On Sunday May 5th 2019, a Kobudo grading was held at Annangrove Dojo.
Hanshi Howard Lipman awarded two new grades:
Congratulations to Sensei Ben (3rd Dan Kyokushin, 1st Dan Kobudo) and Sempai Stephen Runge (1st Dan Kyokushin, 2nd Kyu Kobudo).
Special mention also goes to Sensei James Sidwell for breaking his Eku during the grading, in a display of raw power and great technique.
Osu!
On the weekend of March 23-24, 2019, the first KIMAA seminar of the year was held at Sydney’s Annangrove Dojo, run by Hanshi Howard Lipman and Shihan Rick Cunningham. Karateka from across New South Wales and Queensland KIMAA dojos attended the weekend.
On the Saturday morning, Hanshi Howard led a basics and bunkai session. The focus was on correcting students’ technique, as Hanshi stressed the importance of maintaining Sosai’s legacy for perfection. This included blocking combinations, and moving backwards and forwards in stance.
As the day continued, students were broken up by grade. Juniors focused on kata, both new forms and revision of existing patterns. The seniors were given a lesson in competition judging, specifically in tournament refereeing.
Sunday saw a revision of Saturday’s lessons. Sempai Patricia Tan began the session with a Tai Chi muscle warm-up before the class got into basics again. This was followed by more kata and bunkai.
Thank you to all who participated in the seminar. Photography and videography by Sempai Jonathan Lee.
The second senior Kyokushin grading of 2018 was held at KIMAA‘s Honbu, Turramurra Dojo. Hanshi Howard Lipman assessed the students while Shihan Peter Olive conducted the grading.
Participants came from Turramurra, Annangrove Dojo, Young Dojo and Brisbane Dojo. Sensei David Craigie and Sensei Rob James shepherded their students from afar, and Sensei Mark McFadden and Sempai Patricia Tan of Lismore Dojo also came down to support those attempting new grades.
Four students were attempted their 1st Dan Black Belt, which led of course to the world-renowned Kyokushin 40 fights.
Hearty efforts were put in by all students. Congratulations to all the senior kyu grades. Special recognition goes to the Yudansha:
Sempai Jermaine is a hard-working, strong, diligent student from Brisbane Dojo. He is the first to reach Shodan from Brisbane, under the tutelage of Sensei Rob James. Sempai Jermaine has balanced his Kyokushin training with work and family commitments, but always attended seminars when he is able, and has been a strong deputy to Sensei Rob. He is a highly a capable fighter, budding instructor and good martial artist, with a bright future ahead of him. Congratulations Sempai Jermaine, and Sensei Rob on bringing your first student to back belt.
Sempai Cody is one of a crop of promising young KIMAA karateka who have, after years of dedicated training under Hanshi Howard and Sensei James Sidwell, persisted and worked in the adult General Classes towards the goal of Shodan. He has previously competed in tournaments.
Sempai Bernard also has much tournament experience and trained with increasing intensity over the years, becoming a strong young man with many years of excellent Karate ahead of him.
Sempai Stephen has been training at Turramurra Dojo for a long time, despite persistent injuries. His dedicated attitude to training despite obstacles has not gone unnoticed. He has also become a regular assistant instructor in the Kids classes and to newcomers in the General classes. He is an invaluable presence at the dojo, and a good Karate man.
Sempai Josh began his Karate training in 2012 and has been an impressive young personality at Turramurra Dojo since the beginning. He has fought in tournaments, trained with Shihan Ken Ogura, done tameshiwari and regularly pushed himself to the next level of technical excellence. He has applied himself diligently in his training to Nidan, as he did for Shodan. While it is rare for one so young to be a Nidan, he has certainly earned the grade in the eyes of the seniors.
That night, everyone celebrated with the Turramurra Christmas Party – with all those out-of-town and grading invited along, of course.
Congratulations to all who participated in the grading – a strong, fine way to end the year.
After their success in the Griffith Riverina Tournament, Sensei David Craigie took his students Josh and Damon to the November KIKO Tournament. The Kyokushin International Karate Organisation is run by Kancho Doug Turnbull.
The KIMAA Young Dojo karateka were both competing in their first Kyokushin Sydney tournament.
Josh Galea, in the male adults beginners/intermediate 80kg & over, was the Australian Champion in his division.
Damon Townsend, male adults beginners under 70kg was the Australian Champion in his division.
Congratulations to both Josh and Damon. Sensei David praised his students for their “efforts and tenacity”.
Two Kyokushin karateka of Young Dojo entered the Griffith Riverina Tournament in the full contact division.
They were supported by other students from their dojo and coached by Sensei David Craigie.
Damon fought in the novice lightweight division and came First. Josh fought in the novice heavyweight division and took Second place.
For Damon’s fight for First place, it was taken to an extension. Damon won the bout by knocking his opponent out with jodan mawashi geri (head-high roundhouse kick).
Congratulations to both students and for representing KIMAA.
September 2018 saw Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia host its third Shihan Ken Seminar.
KIMAA traditionally runs two seminars in Sydney twice a year, in addition to those conducted at the other dojos. In the 2015 Japan Group Tour, senior KIMAA karateka met and trained with Shihan Ken Ogura (8th Dan) at Sensei Hokama’s dojo. The group were all impressed with Shihan Ken’s martial arts ability, and his excellent teaching. Hanshi Howard Lipman invited Shihan Ken to Australia to conduct a seminar in 2016, focusing on bunkai (self-defence application from techniques, particularly in kata) and Kobudo. This was repeated in 2017 and again this year, due to the seminars’ continuing success and the interest of students.
