Category: Sydney NSW

Shihan Des Paroz, 6th Dan in Shorinjiryu Karate, was invited to teach an introductory seminar for the Jō, a four foot staff. Assisting Shihan Paroz was Sensei Chrissy Hanley.

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The morning class introduced students to the basic handling of the weapon and how it varies from using the six foot Bo staff. A lot of attention was given to how the Jō is a mid-range weapon, allowing greater versatility than a staff like the Bo, which is largely limited to long-range.

The class progressed onto bunkai and Kudaka No Jō, a kata. It was a successful morning and the KIMAA Kobudo students will be able to build on these basic techniques and exercises in their fortnightly classes, exploring further applications and combinations of weapons (e.g. Bo vs Jō).

KIMAA extends its warm thanks to Shihan Paroz and Sensei Chrissy for their time.

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.

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 (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.

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.

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You can read more about Koryu Uchinadi (KU) Kempo Jujutsu on their website here, and read more about Sensei Robert here.