Sensei Mark McFadden assisting a Little Lion with her technique.
On Saturday 31 May, Sempai Rob James hosted a special class at Aspley Dojo for his students, with some special guests in attendance.
Sensei Mark McFadden, Sempai Jon Ellis, Sempai Wally Gray and Jeremy Gray from the North Coast dojos came to train with Sempai Rob and his students at Aspley Dojo.
A Little Lions class ran 9-10 am and an Adults class ran from 10 am. The Balina, Lismore and Aspley karateka covered basics, flow drills, break falls, self defence, kata and bunkai.
The highlight of the day’s training was an intense kumite session. Sempai Rob remarked that the juniors excellently displayed the Kyokushin spirit.
The day ended with a group lunch. It was Sempai Rob’s pleasure to host members from the North Coast, as previous combined training sessions have been held at Lismore Dojo.
The seniors from the North Coast and Queensland look forward to these continued combined classes.
On Sunday April 13 a Little Lions Karate grading was held at Lismore Dojo in Goonellabah.
Sensei Mark assesses his students.
Sensei Mark McFadden and Sempai Jon Ellis ran the grading. The students participating were all juniors from the Lismore and Ballina dojos, ranging from Year 9 down to Kindergarten.
A sausage sizzle was enjoyed after the grading.
Thanks to all the adult Karateka who came on the day to assist and congratulations to the following on their new ranks:
Elijah Fraser – 7th Kyu (Senior blue belt)
Wes Snyder – 7th Kyu (Senior blue belt)
Brad Chisolm – 10th Kyu (Orange belt)
Cooper Powell – 10th Kyu (Orange belt)
Isaac McAlphine-King – 10th Kyu (Orange belt)
The first Kyokushin kata and bunkai seminar of 2014 was held on Sunday April 6. Students from Turramurra, Annangrove, Aspley, Ballina and Lismore dojos all attended, including members of the Little Lions and Knox Grammar School classes.
Saturday afternoon Kobudo group
This seminar followed the one in October 2013. Shihan Howard Lipman introduced these seminars to be held twice a year as a compulsory component in senior gradings. They are to keep students across all five KIMAA dojos up to speed on kihon (basics), kata (pattern or form) and bunkai (application).
Basics training led by Shihan Howard Lipman
Sensei Mark McFadden, Sempai Jon Ellis, Patricia Tan and Little Lions Ben and Jack came down from the North Coast dojos.
Sempai Rob James, Gen Moller and Jermaine Downs travelled from Aspley Dojo. They all arrived on the Saturday.
That afternoon, a three hour Kobudo class was conducted by Shihan Rick Cunningham with the visiting KIMAA members and Sydney Kobudo students. The weapons focused on were the Bo, Eeku, Jō and Sai.
The class finished at 5pm and was followed by a group dinner, kindly hosted by Shihan Cunningham and his wife, Kirsti. Shihan Cunningham broke out a case of Orion beer imported from Okinawa, a fond favourite of those who have been there.
Shihan Rick Cunningham demonstrates bunkai on Sempai Don Cheong
The main Kyokushin seminar began at 9am on the Sunday. Shihan Lipman led an opening session on basic techniques.
After this, the Taikyoku and Pinan sono Ichi, Ni and San katas were revised. Shihan Cunningham took the class through bunkai for these katas, with Sempai Jon Ellis and Sempai Don Cheong demonstrating throughout the day. Sensei Peter Olive provided some alternative bunkai techniques in Pinan sono San.
The bunkai covered all moves of the katas and were taught in great detail. Students practised their bunkai, throws, chokes and takedowns in pairs.
Learning bunkai is not just an important syllabus point in students’ gradings, but also to improve their depth of knowledge of the katas, the importance of each movement and to improve their understanding of what they are doing and why.
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As always, KIMAA students enjoyed the experience of training with members from all dojos.
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These seminars shall continue, with the next one on August 17. It will be focused on bunkai for Pinan sono Yon and Pinan sono Go, as well as tameshiwari (board breaking).
KIMAA students extend their thanks to Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham for organising the weekend.