This year, Shihan Ken (who lives in Nagoya, Japan) arrived in Australia on Wednesday September 19th. He came by the Kids Class at Turramurra Dojo with Hanshi Howard, Sensei James Sidwell and Sempai Jasper Choi.
The seminar formally began on the Thursday night at Turramurra. The smaller group focused on bunkai from Sanchin, Pinan Yon and Pinan Go. Shihan Peter Olive resumed his role as Shihan Ken’s partner in bunkai – a.k.a. crash test dummy!
The Friday night drew a large crowd. Students from Ballina and Lismore dojos arrived, under the leadership of Sensei Mark McFadden, Sempai Wally Gray, Sempai Patricia Tan and seniors from Ballina Dojo. The first wave of karateka from Young Dojo, including Sensei David Craigie and Sempai Mark Long, also arrived.
Training focused on the same kata as the previous day – revision for the now ‘advanced’ students while everyone else caught up.
Special guests for the seminar, just on the Friday night, included Kancho Doug Turnbull and some of his KIKO students. Also appearing over the weekend was Kie Matsuoka, one of Shihan Ken’s students, who came out from Japan to train with Shihan Ken and KIMAA.
After training, the class went to dinner at Gordon Noodle City.
The seminar continued on the weekend at Annangrove Dojo. The rest of the Young Dojo contingent arrived. The day began with a basics session, conducted by Hanshi Howard. Students then broke up into groups based on grade level. Black belts studied Seienchin bunkai with Shihan Ken, while junior grades were taught by other seniors elsewhere.
Juniors took a turn with Shihan Ken, while Yudansha revised Pinan Ura kata with Shihan Peter and middle kyu grades practised Pinan Ni with Sensei Ben Ng. Then the middle-senior kyu grades went inside with Shihan Ken to look at a group bunkai drill for Gekisai Dai, assisted by Sensei Paul Finnerty.
Junior kyu grades then had a turn learning new kata bunkai with Shihan Ken. The senior grades worked on the formality, intensity and accuracy of Sanbon Kumite. Shihan Idir Bahamid had middle kyu grades revise Naihanchi kata, then Shihan Rick Cunningham taught the group some bunkai for that kata. A few students took turns over the course of the weekend being Shihan Ken’s new demonstration partner, including Sempai James Campbell and Sempai Jason Lambe.
Shihan Ken also took some seniors through various Kobudo drills after lunch.
At the end of the day, Hanshi Howard presented Sensei Alex Lloyd his 3rd Dan in Kobudo and Sensei James Sidwell his 2nd Dan in Kobudo. They had been graded the previous month by Hanshi Howard and Shihan Rick, and now were formally presented with their certificates from Sensei Hokama (10th Dan).
It was a long day with a large number of training sessions. Well done to all. Thanks go to both days on the weekend to Sensei Ian Holdaway, Kirsti Cunningham and Masumi Lipman for keeping everyone fed.
After the last photos were taken for the day, a dinner was held at Shihan Rick’s home.
Training resumed Sunday morning. Things began with an outdoor basics session – during which, a long selfie stick and drone were flying around to film the training. This and other footage compiled over the past few years was put together for the new KIMAA video.
KIMAA Little Lions were in attendance on the Sunday morning. Shihan Ken held a class for the kids while the adults split into groups for Kobudo training, based on their experience level. Sensei Mark Shelmerdine, Sensei Paul Finnerty, Sensei Mark McFadden, Sensei Alex Lloyd, Sensei James Sidwell, Sensei Ian Holdaway and Sempai James Campbell taught Bo and Sai to the groups.
After lunch, the kids were done for the day and the adults went back to training with Shihan Ken. This included some revision of kata bunkai and sanbon kumite. Finally, Shihan Rick conducted a bunkai test – having students rotate through different pairs, demonstrating bunkai from various kata at random.
KIMAA has firm standards of students being able to demonstrate bunkai in Kyokushin Karate gradings – the quantity and complexity of which being dependent on their grade level. These seminars are an integral part of this preparation.
A group demonstration of the Naihanchi kata was recorded on the Sunday afternoon.
The final session of the seminar was held on the Monday night at Turramurra Dojo. Shihan Ken had fun in the Kids Class, including some sparring. The adults class focused exclusively on bunkai from the Okinawan Seipai kata.
At the end, Sensei Mark, Sensei James and Sensei Alex demonstrated the Kyokushin Seipai kata for Shihan Ken, which he found most impressive. At the end of the night, Shihan Ken expressed his warm thanks for his reception in Australia, and how much he has enjoyed watching the organisation come along over the years he has been affiliated with us.
Thanks go to everyone who travelled to Sydney for the weekend, especially of course to Shihan Ken Ogura for travelling from Japan on this third occasion to teach KIMAA students. Further thanks go to all the seminar organisers, including Hanshi Howard Lipman and Shihan Rick Cunningham.
It is now over to the instructors and students who attended the seminar to revise what they learned, consolidate their knowledge and continue to develop their skills – to keep travelling the path.
Naihanchi is a traditional Karate kata once practiced by Sosai Mas Oyama. Hanshi Howard Lipman has introduced Naihanchi as a grading requirement for 4th Kyu (green belt), for the KIMAA karateka to continue to train as per Sosai’s legacy.
This video was taken at the September 2018 Shihan Ken KIMAA Seminar.
Click here to see Shihan Idir Bahamid‘s demonstration of this kata.
