Two Little Lions of Lismore and North Brisbane dojos competed in the Queensland National All Styles State Championships on Sunday October 15th.
Isaac of Lismore Dojo competed in the 5th Kyu to Black Belt division for his age group and placed fourth. He was coached on the day by Sensei Mark McFadden. Congratulations Isaac!
Sean of North Brisbane Dojo returned to the NAS, after having placed third in a previous round.
In the words of instructor Sensei Rob James, “As you can see, Sean’s focus, technique and his positive attitude are his strengths.” Well done, Sean!
The seminar brought KIMAA students from all over the organisation. Guests from other Kyokushin dojos also attended, including Sensei David Craigie and his Young Dojo.
Wednesday night’s training was held at Turramurra Dojo. Shihan Ken took students through bunkai – the self-defence application of techniques and moves from kata. The kata focused on in particular were more of a junior level, to teach the foundation principles required for the weekend. Shihan Peter Olive dutifully resumed his duties from the previous year’s seminar, serving as the ‘crash test dummy’ that Shihan Ken would demonstrate the techniques, pressure points and take-downs on!
Shihan Rick Cunningham, Shihan Ken Ogura, Sensei Paul Finnerty and Sempai Alex Lloyd, 7 September 2017.Shihan Doug Turnbull training with Sensei Mark McFadden.
Training continued along the same lines as Wednesday, but with some more advanced techniques and kata.
Shihan Rick Cunningham, Shihan Doug Turnbull, Shihan Peter Olive, Shihan Ken Ogura & Hanshi Howard Lipman.
After training, a group dinner was enjoyed at Noodle City in Gordon.
The Friday night class.
The seminar continued at 9 am sharp on Saturday 9th at Annangrove Dojo. Hanshi Howard formally introduced Shihan Ken to all the black belts, then led the group through a basics session.
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The students were then broken up into smaller groups for rotating classes that lasted throughout the day. One group would be inside with Shihan Ken, while the others trained outside. Shihan Ken took the seniors through a new Eeku kata, and other groups through further bunkai and kata work. The others rotated between kata with Shihan Peter Olive, technique and focus with Sensei Idir Bahamid, the Sai with Sensei Mark Shelmerdine and the Bo staff with Sempai Alex Lloyd.
Sensei Ian Holdaway on the BBQ
The KIMAA NSW Far North Coast crew with Shihan Ken Ogura.
At the end of a long but enjoyable day, Hanshi Howard Lipman announced a few Kyu grade promotions in Kobudo, and three black belt promotions in Kyokushin. Read more here about the promotions of Shihan Idir Bahamid, Sensei Mark McFadden and Sensei Rob James.
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Dinner for the out-of-Sydney guests and other seniors was held at Shihan Rick’s home. Thanks go to Shihan Rick Cunningham and his wife Kirsti for hosting Saturday’s dinner, and to Sensei Ian Holdaway for his lunch barbecuing efforts on both weekend days.
Group photo of the Saturday seminar class.Sensei Don Cheong demonstrates Pinan Sono Go.
Training began early the next morning back at Annangrove Dojo. The day began with a session focusing on basics, movement, speed and power with Shihan Idir Bahamid. After this, the seminar split into smaller groups, with Shihan Peter Olive, Sensei Paul Finnerty, Sensei James Sidwell and Sensei Mark McFadden taking instructional duties for those not working with Shihan Ken. The black belts had intense kata sessions on both Saturday and Sunday with Shihan Peter, including kata demonstrations by Sensei Don Cheong.
Shihan Ken continued the same focus with the Kyu grades, while working with the black belts further on the Eeku kata, as well as Seipai and Saiha. Sensei Jon Ellis and Sensei Ben Ng took turns being the test dummies during the day.
The day ended with Hanshi Howard thanking those from out of Sydney for travelling, Shihan Rick for all his help with the organising and accommodation, and most of all Shihan Ken for coming to Australia again to instruct KIMAA students.
Hanshi Howard Lipman ended the day with some exciting news. After several days of intense training together, the students of KIMAA built a great rapport of those with Young Dojo, and Sensei David Craigie (3rd Dan) had a great time training with KIMAA’s black belts. It was announced on Sunday September 10 that Sensei David Craigie and Young Dojo are now a part of Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia, the seventh dojo of the organisation.
Sensei David & Hanshi Howard
Sensei David & Hanshi Howard
Young Dojo with Hanshi Howard & Shihan Rick
The final training session was back at Turramurra Dojo on the Monday night. This evening was spent consolidating the week’s worth of knowledge, with Sensei Ben acting as Shihan Ken’s demonstration partner for the evening. There was also a greater focus on pressure points and conditioning.