On March 15, Aspley Dojo held its first Karate grading for 2014. The grading was conducted by Sempai Rob James.
The Little Lions kicked off the day at 8am.
The Adults class followed at 10am.
Sempai Rob was very happy with the technical ability displayed on the day. Everyone participated with the ‘Kyokushin spirit’. Particular congratulations go to Aspley’s senior student Jermaine on his 4th Kyu, earned after 8 kumite bouts, and Little Lion Sarah on her 5th Kyu after 5 kumite bouts. Sarah trains under Sensei Mark McFadden and Sempai Jon Ellis in Karate at the North Coast NSW dojos, but graded with the Brisbane students today.
Congratulations to all those who graded.
Aspley Little Lions after the gradingAspley Adults after the grading
On Saturday December 7, Aspley Dojo held Adults and Little Lions Kyokushin gradings.
The Adults grading went first, early on the Saturday morning. Jermaine Downs was graded to 5th Kyu, Jim Murphy to 7th Kyu and Mark Mathews to 10th Kyu. Shane Dwyer was not present on the day but has been separately graded to 10th Kyu.
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The Little Lions grading followed. Sidney Murphy was graded to 8th Kyu Level 1, Jack Bolger to 10th Kyu Level 3, Eliza Bolger to 10th Kyu Level 3, Owen Pitt to 10th Kyu Level 2, Jarryd Garnsworthy to 10th Kyu Level 2, Jarryd Garnsworthy to 10th Kyu Level 2 and Rocco Dwyer to 10th Kyu Level 2. Rocco Dwyer also received the ‘Student of the Month’ award for improved fitness.
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The students and parents of the Little Lions enjoyed a BBQ lunch afterwards.
Aspley Dojo head instructor Sempai Rob James was very happy with the performances on the day. Special mention goes to Aspley Dojo senior student Jermaine Downs, who is making great progress and ‘will make a fine ambassador for Kyokushin’, with great dedication to his training. The Little Lions trained hard for the grading and ‘are an absolute delight to teach’. Congratulations to all of Aspley Dojo’s students for a most successful grading.
Aspley Dojo’s final class for the year will be on Thursday December 19. The Tuesday December 17 classes will not be held. Classes for Aspley Dojo resume on Tuesday January 14 2014.
A Kyokushin and Kobudo seminar was held in Sydney on the weekend of 25-27 October. The seminar was organised and run by Shihan Howard Lipman and Shihan Rick Cunningham. Senior students from the Sydney dojos and some lower grades attended, as well as Sensei Mark McFadden, Sempai Jon Ellis and Jeremy Gray from the North Coast, and Sempai Rob James from Brisbane. The purpose of the seminar was to bring the seniors from all the KIMAA dojos together to train, to give the lower grades an opportunity to train with the seniors, and to ensure that good standards of technique are being upheld across all dojos.
A senior grades class was held on Friday night at Shihan Lipman’s Turramurra Dojo. The class began with a revision of kihon (basics). Everyone’s technique was thoroughly reviewed, cleaning up any ‘bad habits’. General knowledge and terminology was also gone over. Sensei Peter Olive ran students through the Kyokushin Seipai kata. This has now been reinstated in the KIMAA syllabus alongside the Okinawan Seipai kata that has been taught in recent years. The class finished by revising the Naihanchi kata (video demonstration available here). Training was followed by a dinner at Noodle City in Gordon.
Shihan Howard Lipman leading the first Saturday session.
The seminar moved to Shihan Cunningham’s Annangrove Dojo for the rest of the weekend. Students from the Kids classes came for the day. The day began with a group session devoted to basic training: strikes, blocks, kicks and moving through stances were all practised.
Shihan Howard Lipman & Shihan Rick Cunningham with Knox alumni Sempai Alex Lloyd & Theo Schreuder and the current Knox senior school Karate students.
After the first class, the students were broken up into groups. The Knox students were taken through further Karate techniques as well as basic Bo drill with Sensei Mark Shelmerdine and Sensei Paul Finnerty.
Knox students learning Kobudo
The kids trained with the seniors for Naihanchi kata and bunkai (application).
