here to see the Turramurra Dojo timetable.
The results for both grading tests are available for download below. Congratulations to all those who achieved new grades.
Sempai Mark McFadden of KIMAA’s North Coast Dojos and Sempai Rob James of Aspley Dojo visited Sydney for a weekend of training. On the Friday, the two visiting instructors trained with black belts from Turramurra and Annangrove at Shihan Lipman’s dojo. At the end of this class, Sempai Rob was awarded his certificate for Shodan (1st Dan) in Kyokushin Karate, formalising his status as a KIMAA accredited black belt.
Sempai Mark and Sempai Rob spent the Saturday training with Shihan Cunningham at Annangrove Dojo. The focus was on kata bunkai, in particular on Seienchin and Tensho. The session finished by introducing Sempai Rob to Kobudo and going through an exercise with the Bo staff.
The following Sunday morning was the first Kobudo session of the year for Sydney students, also held at Annangrove Dojo. Sempai Mark and Sempai Rob trained with the class, led by Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham. Sensei Mark Shelmerdine taught Sempai Rob further basics of the Bo and the first kata. Having the head instructors of the Sydney, North Coast and Brisbane KIMAA branches train together was a valuable exercise and will benefit their respective students.
Shihan Lipman is making preparations for a trip to Okinawa in November with a group of black belts to train in Kobudo with Sensei Hokama, as well as further Karate training. More information will be announced down the track.
The highlight of the year was undoubtedly Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama’s visit to Australia in September. The 10th Dan master of Karate bunkai and Kobudo weapons spent a weekend with students from the four New South Wales Dojos, developing the skills of the senior grades and introducing basic techniques to beginners.
At the end of the weekend, Sensei Hokama awarded new black belt grades in Kobudo to Shihan Howard Lipman (6th Dan), Shihan Rick Cunningham (5th Dan), Sensei Mark Shelmerdine (3rd Dan), Sensei Paul Finnerty (2nd Dan) and Sempai James Campbell (1st Dan). Overall Sensei Hokama was most impressed with the standard of the KIMAA students at Kobudo.
Sensei Paul teaches the Bo to the beginners
Sempai James Campbell vs Sempai Jessica Den with the Bo, September 2012
Sempai Jon Ellis, Sensei James Sidwell and others with the Sai
Group Shot
Sensei Hokama & Shihan Lipman
Shihan Cunningham & Sensei Hokama
Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham followed up Sensei’s visit by travelling to Okinawa in November for further training. The two Shihans also took Sensei to learn boomerang throwing and visit Jenolan Caves during his Australian trip. Photos of these have been added to the September article since it was originally published.
Shihan Cunningham with some of Aspley Dojo’s new students
National All Styles trophies won by North Coast KIMAA students
Members of Lismore and Ballina Dojos came down to Sydney for the grading and Sensei Hokama’s Seminar. Students from the North Coast also had great success in October, competing back-to-back in two tournaments. Saturday October 20th saw some compete in the Australian Kyokushin Karate Association tournament, and the following day in the National All Styles contest, both in Queensland. Many won places and trophies, and all represented KIMAA admirably.
Late 2012 also saw the launch of this new website. This new website aims to provide both visitors and members of KIMAA with accessible and comprehensive information on Kyokushin Karate and Kobudo. News articles, upcoming events, announcements, and the latest photo and video galleries across all five New South Wales and Queensland Dojos will be made instantly available to you. For live updates, you can click the “Follow” button in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen to receive an email notification every time a new event or gallery is posted. Otherwise, just keep checking in.
Dates for the Dojo closure periods are available in the calendar. The KIMAA instructors wish all a safe and happy holiday season. See you at training in 2013!
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 