KIMAA is delighted to have an ongoing relationship with Shihan Ken Ogura, such a widely regarded martial artist who is also an excellent teacher and friend of the organisation. We look forward to future training with Shihan Ken.
Sempai Patricia Tan, Sensei Jon Ellis, Sempai Wally Gray & Sensei Mark McFadden.
The grading was held at Evans Head beach. Students of Ballina Dojo also attended for training alongside those who were attempting the grading from Lismore.
The heavy soft, wet sand made stances and kicks especially tiring. Everyone did well and it was a fun, different yet satisfying challenge for the adults and Little Lions who participated.
Thanks go to all who helped, including Sempai Trish and Anthony for organising the food, the parents who drove their children out to Evans Head, and those who assembled the BBQ, and Yaco’s father for taking on the role of head snag cooker.
Sempai Rob was pleased with everybody’s efforts, including a new fourth kyu in the adults class. Thanks go to Jermaine Downs (senior student) for his assistance with the tests.
Sempai Rob remarked, “A solid effort from everybody! The level of knowledge, fitness and technical ability is impressive, as is their commitment.”
Little Lions from KIMAA’s North Brisbane Dojo competed in the National All Styles tournament on Sunday March 26.
Sean with his Third Place medal.
The competitors in the Gold Coast tournament were led by their instructor Sempai Rob James.
Sean performed Taikyoku sono Ichi and Maddison performed Pinan sono Ni. Both came up against tough competition in their respective divisions. Sean won Third Place and Maddison came fifth in her division. For both, it was their first tournament. Congratulations Sean and Maddison!
On the Friday night the 17th, Shihan Howard and Sempai Alex arrived in Ballina where they had dinner with Sensei Mark and Sensei Jon.
Training began at 9.00 am sharp the next morning at Ballina Dojo. The first session was for the Little Lions. The morning class was spent focused on kihon (basics): strikes, blocks, kicks and combinations. The class ended with some fitness and competitions.
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The next session was an hour-long class for instructors only, revising the finer points of techniques, how to break things down and teach them, and for Shihan Howard to ensure all the basics were the same standard across all six KIMAA dojos. The class was attended by Sempai Wally Gray, Sempai Simon Morris, Sempai Patricia Tan, Will Brook, Jermaine Downs and other assistant instructors to the North Coast and Brisbane dojo operators.
The afternoon was focused on the adults. Things got off to a bang, starting with an energetic kumite warm up.
The sparring was followed with fight training and fighting techniques, including footwork and movement. After this, different grades took turns demonstrating kata to Shihan Howard appropriate to their level. This was followed by bunkai (self-defence applications), take-downs and throwing each other around the room. Sempai Alex quickly proved to be Sensei Jon’s favourite crash test dummy!
The instructors finished the afternoon class by running the group through some joint locks and pressure point techniques, and some conditioning.
The adults class on the Saturday, at Ballina Dojo.
A group dinner was enjoyed by the visitors and local senior grades at a restaurant in Ballina by the water.
Training began the next morning for adults at 8.30 am at Lismore Dojo. Sensei Mark and Sempai Rob warmed up the class and revised some basics and strength work, before Shihan Howard stepped in to show the group how push ups are really meant to be done!
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The class turned to more basics and stance revision, emphasising the importance of separating basic technique from bunkai. The former is the foundation to the latter, and keeping the true form of the technique correct is imperative to the development of one’s karate.
The Sunday adults class at Lismore Dojo.
After a final group photo, black and brown belts stayed on for senior kata training. Sempai Alex took the class exhaustively through Garyu. Shihan Howard then had students pair up for advanced kihon techniques and partner work in the Nidan syllabus. The class ended the session by studying Tensho kata.
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Shihan Howard Lipman with Sempai Rob James, Lismore Dojo.
Sempai Rob commented about the seminar shortly afterwards online, in particular about Shihan Howard: “I am still in awe of this man. The technical ability and his knowledge of every detail of every technique absolutely blows me away. There are very few people in the martial arts world like Shihan Howard Lipman.”
Shihan Howard was most pleased by the students’ standard of technique, as well as the teachers’ instruction of both the North Coast dojos and those who came down from Brisbane. The quality of the KIMAA students are an obvious reflection of their instructors. He passed on his thanks to Sempai Alex for his assistance. Shihan Howard congratulated Sensei Mark, Sensei Jon and Sempai Rob on the level of technique their students had attained, the fit-out of their dojos, and their obvious dedication to and rapport with their students.
