Gold Coast Chito-Ryu Karate

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Category: General

  • 2023 Senior Karateka of the Year

    Our 2023 Senior Karateka of the Year is

    Milli Mansbridge.

    Milli is still young and part of the Karate Kids program but also trains regularly in the Seniors with a level of maturity past her age. Milli has taken her karate to another level this year with the focus on the Soke Cup, and her great attitude in class.  There is always a smile on Milli’s face, and you know she is always trying her hardest.

    Milli has the great ability to relate to students of all ages. She is a favourite of the Little Champions and is looked up to by many, especially the young girls as a great role model.  When new Little Champions arrive for their first class she can always be relied upon to bond with them and help them overcome their nerves to join in the class.

    Milli has tackled many challenges throughout the year and always pushed herself to overcome her fears and doubts and grow as a result.  Kumite has always been a challenge for Milli and not something she has always enjoyed but she has not shied away from it and as a result developed more confidence in her abilities. This is a great example for all of us to follow when facing challenges that may scare or intimidate us.

    As a valuable member of the dojo we all look forward to being part of Milli’s karate journey as she works towards even greater achievements.

  • 2023 Budoka of the Year

    Congratulations to our 2023 Budoka of the Year – Kazumi Tominaga

    Kazumi Senpai has been a valuable part of the Gold Coast dojo for a long time and provides a wealth of knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and language to benefit us all. As a liaison for our Japanese visitors she is invaluable.

    Kazumi is a great example of what the Budoka of the Year is all about. She trains hard when she is at the dojo, she trains hard at home. She is always polite and respectful. She is unassuming and understated. Most of all she is a great karateka.

    At the Soke Cup this year Kazumi excelled winning gold in her divisions for Sai and Bo, silver in kata, and bronze in team kata. In a year where she was balancing her work, study and karate this a fantastic reward for her efforts.

    It can not be overstated what a terrific example of karateka Kazumi Senpai is to everyone. If we all adopt her fantastic attitude, plus her understanding of peace, perseverance and hard work we will all be better people because of it.

  • 2023 Karate Kids Karateka of the Year

    Congratulations to our joint winners of the 2023 Karate Kids Karateka of the Year – Siani Symons and Carter Lovelock.

    This is the first time we have ever had joint winners but both of these karate kids stood out and are worthy of this special recognition due to their tremendous year.

     

    Siani has really stepped up her training this year attending as many classes as she can and also assisting in the Little Champions classes as a leader.  Siani has shown through out the year that she is a focused, thoughtful student who looks to help others in the class as well as focus on her own development.

    On numerous occasions throughout the year Siani has approached instructors for what she needs to work on. The strength of Siani is she then goes away and works hard on those areas and as a result makes great improvements in her karate technique. This may seem like a simple way to get better (andit is), what it does require though is self-discipline, focus and mindfulness to achieve. Great attributes that will see Siani achieve success not only in karate but anything she puts her mind to.

     

    Carter has always been a good student but this year he has taken his karate to another level through hard work and determination. Carter’s attitude has been fantastic. He is always working hard whether that be on his own before class or during class, and always with a big smile on his face. Carter is determined to follow the karate way and will always be the one to kiai, and respond to instructions with an enthusiastic hai.

    At our summer grading Carter unfortunately was not ready to pass with a few technical areas still to work on. With such a great student this was a very hard decision to make as we like to see those students that work hard rewarded, and I am sure it was disappointing for Carter as well. From this though Carter showed just how strong his character is. The very next class he was in, before the class had even started he was practising his kata trying to improve and asking for advice all with the same great attitude he has always shown. This was a fantastic example of student who trains to get better not just to collect belts and awards.

    The most pleasing bit about Carter’s performance this year is that others have started following the example he has set and started working just as hard and as focused. This is a great compliment to Carter to see him develop in to a natural leader through his actions.

     

  • Now Taking Bookings for 2024 Karate Classes

    We are looking forward to an exciting 2024 at the dojo with lots of great events, special guests, training events, tournaments and more planned!

