Category: 2020

KIMAA Senior Grading – December 12, 2020

After a challenging year, it was a great pleasure for karateka from all six KIMAA dojos to gather in Sydney for the end-of-year grading.

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The KIMAA senior grading was conducted on Saturday 12 December at Annangrove Dojo. It was a 6-hour event, finishing with the famous 40 fights for Kyokushin Shodan. Select younger students from Sydney and a range of adult students from all dojos participated, with grade levels varying from 7th Kyu to 4th Dan.
Hanshi Howard & Shihan Idir assess the students.

Hanshi Howard Lipman, Shihan Rick Cunningham and Shihan Idir Bahamid assessed those attempting the grading, while Shihan Peter Olive, Sensei Jon Ellis, Sempai Jason Lambe and Sempai Josh Darley led various components of the grading test. During the grading was a Kobudo demonstration by Sensei Mark Shelmerdine (Bo), Sensei James Sidwell (Eku), Sensei Alex Lloyd (Sai) and Sempai Patricia Tan (Bo).

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Hanshi Howard was pleased with the standard displayed by all attempting to grade, especially given to the disruption in training earlier in the year.

It was a memorable, long afternoon of fights. All the kids did their fights first…

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… followed by the adults.

Thirteen Black Belt grades were awarded. Congratulations go to Shihan Mark Shelmerdine (5th Dan), Shihan James Sidwell (5th Dan), Sensei Ben Ng (4th Dan), Sensei Don Cheong (4th Dan), Sempai Patricia Tan (2nd Dan), Sempai Tony Kuo (1st Dan), Sempai Larissa Watson (1st Dan), Sempai Blayne Gayle (1st Dan), Sempai Mick Calnan (1st Dan), Sempai Nalin Alwis (1st Dan), Sempai Eric Wright (1st Dan), Sempai Sean Stevens (1st Dan) and Sempai Annika Allen (1st Dan).

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Thanks go to all instructors and students who travelled intrastate and interstate to Sydney for the occasion to Sensei Alex Lloyd and Sempai Jessica Den for the photos and videos of the day, and to Shihan Rick Cunningham for use of his dojo.

Turramurra Grading – September 23, 2020

2020 has been a year of surprises, challenges and recalibration of goals for us all. After getting back into in-Dojo training post-lockdown, it was a great pleasure for Kyokushin gradings for both Kids and Adult Junior Kyu grades to take place on Wednesday September 23rd at Turramurra Dojo.

Hanshi Howard Lipman assessed students while Sensei Mark Shelmerdine and Sensei James Sidwell conducted the gradings. Across both classes, twelve students were tested for new grades. The Sydney students enjoyed participating in contact activities, as per NSW Health guidelines, during the grading.

Congratulations to all who participated. The senior grading for the year will be held in December.

Quarantine Karate – May 2020

KIMAA instructors hope all students and their families remain in good health, physical and mental, during this challenging year.

For KIMAA, the COVID-19 global pandemic meant a cancelling of the March Japan group tour (including a tournament), and of course all dojos closing down in-person training for a time, in adherence with the NSW and QLD Health guidelines.

Sensei Ben Ng leading basics over Zoom.

Turramurra, Lismore and Ballina dojos offered remote learning opportunities. Broadcasting once a week from Sydney, Hanshi Howard Lipman encouraged all KIMAA students to engage in the online Zoom classes open to the whole organisation, from the North Coast to Brisbane and Young dojos. Sensei Ben Ng did an outstanding job leading training each week. Some of these classes focused on kata and technical precision, while others were a mix of basics, kata and fitness.

Sensei Ben Ng and Hanshi Howard Lipman at Turramurra Dojo. Sensei Ben led techniques while Hanshi Howard watched students over Zoom, adhering to the social distancing rule where ‘personal training’ was allowed.

All students displayed great adaptation and flexibility in the unusual circumstances.

As regulations changed allowing for group outdoor training in varying sizes, Shihan Rick Cunningham offered outdoor Karate and Kobudo training at the park adjacent to Annangrove Dojo. These classes proved a popular return to in-person training for many students, regardless of the winter weather.

All dojos have been reopened for training since June, following appropriate COVID safety protocols. For further questions on these protocols, please contact the head instructor of your particular dojo.

We encourage all students to return to training, and to feel safe and confident in doing so. Let’s punch our way through the rest of 2020 together. Osu!