SKIF NZ

Hi friends, I’m finally! running a Women’s Self Defence course for beginners, no experience necessary, so if you think your female friends & family can use some Confidence, Empowerment and Self protection skills, DM me to register, and share this around 😊

Happy 2026! We look forward to welcoming all members, old and new to a new year of great Karate-do practice, learning and achievement for the coming year. See you at training, OSS!

A lovely message received:

Thank you so much to the entire team of Dojo for your dedication, patience, and guidance in training my son in karate. Your discipline, encouragement, and commitment have made a positive impact on his confidence and skills. We truly appreciate all the effort you put into shaping him or rather on everyone both physically and mentally.
We are always grateful 🙏

Thank you and wishing you all a Very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year🎊🎊

100% Agree. Giving up our rights to physical self defence is tantamount to saying physical assault doesn’t happen, and if it does, we should accept it.

I had a student years ago who was given in-school suspension for defending herself. The story was simple:

A boy pushed her.
She told him to stop.
He grabbed her wrists.
She told him to stop.
He didn’t.
So she dropped him with a clean, sharp kick that ended the discussion.

I wrote about it then because it mattered, and here I am again, because it’s happened again, with another young girl who did everything right and still paid the price for it.

Different year. Different school. Same broken system.

She didn’t escalate. She didn’t provoke. She didn’t act out of anger. She defended her boundaries when the adults tasked with protecting her refused to.

And what’s her reward? Suspension.

So what’s her takeaway supposed to be? What are other girls supposed to learn? What about kids who freeze because they’ve spent their whole lives being told to wait for help that isn’t coming?

Zero tolerance is the abdication of responsibility masquerading as policy.

It’s a shortcut for people who don’t want to think, don’t want to lead, and don’t want to apply nuance. It creates victims and emboldens the very behavior it claims to deter.

Telling a child they’re wrong for defending their own body is one of the fastest ways to create an adult who second-guesses themselves when it matters most.

Not here.

Here, we teach kids to fight when the moment calls for a fight.

Sometimes that means working harder to get into a trade school or college. Sometimes it means asking for a raise. Sometimes it means confronting depression. Sometimes it means stepping in for someone weaker. And sometimes, like in this case, it means slapping the kid who didn’t understand the word stop.

Self-defense isn’t violence. Self-defense is agency.
Agency is something we will never punish.

By the way, I’m picking up something for her this week: a gift card, a note, something simple. Not as a reward for fighting, but as a reminder of this:

She wasn’t wrong.
She wasn’t the problem.
And she damn sure isn’t alone.

A really enjoyable karate day!

🇳🇿 AFTK New Zealand Seminar – Auckland Recap

Our inaugural AFTK New Zealand Seminar was held in Auckland today, bringing together nearly 30 participants from dojo across the region for a day of Traditional Karate and Kobudo. The energy in the room reflected a shared passion for learning and a commitment to strengthening traditional practice in Aotearoa.

The day featured outstanding sessions from Sensei Clive Wadham on bojutsu applied fighting drills, Sensei Penny Cheketri on kata oyo bunkai and locks, and Sensei Derek English on close-range striking and trapping—each offering unique insights drawn from decades of experience. A bonus instructor session with Reece Cummings, AFTK President and professional marketing consultant, explored practical strategies for building a strong dojo brand, attracting students, and sustaining growth in today’s environment.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported this first event, and to Suzaku Kan Karate New Zealand for providing such an excellent venue. We look forward to continuing to grow and elevate Traditional Karate and Kobudo in New Zealand.

Ryukyu Kobudo Shimbukan Cheketri Karate Club Suzaku Kan Karate New Zealand Matsubayashi Ryu New Zealand Lion Budokan Karate International Karate Sh*to Ryu, Kyuukyoku Ken Dojo - 究極拳 道場 Karate Omokoroa SKIF NZ Henderson Goju Ryu Karate & Kobudo Bushin Ryu Bujutsu-kai

https://youtu.be/p0qv3qCvb4E?si=h5jDdCe4tHvzac6C

Do enjoy Karate! Aim for the black belt! / SKIF, Takasaki branch Branch HP https://skif-takasaki.jimdofree.com/SKIF's HP http://www.skifworld.com/Facebook→ https://www.facebook.com/skifworld/X→ https://x.com/official_ski...

Some pics from our teams recent Training trip to Tokyo participating in the SKIF International Seminar.

Well done to all our Karateka for participating in our club tournament! A fun day was enjoyed by all 😄 Traditional Karate-do is a path of self improvement and competing against our peers is an important excercise in sharpening our skills and building confidence and resilience. Whether you win or lose your matches, if you can learn something, you will always be a winner! OSS

A good quick reference !