Category: Little Lions

Taree Dojo Inaugural Grading – April 12, 2024

On Friday April 12th, 2024, the first Kyokushin Karate grading was conducted for students of Taree Dojo.

Dojo Operator Sensei Mark Long was most pleased with the students’ efforts. The grading participants were all from the Kids class, and demonstrated various skills including:

  • Warm-ups
  • Uniform management – belt tying and uniform folding
  • Kyokushin – meaning, dojo etiquette and procedures
  • Technique – stances, punches, blocks, kicks and movement
  • Kata – the first two Kyokushin kata.

The stuedents were 9 and 10 years old. Sensei Mark was delighted with their efforts and attitude throughout the grading. Their focus and energy levels remained high throughout the 2-hour grading. Well done to all.

Lismore Seminar – February 24-25, 2024

Sensei Mark McFadden hosted a KIMAA seminar at Lismore Dojo over the weekend of February 24-25th.

Hanshi Howard Lipman, Sensei Alex Lloyd and Sempai Maia Brown of Turramurra Dojo and Sensei Mark Long of Taree Dojo made the trip to Lismore to teach at the seminar.

Proceedings began on the Saturday morning, with Sempai Maia taking the class through basic techniques and stances, with Hanshi Howard providing technical feedback to the class throughout. The morning session moved on to fitness, kicks and kata, with the guest instructors all rotating through taking the class.

After a quick lunch, provided by Lismore Dojo and cooked up by Ken and Masumi, Sensei Alex took the class through a session on kata and bunkai. Pinan Sono Ni was focused on in depth.

From here, Sempai Maia continued taking the students through more kata while Sensei Alex worked with seniors on black belt kata. Sensei Mark Long wrapped up the day with some fighting techniques and combinations, followed by everyone participating in kumite.

The senior grades met at the Cherry Street Sports Club in Ballina for dinner on Saturday night.

Sunday morning began with Sempai Maia taking a ‘Little Lions’ Kids class.

After this, Shihan Alex led a Kobudo class – during which Sensei Wally Gray was being graded. The whole group went through some basics with the Bo, before Shihan Mark McFadden took the juniors outside to keep to the basics of the Bo while Shihan Alex went through more senior techniques and kata with the other students.

The senior Kobudo students revised the Bo, Sai and Eku, including bunkai and partner work.

At the end of the day, Hanshi Howard Lipman (10th Dan Kobudo, Australian Branch Chief) graded Sensei Wally Gray (3rd Dan Kyokushin) to 1st Dan in Kobudo.

It was an enjoyable weekend for all. As Sensei Mark McFadden remarked, getting together to train on occasions like this reminds us all that we’re part of something bigger rather than an individual club.

Special thanks go to Sensei Mark for hosting; Sempai Trish Tan, Masumi, Ken and Laura for their assistance; and to the guest instructors.

Lismore Dojo Beach Training – December 17, 2023

The students of Lismore Dojo came together for an end-of-year beach training session. Basics, fitness, partner work and kumite was undertaken in the surf.

After the training session, a Christmas BBQ was held. Sensei Mark McFadden presented the Student of the Year awards to Little Lions Zarni McGregor and Jackson Wirasa. He also presented his thanks to all those who have helped with classes this year: Sensei Wally Gray, Sempai Trish Tan, Sempai Scott Bettridge, Letitia, Annabel, Evelyn and Zac.

Budo Challenge – 30 September – 1 October, 2023

Students of Lismore Dojo competed in kata and kumite at the Gold Coast Budo Challenge on the weekend of 30 September – 1 October, 2023.

The full team comprised Evelyn Wyatt, Annabelle Davis, Zac Curran, Letitia Bolton, James Sun, Paige Duncan, Zarni McGregor, Jackson Wirasa, Kate Waspe and James Waste.

On the Saturday was the kata competition. KIMAA Little Lions competed at a variety of grade lavels. Lismore head instructor Sensei Mark McFadden was a judge for the kata divisions. There were some very large divisions and strong competition – well done to all. The placements in the kata division were:

  • Zarni McGregor, 1st place
  • Paige Duncan, 3rd place
  • Jackson Wirasa, 3rd place

The next morning was the kumite component of the tournament, with Little Lions fronting up again to the mats. Sempai Trish Tan and Sempai Scott Bettridge were kumite referees. Sensei Wally Gray and Sempai Letitia Bolton coached the fighters.