    New members are welcome to join us.  Register for a free trial lesson in the new year.

  • Shihan certificate presentation for Adam Higgins Sensei

    Shihan certificate presentation for Adam Higgins Sensei

    In March this year Adam Higgins Sensei traveled to Japan to train at the headquarters for Chito-Ryu Karate under the guidance of Soke. During this training trip Higgins Sensei was tested for and successfully passed his Yondan grading and also his Shihan grading. In Chito-Ryu Karate the rank of Shihan is not handed out lightly and is only awarded after years of dedicated study. Higgins Sensei commenced training in Chito-Ryu Karate in 1996 so in this case it was 27 years of study.   This was also a particularly important milestone for Australia with only four other active members of Chito-Ryu Karate Shihan or higher.

    At the recent QLD Chito-Ryu Karate Camp Phillips Shihan had the honour of presenting Higgins Shihan with his grading certificates and a special gift of a new black belt embroidered with his new rank.

  • 2022 Annual Award Winners

    Congratulations to our Annual Award winners.

    Thank you all for being awesome members of our dojo and setting a fantastic example for others to follow.

    2022 Budoka of the Year – Brendan Young

    2022 Senior Karateka of the Year – Carlo DeByl

    2022 Karate Kids Karateka of the Year – Harrison DeByl

    2022 Little Champions Karateka of the Year – Jayden Beste

  • Ground Self-defence Seminar

    Ground Self-defence Seminar

    Members of the Gold Coast Chito-Ryu Karate Dojo took advantage of the opportunity to learn some basic self-defence techniques from the ground in a special seminar on Friday. The seminar was led by Adam Glachan, a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and covered what to do when caught in common positions on the ground. The primary emphasis was on how to escape and get back to your feet safely which was a very valuable lesson especially for the young girls in attendance.  We also covered some attacking techniques from the ground including arm-locks and chokes.

    The seminar was very enjoyable and everyone walked away with a little more confidence with what they could do if they ever found themselves in a dangerous position on the ground.

    Thank you to Adam for sharing his knowledge.

     

  • How to keep up your karate training when your body isn’t quite right

    How to keep up your karate training when your body isn’t quite right

    Some of us come to karate, especially as adults, carrying existing long-term injuries or niggling pain. When we first start training, the unfamiliar movements required in karate can make us aware of muscles, tendons, and ligaments we never thought about in the past. And sometimes this can make us think we need to stop training to let our bodies heal.

    However, there is an enormous difference between an injury that needs to heal and the discomfort/pain which is the body’s natural response to being asked to do things it hasn’t done before.

    But how do you know the difference, and how do you decide whether to train through your discomfort/pain or whether to give your body a rest?

    When to train through discomfort/pain

    Ultimately, you know your own body best, so you’re the only person who can determine whether to train or not. Often, training through some discomfort/pain is the best way to proceed. As your body gets used to the movements of karate and your feet get better acquainted with the training surface, you’ll find some common ailments eventually subside. This can include:

    • muscle soreness, especially in the arms, back, thighs and calves – everywhere really!
    • tenderness in the shoulders, especially as we are still learning to use our body to punch properly
    • bruises, especially on the knuckles and forearms
    • plantar fasciitis, which is soreness on the underside of the feet, especially when we’re still getting used to working out in bare feet
    • sore Achilles tendons and ankles as we develop flexibility in our joints
    • sore elbows, especially as we learn how to punch properly without putting strain on our joints.

    Sometimes, we wake up the morning after a training session and feel quite sore but, after a hot shower and a stretch, much of this should dissipate.

    Too often, we see people quit karate after the first couple of months because they’re worried that these common ailments actually signify a more permanent injury. But, with perseverance, you can work through these issues and develop a stronger, healthier body. As time goes by, you’ll notice you don’t bruise as easily, or that your ankles no longer hurt, or that you can maintain a low shiko dachi for longer without your thighs being sore the next day.

