Read up on KIMAA’s senior Kobudo instructors:
- Founder: The late Hanshi Howard Lipman (10th Dan)
- 6th Dan: Renshi Mark Shelmerdine (Head Instructor)
- 5th Dan: Shihan James Sidwell | Shihan Alex Lloyd
- 3rd Dan: Sensei Ben Ng
Read up on KIMAA’s other senior instructors and their Kyokushin Karate profiles here.
Founder: Hanshi Howard Lipman (RIP)
RIP Hanshi Howard Lipman, 1942-2024.
Hanshi Howard Lipman was 10th Dan in Kobudo, 10th Dan in Goju-Ryu (honorary) and 9th Dan in Kyokushin Karate. In January 2008, Hanshi Howard met Sensei Hokama in Okinawa and knew at once that this Sensei was the man whom he wished to continue his martial arts studies.
Hanshi Howard returned to Okinawa in May of 2008 with a group of black belts. This was the beginning of the three trips per year to Okinawa, returning in August and October that year. The trips continued over the years, with the main purpose being to learn Kobudo (weapons) to pass on to Hanshi Howard’s existing Kyokushin students to broaden their knowledge of the martial arts. At the end of the October trip, Hanshi Howard was appointed the Australian Branch Chief of the International Hokama Kobudo Organization.
Hanshi Howard organised numerous Kobudo seminars. In 2009, Sensei Hokama came to Australia at Hanshi Howard’s invitation to instruct KIMAA students. In 2011, Hanshi Howard was graded to 5th Dan (“Master”) in International Hokama Kobudo. In September 2012 Sensei Hokama returned to Australia and was involved in a weekend seminar with the KIMAA students, organised by Hanshi Howard. At the end of this seminar, Sensei Hokama graded Hanshi Howard to Renshi in Kobudo, awarding him the rank of 6th Dan (Rokudan).
In the 2015 Japan Group Tour, Sensei Hokama promoted Hanshi Howard to 7th Dan in Kobudo. It was during this trip that Hanshi Howard met Shihan Ken Ogura (8th Dan) from Sensei Hokama’s organisation.
Hanshi Howard hosted Shihan Ken for a week in November 2016, when Shihan Ken taught a seminar in Karate and Kobudo for KIMAA students, and again in September 2017 and September 2018. Hanshi Howard returned to Okinawa once again in the KIMAA Japan Group Tour 2017 for further training with Sensei Hokama and Shihan Ken. Hanshi was granted the rank of 8th Dan in Kobudo by Sensei Hokama in 2020.
In 2023, during Hanshi’s 71st trip to Okinawa, Sensei Hokama chose to honour Hanshi Howard with an unexpected 10th Dan grade for his commitment, knowledge, execution and support of both Goju-Ryu Karate and Kobudo since 2008 as Australian Branch Chief. Among his many trips to train in Japan, Hanshi has also facilitated representatives from Goju-Ryu to come to Australia to instruct aspects of this Karate style, including bunkai for kata, and Kobudo. In what became his final trip to Japan, Hanshi Howard was elevated to the most senior grade in both Goju-Ryu and Kobudo by Sensei Hokama – 10th Dan (Hanshi).
Hanshi Howard Lipman passed away in July 2024. His widow Masumi Lipman transferred KIMAA to Shihan James Sidwell as its new Chairman, as per the wishes of her late husband, and Renshi Mark Shelmerdine serving as the Head Instructor of Kobudo for KIMAA. Rest in peace, Hanshi.
Renshi Mark Shelmerdine
Renshi Mark Shelmerdine is 6th Dan in Kobudo, 6th Dan in Goju-Ryu (honorary), 5th Dan (Shihan) in Kyokushin Karate, KIMAA Executive Board Member and Kobudo Head Instructor.
Renshi Mark travelled to Okinawa with Hanshi Howard Lipman in 2008 and was taught by Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama.
Renshi Mark has travelled to Okinawa eight times in 2008-11, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2023 to train with Sensei Hokama and Shihan Ken Ogura. Renshi Mark was graded by Sensei Hokama to 2nd Dan in 2009, 3rd Dan in 2012, 4th Dan in 2015 and 5th Dan in 2020.
