Kyokushinkaikan Johannesburg

Osu! Our minions (Senpei Alex and Kevin) schmodelling at last night's kudo session.

Video 1: Six takedowns you can use in your fighting
Video 2: Seven combos to effectively use the takedowns.

#7 is my favorite. Which is yours?

SA Nationals Veterans (>35) Open Weight Knockdown: Secured the silver, survived the ou balies.

​First off, huge kudos to the veteran division. Seriously, some of these ou balies have absolutely no business throwing kicks that high and that fast at our age. Respect.

​I’ll admit, my performance this year lacked the usual flashy, entertaining kicks. If it looked like I was fighting in slow motion, let’s blame the fact that I was recovering from onset pneumonia just two weeks ago. (Though on the plus side, all this Comrades Marathon training has me looking surprisingly skinny in a gi? I'll take the win).

​The absolute highlight, though? The Open Weight finals.
​It literally came down to executive boardroom politics, full-contact style: KKSA Chairman (90kg) vs. KKSA Secretary (74kg).
​I’m the Secretary. I gave away 16kg, but I made him work for that 1st place! 😂 Glad to bring home 2nd, survive the executive showdown, and prove that the front office can definitely hold its own on the mat.

​Time for some carbs. 🥋🏃‍♂️

A Warrior’s International Debut 🇿🇦🇯🇵

​Proud to share that my student Arianna Ortell recently stepped onto the world stage at the IKO International Friendship Tournament in Tokyo, Japan.

​Representing South Africa in the U14 heavyweight division, Arianna went head-to-head with some of the world's best, including a tough bout against Russia. While the results weren't exactly what we aimed for, watching her single-handedly carry the South African flag on such a prestigious stage was a victory in itself. Here is her fight.

​Arianna fights with a unique challenge—Erb’s Palsy in her right arm—but we don't make excuses. We train to compete against the best, regardless of ability. Stepping into that ring is a different world where nerves, speed, and pivots test every hour of training.

​The Road Ahead:
This was Arianna’s first international experience, and as my first student from our dojo to compete internationally at this level, she has set a new bar. We’ve already identified the growth areas:

- ​Refining her movement—more dodging, ducking, and slipping.
- ​Leveraging her Jodan Mawashi (right leg) to compensate for her right arm and dominate the distance.
- ​Sharpening close-range elbows and Inside Hiza (knee strikes).

​The most important takeaway? She loved every second of it. The international bug has bitten, and this is just the beginning of her journey.

​Osu! 🥋

​ Determination WarriorSpirit InternationalFriendshipTournament SandtonKarate

Happy birthday to our very own Bandzi "Blade Runner" Nkosi.
Rules: On your birthday you fight everyone in class, full rounds and no breaks.

Osu No Seishin!