Category: Seminars

KIMAA Seminar – August 14-16, 2026

Following the success of the 2025 KIMAA seminar in Taree, Shihan James Sidwell organised a KIMAA seminar which was held in Sydney, hosted by the Honbu Turramurra Dojo over three days. Sensei Mark Long and students from Taree Dojo travelled down to Sydney for the event, and Masumi Lipman oversaw the weekend’s operations.

The night of Friday August 14th was the first session, held at Turramurra Dojo. Shihan James, Shihan Mark Shelmerdine and Sensei Ben Ng took students through basics (Kihon): punches, strikes, blocks, kicks, and of course push-ups.

Saturday began at the adjacent park after a group BBQ breakfast. The karateka then converged on the neighbouring Uniting Church Turramurra for a day in the hall. In the morning, Renshi Mark Shelmerdine and Shihan James Sidwell took students through the basics of the Bo staff.

After lunch, the group reconvened for an intensive kata session, run by Shihan Idir Bahamid. Shihan Idir oversaw the group’s attention to finesse, focus, speed and power. After training, the students went out to dinner at the Blue Gum Hotel.

On Sunday morning, students arrived at the Blair Wark VC Community Centre in Lindfield. Shihan James and Shihan Mark ran a training session that included gohon and sanbon kumite followed by numerous renraku drills. The renraku comprised partner work for combat drills and self-defence combinations, demonstrated by Sensei Ben and Sensei Alex Lloyd.

At the end of training, Sensei Mark presented the Shihans with a certificate of appreciation and framed artwork. After packing up the centre, many students visited the nearby grave of Hanshi Howard Lipman to pay respects. It has been two years since Hanshi left us.

Well done to all students for their hard training and special thanks to the parents who provided support, particularly keeping everyone fed. We look forward to the next seminar in 2027.

KIMAA Seminar – July 18-20, 2025

Over the weekend of 18-20 July 2025, the annual KIMAA seminar was held for a weekend of quality learning in the martial arts. This year it was hosted by Taree Dojo, at the nearby town of Harrington. For the weekend, KIMAA hired the house at Riverlodge at Harrington Waters. Instructors and students of Turramurra and Taree dojos gathered for a weekend of training together.

On the Friday night, Sensei Ben Ng led an evening class focusing on Kyokushin Karate basics, moving in stance and some bunkai relating to basic block forms.

The next morning, Sensei Ben led a 7am run along the shoreline to the marina and back.

Training resumed at 9.30am. The first part of the class focused on renraku (ippon kumite), led by Shihan James Sidwell. The rest of the morning focused on Kobudo, led by Renshi Mark Shelmerdine. The group practised the Bo staff.

After breaking for lunch, training resumed. Shihan James led a kata class. The group practised Pinan sono Ni, with an extensive breakdown of bunkai (self-defence applications) pulled out from the pattern.

Masumi Lipman attended the seminar to oversee the running of the weekend, take training photos, walk the dogs and be Group Mum. We thank Masumi for her ongoing support of and involvement with KIMAA.

When afternoon training was complete, the group broke for free time and enjoyed dinner at the adjacent tavern.

The next morning, Sensei Alex Lloyd led a fitness class at 7.00am.

A portion of the group left after breakfast due to family and other commitments for the Sunday. The group recovered over breakfast, then regathered for the final training session of the day. Sensei Mark Long led a fight training class, going through fighting basics, combinations and then kumite (sparring). Shihan Mark Shelmerdine also showed some fight drills and pressure points.

After many rounds of Kumite, the group packed up then broke for lunch.

Special thanks go to Shihan James and Sensei Mark for organising the weekend. With the exception of Saturday night dinner, all catering was managed by Sensei Mark’s partner Ken and their friends. We’re grateful for all the assistance in feeding us over the weekend, and for the support of parents who came along with their Little Lions students.

We look forward to the 2026 KIMAA seminar. Osu!

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.

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.

North Coast Seminar – February 25-26, 2023

On the weekend of February 25-26th 2023, the North Coast dojos of Lismore and Ballina hosted Shihan Rick Cunningham, who travelled from Sydney to host a weekend seminar.

On the first Saturday session, Shihan Rick worked the adults and Little Lions in a combined class through Kyokushin basics (Kihon), self-defence applications (bunkai) and fitness at Ballina Dojo.

The second Saturday session was an adults-only class, focussing on more senior techniques and kata.

The third training session, on Sunday morning, was for KIMAA students of Kobudo (weapons), held at Lismore Dojo.

Special thanks go to Shihan Rick for coming up to teach the students, and to North Coast dojo operators Sensei Mark McFadden and Sensei Jon Ellis for hosting and organising.

Evans Head Seminar – May 7-9, 2021

On the weekend of 7-9 May 2021, a KIMAA seminar was held on the Far North Coast of New South Wales. The seminar was to celebrate the 15th birthday of Sensei Mark McFadden‘s Lismore Dojo.

KIMAA instructors and students from all 6 dojos participated in the weekend, which was held at Evans Head. The group met on the Friday for dinner at the bowling club. Training began promptly on the Saturday morning, beginning with a basics session led by Hanshi Howard Lipman.

Later in the day, the 50+ students broke up into various groups for further training in Kyokushin kata as well as a Kobudo group.

Group shot at the end of Saturday training.

That night the group gathered for a meal and Kyokushin trivia competition at the Evans Head RSL. Unsurprisingly, Hanshi Howard’s team won the competition, judged by Shihan Peter Olive, Shihan Mark Shelmerdine and Shihan James Sidwell.

Training started bright and early on the Sunday morning at Evans Head Beach, where Shihan Rick Cunningham led a beach training session. This was thoroughly enjoyed by all, from basics to kumite in the water. To finish the session, all children ganged up on Sensei Ben Ng, Sensei Don Cheong and Sensei Alex Lloyd.

After a shower and change of dogi, the students went back to the hall for further training.

It was an outstanding weekend of training. The KIMAA cohort had not been able to unite in large numbers except briefly for the Senior Grading at the end of 2020, and after a substantial period of time apart it was enjoyable, practical and useful to gather the students from Turramurra, Annangrove, Lismore, Ballina, Young and Brisbane dojos to train together once again.

Thanks go to Sempai Patricia Tan for organising the weekend, and congratulations again to Sensei Mark for 15 years of Lismore Dojo.