The senior student of the Kyokushin grading was Sempai Jason Lambe of Annangrove Dojo, attempting Nidan (2nd Dan). Along with Sempai Jason were five applicants for Shodan (1st Dan). These included:
There were many KIMAA karateka attempting various Kyu grades as well, both children and adults.
Students from Turramurra, Annangrove, Lismore and Ballina dojos participated in the grading, with Wesley Snider and Mick Calnan also making the trip down with Trish from the North Coast dojos. Travelling with their students were Sensei Mark McFadden and Sensei Jon Ellis.
Shihan Howard was judging the students’ performance on the day, with assistance from Shihan Rick Cunningham, while Shihan Peter Olive took the students through their techniques. Many other KIMAA black belts came in support of the students attempting the grading.
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At various points during the basics, the black belt applicants, and applicant for 1st Kyu Elia Parsanejad, took the class.
Jonathan Lee leads the grading.
Sensei Jon Ellis
Supporting black belts train with those grading.
Victor Sweeney leads the grading.
Joshua Darley leads the grading.
Angus Sweeney leads the grading.
Shihan Howard corrects students’ technique.
Sensei Ben Ng demonstrates Ushiro Geri.
Elia Parsanejad leads the grading.
After the basics, the grading turned to kata, bunkai, advanced techniques and fitness.
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Many gruelling hours later, it was time for the sparring. Sempai Jason and Elia had to complete 20 full-contact fights for their respective grades, while the young aspiring-to-be Shodans had to push through the full 40.
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Despite some close calls, everyone made it through. Everyone was thoroughly tested, fought well and displayed strong Kyokushin spirit. Shihan Howard was delighted with the standard, declaring at the end of the grading that the base level of technical ability had noticeably improved since the previous black belt grading. He congratulated all students, and awarded the new yudansha with their new black belts.
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Congratulations to all, especially Sempai Jason, Sempai Jonathan, Sempai Angus, Sempai Josh, Sempai Victor and Sempai Trish!
Shihan Howard Lipman and Shihan Rick Cunningham with the new black belts.
This was an extra significant grading, as two records were broken: Sempai Patricia Tan is the oldest KIMAA member to pass the Shodan grading; and Sempai Josh is the youngest KIMAA member to pass the same grading, at 12 years and two weeks old. Sempai Jonathan is also the second person who began Karate through Knox Grammar to achieve black belt.
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All who graded and those who came along in support.
Shihan Howard Lipman conducted three gradings for the different student groups: advanced Senior School, intermediate Senior School and the Preparatory School. The students performed well and received their results the following week.
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Students of Knox Grammar wishing to study Karate as part of their regular sports program have been coming to Turramurra Dojo since 2005. Students have always benefited from the teaching of Shihan Howard. Other instructors for the Knox students have included Sensei Allan Engelin, Sensei James Sidwell and Sempai Alex Lloyd, with Sempai Alex the first former Knox student to become a black belt. Other former Knox students have also progressed from the school classes to training in the adults’ general classes under Shihan Howard, including Jonathan Lee and James Salmond. The Knox-KIMAA relationship continues to prosper.
Congratulations to all who attempted and passed the grading.
Some of the students grading from Turramurra included Jasper Choi, Bernard Wilson and Elia Parsanejad. They kept pace well with the senior grades, Will and Trish, from up the coast.
Will performed admirably in his 20 fights for 1st Kyu (Senior Brown Belt).
Amanda sparring for her grading.
Sempai Rob sparring.
Will Brook with Sensei Jon after his 20th fight.
Results decided upon by Shihan Lipman will be announced by the various dojo head instructors. Congratulations to all who passed, and well done on everyone for attempting.
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Group photo of those who attempted the grading and supporting black belts.Shihan Rick Cunningham, Sensei Jon Ellis, Will Brook, Patricia Tan, Shihan Howard Lipman & Sensei Mark McFadden.
Kyokushin Karate gradings were held recently in KIMAA‘s two dojos in the Far North Coast of New South Wales. The gradings were for the Little Lions (kids classes) and adult junior kyu grades.
In January 2016, three KIMAA Yudansha received their new black belts. These promotions were awarded following the grading in November 2015. These new grades include:
The first session of the seminar was held on Friday night October 30th, at Shihan Howard Lipman’s (8th Dan Kyokushin, 7th Dan Kobudo) Turramurra Dojo. The class was focused on self-defence against an armed assailant, specifically against a hand gun, and later a knife. Ray of Dynamic Defence, a Krav Maga organisation, was the guest instructor at Shihan Lipman’s invitation.
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After a warm-up and a fitness session, Ray ran the class through various disarming drills that focused on the principles of defence against an assailant wielding a pistol. After going through the basics of gun work, the class turned to knife defence.