It was a great day of kumite for the Lismore team. Placements in the karateka’s respective divisions included:

  • Jackson Wirasa, 1st place
  • Paige Duncan, 1st place
  • James Waspe, 1st place
  • Kate Waspe, 2nd place
  • Zarni McGregor, 2nd place

All showed great determination in their fights. Videos of their fights are available in the North Coast Kyokushin Karate Facebook page (for members only). Congratulations to all who represented KIMAA at this tournament – they did their dojo and the organisation proud.

KIMAA North Coast Seminar – July 1-2, 2023

On the weekend of July 1-2, 2023, Sensei Mark McFadden hosted a Kyokushin and Kobudo seminar at Lismore Dojo on the NSW Far North Coast.

Hanshi Howard Lipman, Shihan James Sidwell, Sensei Alex Lloyd and Sensei Mark Long travelled to the North Coast for two nights to instruct the adults and kids.

Saturday began with Shihan James leading instruction in basics and kata.

After a sausage sizzle lunch, training resumed, led by Sensei Mark Long. The first afternoon session focused on fighting techniques, combinations and ended with many rounds of kumite. The Lismore karateka fought each other and the visiting black belts. After the kumite, Shihan James and Sensei Alex split the class up for further kata training.

The local senior grades joined the visiting instructors for dinner on the Saturday night.

Sunday morning began with a Little Lions session, led by Shihan James and Sensei Mark.

After the Little Lions went home, Sunday training finished with a long Kobudo session. Shihan James and Sensei Alex took the group through the basics of the Bo staff in the introductory exercises and first kata. Hanshi Howard and Shihan James also ran the group through pressure points, and Sensei Alex took the class through a senior Bo exercise. Shihan James also taught Sensei Wally Gray and Sempai Patricia Tan the second Eku kata and Sensei Alex refreshed Sempai Trish on the Jo kata.

Throughout the weekend, Hanshi Howard presented students with grading certificates. These were for senior kyu grades as a result of the June grading in Sydney, and gradings conducted in Lismore by Sensei Mark for junior kyu, Little Lions and Kobudo.

Hanshi Howard was delighted with the standard of Karate and Kobudo he saw on display. The weekend was a great opportunity for the Lismore Dojo students to train with other martial artists, and be pushed in a constructive way. These KIMAA seminars with Sydney instructors visiting Lismore will continue in 2024.

Turramurra Gradings – June 7, 2023

On the night of Wednesday June 7th, Kids and Junior Kyu Kyokushin gradings were held at Turramurra Dojo.

Hanshi Howard Lipman and Shihan James Sidwell assessed the Kids grading, while senior student Maia Brown ran them all through their techniques and kata. All students involved trained well and demonstrated good technique.

Later that evening, Hanshi Howard Lipman and Shihan Mark Shelmerdine ran the Junior Kyu grading at Turramurra Dojo. The students performed well and displayed great determination.

KIKO Kata Tournament – June 4, 2023

The KIKO Kata Tournament on Sunday June 4th was a fantastic day for KIMAA Turramurra Dojo.

Hanshi Howard Lipman would like to thank Kancho Doug Turnbull for great day and congratulate all our students who entered from ages 6-16 years. We had 14 competitors, and 11 of these students either placed or won all their divsions in kata.

Thank you also to Shihan James Sidwell for assisting with kids on the day. Special mention goes to the youngest students Sophie and Ken, 6 years old and 7 years old, for as well as competing individually they also did synchronised kata together.

Congratulations to the following students for their results:

Kata 16 years & over Beginner/Intermediate
Ashley Kim – 2nd
Narmie Thambipillay – 3rd

Kata 13-15 years Advanced
Maia Brown – 1st

Kata 11-12 years Advanced
Ethan Kuo – 1st
Ryan Kuo – 3rd

Kata 8-10 years Beginner
Chloe Le Bescont – 1st
Christopher Paunescu – 2nd
Aimee Kim – 3rd

Kata 7 years & under Beginner/Intermediate
Mau An (Ken) Quang – 1st
Shivan Thambipillay – 2nd
Sophie Chan – 3rd

When you have trained with the rest, train with the best – KIMAA Turramurra Dojo.

Hanshi Howard Lipman
9th Dan Kyokushin
KIMAA Chairman