    When to ease back from your training

    If you love karate, it can be disappointing to have an injury that prevents you from training. The good news is that you can still train with most injuries. You may just need to modify the way you train.

    Let your instructor know
    The first step is to let your instructor know that you’re carrying an injury. This will let them help you find activities you can do within the class without aggravating your existing injury. You should also mention your injury if partnering with someone so they know to take care.

    A word of caution, though: when you’re in the dojo, try to avoid talking too much about your injury to avoid getting into a negative spiral and, potentially, bringing others down with you. It’s fine to ask others if they’ve had a similar experience or to seek advice but try to keep the conversation focused on the positives.

     

    Modify how you train
    Your body might not let you train at full intensity all the time. For example, arthritic knees and hips are commonplace as we age. If you have bad knees or hips, you may want to keep your kicks lower or use less intensity when you kick. If you have a chronic shoulder injury, you may want to punch slowly and smoothly instead of looking for power. The important thing is to keep your body moving in a way that won’t cause additional harm.

    Train in a different position
    When you’re injured and unlikely to be able to join in with most activities, you should bow into the class in your normal place, then move to the back or the junior position in the line. This means you won’t get in the way if you’re going slower than the others. This way, they can still go hard rather than modifying their pace to match yours.
    As senior students, we are often aware that others in the class are watching us closely. Moving to the back signifies that you’re not at 100 per cent and that your training shouldn’t be used as an example.

    Talk to a professional but beware
    It may be worth seeing a sports physio or a specialist to gauge the extent of your injury. They can often help you understand your limitations as well as your potential to push a little harder. Be aware that some medical professionals don’t understand what we do at karate and assume it’s a high-contact, high-risk sport. These professionals are likely to advise you not to train; however, as any karateka knows, training isn’t about smashing each other. You can train smoothly and slowly with zero contact and still get a massive benefit from karate, so don’t be discouraged.

    Take time off but not too long
    If you have an acute injury such as a pulled muscle, torn ligament, fracture, or dislocation, then you may indeed need to take some time off karate to let your injury heal. But that doesn’t mean you have to stay away from the dojo altogether.

    When you’re ready, you can come to the dojo and train at your own pace. This means letting your instructor know that you may pull out of certain activities, or you may go slowly even though the instruction is to go fast. If you have a lower limb injury, you may want to stand (or even sit) in the corner and practice punching and blocking. If you have an upper limb injury, you can still join in with stepping and kicking exercises without doing any punching or blocking.  And at all times there is some stretching you can do to help maintain your body as you heal.

    If you can’t move at all, you can still benefit from coming into the dojo. You’re always welcome to come in and watch the class, take photos or videos, and help out where you can. You can learn a lot from watching and listening.

    Just keep training!
    Although having an injury can be annoying, upsetting, and frustrating (not to mention painful!) it doesn’t have to mean the end of your karate journey. You can still train, you can still progress, and your injury doesn’t need to hold you back.

    You will almost always find a way that you can join in with a class without making your injury worse. And, by doing so, you can continue to learn and develop your karate and get all the mental health benefits that come with training regularly.

     

  • Karate and the importance of etiquette

    Karate and the importance of etiquette

    Studying martial arts is different from playing sports. While playing sports teaches teamwork and sportsmanship—both essential and highly valuable skills—martial arts adds an extra layer to this. This layer is called etiquette and it’s a form of good manners.

    But, in the dojo, etiquette goes even further than simple good manners. Building this etiquette in children creates a generation of people who treat each other, their surroundings, and their equipment with respect. It builds a generation with the strength of character to do the right thing even when no one is watching. And, when adults in the dojo demonstrate and model this behaviour, children can see this respect being reflected back to them, increasing their own self-esteem and making them less likely to become bullies or to become the victims of bullies.