Renshi Mark enjoyed the experience of training in Kobudo with Shihan Ken Ogura in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seminars. He has been a regular instructor of Kobudo since KIMAA began offering Kobudo classes, the Kobudo senior student under Hanshi Howard Lipman and Shihan Rick Cunningham.
Renshi Mark became the Senior Instructor of KIMAA Kobudo in May 2023 and has been leading the fortnightly classes at Turramurra Dojo since then.
During the 2023 KIMAA Japan Group Tour, Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama graded Mark to 6th Dan (Renshi) in Kobudo and an honorary 6th Dan in Goju-Ryu Karate. After the passing of Hanshi Howard Lipman, Renshi Mark formally acts as KIMAA’s Kobudo Head Instructor.
In 2025, Renshi Mark undertook his 10th training trip to Okinawa. During this trip, when Sensei Hokama awarded two Kyu gradings to KIMAA Kobudo students, Sensei confirmed Renshi Mark as the certificate co-signatory (under Sensei Hokama) for KIMAA students following Hanshi’s passing.
Shihan James Sidwell
Shihan James Sidwell is 5th Dan in Kobudo, 5th Dan in Goju-Ryu (honorary), 5th Dan in Kyokushin Karate and KIMAA Chairman.
Shihan James was on the inaugural KIMAA 2008 trip to Okinawa to study Kobudo under Sensei Hokama.
Shihan James continued his study of Kobudo back in Australia, including at the 2009 and 2012 Australian KIMAA seminars. Shihan James was graded to 1st Dan in Kobudo in 2009.
Shihan James returned to Japan in the 2017 KIMAA Group Tour to train with Sensei Hokama. He has also trained with Shihan Ken Ogura in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seminars. He was graded to 2nd Dan in August 2018, which was certified by Sensei Hokama in September. Shihan was granted the rank of 4th Dan in Kobudo by Sensei Hokama in 2020.
During the 2023 KIMAA Japan Group Tour, Shihan’s third training trip to Japan, Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama graded James to 5th Dan (Shihan) in Kobudo and an honorary 5th Dan in Goju-Ryu Karate. In 2025, Shihan James led the KIMAA Japan Group Tour, his fourth Okinawa trip and the first KIMAA tour since Hanshi Howard’s passing.
Shihan Alex Lloyd
Shihan Alex Lloyd is 5th Dan in Kobudo, 5th Dan in Goju-Ryu (honorary), 4th Dan (Sensei) in Kyokushin Karate and KIMAA Secretary. He began his study of International Hokama Kobudo in 2011 and participated in Sensei Hokama’s Australian seminar in 2012.
Shihan Alex has became an instructor of Kobudo to students at Turramurra Dojo as part of the general classes, as well as teaching weapons during KIMAA seminars.
Shihan Alex travelled to Okinawa to train in Kobudo with Sensei Hokama in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2023 and 2025. He also trained with Shihan Ken Ogura in several of the Okinawa trips and the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seminars in Australia.
Shihan Alex was graded by Sensei Hokama to 1st Dan in Kobudo in 2015 and to 2nd Dan in 2017. In 2018, Hanshi Howard Lipman graded Shihan Alex to 3rd Dan in Kobudo, which was certified by Sensei Hokama. Shihan Alex was granted the rank of 4th Dan in Kobudo by Sensei Hokama in 2020.
During the 2023 KIMAA Japan Group Tour, Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama graded Alex to 5th Dan (Shihan) in Kobudo and an honorary 5th Dan in Goju-Ryu Karate. Shihan Alex returned to Okinawa for his 5th training trip with Sensei Hokama in 2025.
Sensei Ben Ng
Sensei Ben Ng is 3rd Dan in Kobudo, 3rd Dan in Goju-Ryu (honorary) and 4th Dan in Kyokushin Karate.
Sensei Ben began his study of International Hokama Kobudo in Sensei Hokama’s 2009 Australian seminar.
Sensei Ben was graded to 1st Dan in Kobudo in 2019 and to 2nd Dan in 2020 by Hanshi Howard Lipman.
Sensei Ben undertook his first training trip to Okinawa in the KIMAA Japan Group Tour in 2023, where Sensei Tetsuhiro Hokama graded Ben to 3rd Dan in Kobudo and an honorary 3rd Dan in Goju-ryu Karate. Sensei Ben returned to Okinawa for his 2nd training trip with Sensei Hokama in 2025.
Kyokushin International Martial Arts Australia 