Ray’s class was enjoyed by all present. While the karateka only had time to learn the elementary steps of these drills, they got a great sample of the defence skills being taught. KIMAA hopes to have a class with him again in the future.
After the class, a group dinner was enjoyed at Noodle City in Gordon.
The seminar began with basic training, followed by sanbon kumite (or ‘three-step sparring’). The sanbon kumite gradually increased in intensity, using takedowns and counters from bunkai to develop more advanced defensive manoeuvres.
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This Saturday session included some of the more senior grades from Knox Karate.
The training progressed until lunch, with seniors challenged to come up with their own self-defence combinations while working with a partner.
After a BBQ lunch, cooked by Sensei Mark McFadden and prepared by Shihan Cunningham’s wife, Kirsti, the seminar moved on to tameshiwari (board breaking).
Kyu grades performed single, double and triple board breaks on wood placed on besser blocks, depending on their specific grading requirements.
Sempai Ben Ng and Sempai Don Cheong performed two multi-breaks (breaking four handheld boards with four consecutive techniques) as part of their grading syllabus. Sempai Mark Long and James Ruprai also performed a multi-break. Sempai Wally Gray then showed the younger generation how it’s done by breaking four boards at once with seiken (forefist) and shuto (knife hand) techniques.
Saturday’s training finished with fitness and fight training. Shihan Cunningham hosted a dinner for senior grades and the guests from other dojos at his house after training.
Saturday Group Shot
The senior grading began at 9am on the Sunday morning. Sensei Peter Olive (4th Dan Kyokushin, 1st Dan Kobudo) led the grading while Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham assessed the performance of the students.
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After the basics segment of the grading was completed, the karateka student body was broken up into groups. Those grading remained in the dojo, while Yudansha and Kyu grades not being graded went outside to do belt-specific training.
Sensei Mark McFadden, Sensei Jon, Sempai Rob, Sempai Mark Long (2nd Dan Kyokushin), Sempai James Campbell (2nd Dan Kyokushin, 2nd Dan Kobudo) and Sempai Alex Lloyd (2nd Dan Kyokushin, 1st Dan Kobudo) revised black belt katas, including Seipai, Okinawan Seipai and Sushi Ho.
Sensei Mark Shelmerdine (4th Dan Kyokushin, 4th Dan Kobudo) took the brown belts through Pinan Sono Go, Gekusai Dai and Yansu.
Sensei James Sidwell (4th Dan Kyokushin, 1st Dan Kobudo) took Nalin, 4th Kyu, through Gekusai Sho and Pinan Sono San.
The senior grading continued inside with advanced techniques, moving through stances, kata, bunkai, and fitness. The senior Kyu grades and black belts attempting the grading were Sempai Ben Ng, Sempai Don Cheong, Sempai Wally Gray, Josh Darley, Victor Sweeney, Patricia Tan and Jermaine Downs.
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Finally, the grading culminated with kumite (sparring). It was the longest part of the morning for those grading, with Josh and Victor completing 20 fights to meet their syllabus requirements.
Wally
Hieu
Chris
Congratulations to all those who participated in the grading. Belts and certificates will be awarded to students by their instructors over the coming weeks. Extra special congratulations to our newly promoted black belts: Sensei Ben Ng (3rd Dan Kyokushin), Sensei Don Cheong (3rd Dan Kyokushin) and Sempai Wally Gray (2nd Dan Kyokushin).
The weekend did not end after the grading, however. After another lunch prepared by Kirsti, students were broken up into groups based on their Kobudo experience for weapons training. Bo, Sai, Eeku and Arnis (Escrima Sticks) were covered for the remainder of the afternoon.
KIMAA Black Belts: Sensei Mark McFadden, Shihan Rick Cunningham, Sensei Jon Ellis, Sempai Rob James, Sensei Ben Ng, Shihan Howard Lipman, Sensei Don Cheong, Sempai Alex Lloyd, Sensei Mark Shelmerdine, Sempai James Campbell, Sempai Mark Long, Sensei Peter Olive & Sensei James Sidwell
It was a tiring but successful weekend. It is always a productive and worthwhile exercise to bring all the dojos together: students get to train with karateka outside their own dojo, and all get to check that their techniques are matching the required KIMAA standard. Thanks to Sempai Alex Lloyd and Jonathan Lee for the photography and videos. Special thanks to everyone who travelled to Sydney for the occasion and, as always, to Shihan Howard Lipman and Shihan Rick Cunningham for organising the weekend.
KIMAA Dojo Operators: Shihan Rick Cunningham (Annangrove), Sempai Rob James (Aspley), Sensei Mark McFadden (Lismore), Sensei Jon Ellis (Ballina) & Shihan Howard Lipman (Turramurra)Shihan Rick Cunningham & Shihan Howard Lipman
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 