    How we demonstrate etiquette in the dojo

    There are a few simple and immediately obvious ways that we demonstrate etiquette in the dojo:

    1. Bowing:

    • We bow to the dojo on the way in and on the way out. This is to acknowledge our gratitude for having a space to train in.
    • We bow to our instructors at the beginning and end of class. This is to show that we’re eager to learn and grateful for what we have learned.
    • We bow to our partners before and after working with them. This is to demonstrate our respect for each other, our commitment to taking care of them, and our expectation that they will take care of us.

    2. Cleanliness:

    • We keep the dojo tidy. This isn’t just important for safety reasons, although tripping over a misplaced strike shield could cause an unnecessary injury. It’s also important because it’s essential to treat equipment with respect so that it doesn’t break, wear out too soon, or get lost. Everything is always put back in its proper place and, if necessary, cleaned after use.
    • We wear a clean uniform with our belts done up correctly. This shows respect for our partners who don’t want to get up close and personal with someone wearing a dirty, smelly uniform. And it shows respect for our style, Chito-Ryu Karate-do, by wearing the uniform with pride. In turn, this shows that we respect ourselves and how we appear to others.

    3. Behaviour:

    • We answer instructors with a loud “hai!” to show we have understood their instructions. This lets the instructor know we are listening and learning.
    • We line up neatly without pushing or talking. This shows that we respect each other’s space and that we’re ready to hear what our instructor will tell us next.

    There are also myriad other, less visible ways we demonstrate etiquette in the dojo:

    • When we enter the dojo, we step to the side, kneel down in seiza, and take a moment to compose ourselves before the class begins. We bow to the shomen (front of the dojo) and then we stand up and begin preparing our bodies for the class.
    • When we bow to each other, the junior person is expected to bow lower and longer to show respect for the senior person.
    • When we say “onnegaishimasu” and “arigatougozaimashita”, we say it with a loud and clear voice to let our training partners know that we mean what we say.
    • We say “konnichiwa” (hello) when people walk into the dojo.
    • When a senior instructor walks into the dojo, we all stop what we’re doing to face the instructor and bow as a group to acknowledge their presence and show respect.
    • If the instructor says to go fast, we go as fast as we can, not as fast as we want to.
    • We help each other to learn and provide positive encouragement to each other. We never judge someone for not getting a technique or not understanding what’s required, and we never laugh at others’ mistakes or mishaps.
    • We never walk on the mats with shoes or socks on.
    • We help clean the dojo. If Sensei or senior students are already cleaning, junior students offer to take over the task. Junior students never stand idle while senior students vacuum the floor, clean the mirrors, or do souji (cleaning the floor).
    • We close the windows and doors after training so Sensei doesn’t have to do it.
    • We take on feedback from all training partners, whether they’re senior or junior to us. We are all students on a learning pathway together, and insights can come from any source. Regardless of the feedback, we bow respectfully and thank our partner for putting in the effort to give us feedback.
    • When working together, the junior partner always fetches and returns the equipment, not the senior partner.
    • We don’t grumble when asked to do an exercise we find difficult. We simply say “hai!” and get on with it, doing our best at all times.
    • When partnering with a senior student, we attack to the best of our ability with strong, straight techniques. This shows that we respect the senior student’s ability. Pulling up our attacks or failing to attack properly disrespects the senior student by intimating that they’re not capable of defending against our attacks.

    What to do if you can’t remember all the rules

    Not to worry; we all make mistakes sometimes. The most important thing is that our heart is in the right place and that we try our best to remember the rules and act accordingly. You’ll be surprised at how many of these rules quickly become second nature.

    If you accidentally forget to follow a rule, a senior student will kindly correct you. If you see a junior student forget the rules, you should kindly correct them. Together, we will remember the rules and continue to improve our etiquette.

    By showing respect in the dojo, we will all learn to respect ourselves and the people around us in all aspects of our lives. In this way, we can do our small part to reduce the unkindness and anger in the world, creating a safer and more loving environment in which we can all thrive.

