Mr. Joseph Walker has always been known as Joey Walker is the Grandmaster of the Kifaru Karate Jitsu organization. Grandmaster Joey Walker is a retired Police Lieutenant from the Reno Police Department and he has served with distinction as Watch Commander, Detective Sergeant in Internal Affairs, Instructor to Defensive Tactics Instructors, Honor Guard and DARE officer. He has served in the Dignitary Protection unit, providing sole responsibility for the safety of President Gerald Ford, Merle Evers-Williams, Bernice King and Martin Luther King III. Mr. Walker has received numerous advanced law enforcement credentials from the FBI, LAPD, Los Angeles Sheriff, and developed, with FBI approval, the Washoe County School District’s School Violence Preparedness program. Master Joey Walker has extensive martial arts training and holds two World Championship Karate titles. He has served as an expert witness in Martial Arts and Use of Force cases in both Civil and Criminal cases. Mr. Walker provides outstanding instruction in the martial arts, with a unique perspective on the true practical applications in the use of force. Joey Walker’s interest in the Martial Arts began from watching the television series The Green Hornet starring Bruce Lee whose fighting style captured his interest. Joey started training in Shotokan Karate and Tae Kwon Do in December of 1970. In 1971, Joey Walker met and began training with Alexander Archie who taught classes in a friend’s living room and at that time taught under the banner of Shudo-Kan Karate. From that time forward, Joey became a loyal and consistent student of that discipline. It was Archie’s belief that students should have the opportunity to incorporate any practical movement from any system. Alexander Archie frequently took his top students to other schools and disciplines to measure their skills and abilities and to see what if anything those other disciplines had to offer. Joey Walker quickly rose through the ranks and by 1974 attained his 3rd Kyu Brown Belt. It was at that time that Joey was introduced to Master Byong Yu of the Moo Duk Kwon Tae Kwon Do system. All of the advanced belts directly under Alexander Archie began periodic training under Master Yu. Joey also met a musician and martial artist named Chip Steen (then a student of Steve Sanders of the B.K.F.) who instructed Joey when Chip’s band “The Checkmates” came to the Reno/Lake Tahoe area. By June of 1975, Joey achieved his first degree Blackbelt in Shudo-Kan Kifaru Karate. Having heard of the reputation of the Black Karate Federation from Chip Steen as well as watching their tournament Karate champions, Joey Walker was very anxious to train with members of the system. In July of 1975, Joey travelled to Los Angeles, California to train with the founders of the B.K.F., Steve Sanders and Donnie Williams. In May of 1977, Joey attained his first degree Blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do and Chinese Kenpo from Master Donnie Williams. To this date, Joey maintains a close and personal relationship with Master Steve (Sanders) Muhammad and Master-Pastor Donnie Williams. Joey Walker began his tournament career on a less than consistent winning record. From principles learned from Alexander Archie, Stanford McNeal, Steve Sanders and Donnie Williams, Joey has won numerous State, National, and World Karate Championships competing against and beating Tournament champions and personalities: Alvin Prouder, Billy Blanks, Johnny Gyro, Mel Cherry, Mark Foster, Luther Secrease, Tony (Satch) Williams, George Chung, and Danny Bonaduchi. Joey has written his newest book, Shots Fired under the name Joseph B. Walker. This survival guidebook delivers techniques and tactics that will help you survive an active shooting.
Peter Hogath is a 2nd Dan in Karate Sempai Peter has been training in Kyokushin since 1973 under Hanshi Eddie Ermin and Shihan Peter Volke. Known as a passionate tournament competitor in his time fighting the tournament circuit in Australia from 1974 until 1977, Sempai Peter has recently returned to Shinkyokushin after a hiatus. He has dedicated himself to Shinkyokushin’s growth in South Australia by opening Ironside Dojo in his garage with the aim of producing top practitioners in the art. Sempai Peter’s ethos is on strong and focused training, with a rediscovered joy for the applications of karate in a self defence situation. With his focus on the junior class instruction, Sempai Peter provides a welcoming family environment for people of all races, nations, religions, creeds and identities. Sempai Peter has also worked in security, and was a serving member of the Australian Defence Force from 1970 until 1973. He is a qualified level 3 First Aid Responder and maintains a DHS Working with Children Check, as well as his internationally recognised judges and referee training.