Kata bunkai
Sam Hoberman
The group was brought back together for lunch.
While the food was being prepared, one of Knox’s senior grades Samuel Hoberman (4th Kyu) was given the opportunity to spar with Sensei Mark Shelmerdine, followed by Shihan Cunningham. Sam represented Knox admirably, getting into a grappling stand-off on the ground with Sensei Mark. By the end of his two bouts he found a new appreciation for the intense nature of Kyokushin kumite.
The Knox students were then taken by bus back to the school while everybody else enjoyed a group BBQ lunch, kindly prepared by Shihan Cunningham’s wife, Kirsti, and Sempai Ian Holdaway. The seniors continued after lunch with bunkai work from other Kyokushin katas. The group then practised throws.
This was followed by kumite (sparring).
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Seipai kata was also reviewed following Friday night. A short ceremony was conducted at the end of Saturday where Shihan Lipman awarded dojo operator certificates. Shihan Lipman was made an Australian Branch Chief by Sosai Mas Oyama in 1989 and later South Pacific Representative in 1993. Shihan Lipman has chosen to similarly formalise the authority of his senior instructors, recognising them as official KIMAA dojo operators in the same way that he was an IKO Branch Chief of Sosai’s. These certificates were awarded to Shihan Rick Cunningham for Annangrove Dojo, Sensei Mark McFadden for Lismore Dojo, Sempai Jon Ellis for Ballina Dojo, and Sempai Rob James for Aspley Dojo.
Shihan Howard Lipman presents Shihan Rick Cunningham his dojo operator license
After the seminar, the senior grades enjoyed a lovely dinner at Shihan Cunningham’s house.
Sunday was largely devoted to Kobudo training. After the warm up students were again divided into groups. Sensei Paul took the beginners through Bo drill, as did Sensei Mark Shelmerdine with the kids.
Kids class learning Kobudo with Sensei Mark Shelmerdine
Shihan Cunningham ran the seniors through the basic exercises and Bo katas Kihon, Ufugusuku and Sushi no Kon Sho, as well as partner work. Shihan Lipman had unavoidable work commitments and unfortunately could not attend the Sunday session.
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After the Bo students moved onto the Sai, working on the katas Chibana, Hamahiga and Chatanyara. The kids also got to work with Sai, but were only given rubber ones!
Sai training
Sai training
Shihan Cunningham awarding Sempai Rob the grade of 8th Kyu in International Hokama Kobudo.Student Josh Darby enjoying the Sai.
Some further weapons were practised before the groups were brought back together to go over Seipai and Naihanchi katas once again. Training ended with Sempai Rob James being awarded his 8th Kyu in Kobudo. A group lunch followed at a café in Round Corner.
The seminar was deemed a great success by the instructors and its students. Similar seminars will now be conducted every year, with brown belts and black belts always expected to attend. Bringing together the seniors from all five KIMAA dojos is a rewarding experience for all, as well as ensuring that standards are being maintained across the board.
The next seminar will be held in March 2014 in preparation for the senior grading (5th Kyu through to black belt) in June. Attendance will be required for anyone wishing to attempt the grading.
The KIMAA students express their warm thanks to Shihan Lipman and Shihan Cunningham for organising a wonderful weekend.
The Saturday afternoon focused on Karate, in particular kata applications (bunkai), and the Sunday was spent on Kobudo, namely the Bo, Sai and Eeku.
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Little Lions students from the North Coast classes and Aspley Dojo also participated over the weekend. The instructors extend their thanks to the parents for bringing the kids along for the weekend, especially those who came down from Queensland. It was an excellent opportunity for these young karateka to meet and train with Shihan Cunningham. The Little Lions were awarded with certificates of participation at the end of the weekend.
Shihan Cunningham vs a Lismore Little Lion
Sempai Di Turner & Courtney Turner
Karate group shot
The highlight of the weekend, besides the great training, was seeing the North Coast and Queensland Dojos come together again in the spirit of Kyokushin. Sempai Rob was very grateful to Sensei Mark for hosting and looks forward to returning the favour in the future.
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 