  • 2020 Annual Award Winners

    2020 Annual Award Winners

    2020 Budoka of the Year – Merryn Jaffers

    Merryn’s amazing attitude has been evident throughout her training this year and, as a result of this attitude, Merryn’s technique has been maturing rapidly. She always sets a fantastic example whether as a leader for the younger students or in her own classes, and she is always willing to help others.

    Dojo instructors and leaders are constantly impressed by Merryn’s technique and ability. She is a strong leader capable of running warm-ups and small groups in class, which is a huge help to the instructors. However, instructors have been even more impressed by Merryn’s attitude.

    Merryn’s selfless and dedicated approach to karate has seen her give up her Saturday mornings to help Sam Sensei run classes while injured, return from family camping trips to attend key seminars and training opportunities, and continue attending classes even when her family members were no longer training. This willingness to make sacrifices, set a strong example, and help others embodies the Budoka spirit and makes Merryn an extremely worthy recipient of this year’s Budoka of the Year award.

     

    2020 Senior Karateka of the Year – Kazumi Tominaga

    Kazumi Senpai achieved her shodan (black belt) ranking this year and it was a well-deserved reward for her dedication to karate through significant adversity. She balances karate, studying, working, and family life and finds creative ways to achieve her goals.

    For example, Kazumi Senpai trains at home consistently even when she can’t make it into the dojo. While she is already one of the most flexible people in our dojo, Kazumi Senpai stretches every single day to maintain her flexibility. She works hard to improve her karate and weapons technique and doesn’t let any class go to waste, working hard at all times and thinking deeply about techniques and underlying concepts.

    Kazumi Senpai also acts as an invaluable liaison between Adam Sensei and the Sohonbu in Japan. She has built many strong relationships with Soke, Sodai, and other members of the Sohonbu. She has earned the respect of these senior karateka during training trips to the Sohonbu and by trying her hardest in classes when the senior instructors visit Australia. Kazumi Senpai’s consistency and commitment have led to her being named 2020 Senior Karateka of the Year.

     

    2020 Junior Karateka of the Year – Tahlia Boyd

    Tahlia is known as the quiet achiever in the dojo. She is the hardest working student in every class she attends, no matter what the exercise. She consistently displays a determined spirit. For example, before any class, Tahlia can be found practising her kata and refining her techniques. Through this effort, she has begun to develop a very good technique and will continue to progress.

    During her time as a karate student, Tahlia has learned to harness any self-doubt or disappointments into hard work to achieve her goals. She doesn’t waste time talking or standing around to see what others are doing; she gets straight down to training hard.

    As a result of her deep commitment, hard work, and excellent etiquette, Tahlia has well and truly earned the award for Junior Karateka of the Year.

     

    2020 Little Champions Karateka of the Year – Erika Baritchi

    Erika moved into the Juniors training program even though she is still a Little Champion due to her maturity in both attitude and technique. She stands out as an exceptional student even in classes with the Juniors who are much older than she is.

    Before class, Erika practices rather than playing games or talking. If her friends want to talk to her, they’ll have to join her in practicing and stretching before class. This attitude extends throughout the class, with Erika making a point to try to set the best example in whatever exercise is happening. Erika sees setbacks as a chance to improve and learn, not an excuse to get upset.

    The most upset we’ve seen Erika in the dojo is when she was exhausted after doing two classes each day for some time. Her mother decided to take her home after the Little Champions class one day as Erika was nearly asleep on her feet. Erika was devastated to be told she needed to go home and rest; she wanted to do more karate even though she knew she was too tired to continue.

    This commitment and effort made Erika a clear choice as our 2020 Little Champions Karateka of the Year.

     

    Congratulations to all our worthy award recipients. The single theme underlying each person’s achievement is hard work. None of these karateka are content to go through the motions at karate. Instead, they put their entire effort into being the hardest working students with the right etiquette. As a result, each of these students has seen their karate continue to improve. They are terrific examples of the key guiding principles of Chito-Ryu: with peace, perseverance, and hard work, we are sure to reach our goals.