Edji Zenel is a 5th Dan Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. Edji began his karate training in 1974 in Melbourne, Victoria. Today he is the chief instructor of Thornbury Dojo (Club) which was established in 1977. Edji is passionate about karate and has devoted his life to martial arts. Training is the integral part of his daily routine. He has traveled extensively around the world to train under renowned karate masters in the pursuit of expanding his knowledge. Edji was first graded to black belt (1st dan) in July 1978. In January 2008, he was graded to 5th dan black belt. The Japan Karate Association (JKA) Internationally certifies his qualifications. The JKA is one of the world’s largest traditional karate organisations clearly defining itself as 'The keeper of karate's highest tradition' with member organisations in over 100 countries across all continents around the world. The standards taught are of the highest level in keeping with the technical requirements set by JKA Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Over the years, Sensei Edji’s passion and commitment has led to his personal involvement in competing, judging, and coaching in competitions. He competed in several AKF (all styles) and JKA competitions and won gold medals in their National & State competitions. Edji first opened his own karate club in July 1977, and has coached State, National and International Champions. But more importantly he has seen many students excel in their personal life, in which, many of those students attribute their success because of their karate training and the discipline it provides. Edji has completed and passed level 1 and 2 “General Principles” and “Karate Specific” coaching courses which are Government approved. He is dedicated to promoting the art of karate-do as well as spreading the philosophy and spirit of Shotokan Karate.
Kon Papaioannou is a high performance martial arts coach! Kon Pappy's martial arts career spans over 30 years. He has competed at National and International levels in Wrestling, Sports Jiu-Jitsu, Pankration, Sambo, MMA and Boxing. Kon has successfully trained over 20 state and national champions. He is the current coach for the World Federation Pangration Athlima and a former 4-time World veteran's champion. Well respected among all his peers and community, Kon leads buy example, both on and off the mats. As a practitioner and coach, Kon can be described as a true master in a variety of martial arts systems which has helped him to offer one of the best martial arts training facilities around. Kon is owner and chief instructor at the “Fight Lab” in Tempe, Sydney New South Wales. Kon began his martial arts journey at a young age and grew to become a well-known competition fighter participating in competition circuits all around the world including India, USA, Europe, other countries in Asia and Australia were all countries where Kon was able to successfully compete and hone his skills to become one of the best inter-style martial artists around. Kon fights, MMA, Muay Thai, Koshiki, Kyokushin, BJJ and wrestling, something very rare in the world of martial arts, securing a place for him as a real legend of the industry. Kon's life experience’s is one of the reasons he is such a popular coach. The most important of Kon’s qualities certainly must be the care and personal attention he offers all of his clients. As a qualified sports coach and personal trainer Kon can provide effective programs that range from weight loss, general fitness, strength and conditioning, self-defence, martial arts from beginner to high performance. Through Kon’s talent as a coach he has been able to enrich the lives of many thousands of students, privileged enough to have passed through his doors. Kon Papaioannou is a coach who understands how to take any individual to the top of their game!
For over 40 years Sifu Rick has trained in and developed the Wing Chun he learned from William Cheung (Bruce Lee’s senior training partner and Ip Man’s live-in disciple), integrating a sophisticated kicking game and Will/Machado Brazilian Jiu Jutsu into what you could now consider to be a complete Wing Chun Martial Arts System. The classes are structured to cater for all levels of experience. Beginners to advanced students are welcome in all classes. We have a strong concept of pressure testing all that we do so we can have real confidence that what we are practicing will be effective in a high stress situation. Sifu Rick is a former World Champion Full Contact fighter and our school has nurtured many individuals into talented martial artists that have competed and won on many platforms. We don’t have a fight program at our Sydney school, our interstate schools are currently flying that flag for the organisation. We do however have a strong sparring curriculum and that proves to be challenging enough for the majority of our students. For those who want to compete we do of course support them. Our instructors are experienced martial artists. Some have a background purely in Red Boat Wing Chun and Will/Machado BJJ, others have Boxing, Muay Thai, Tai Chi, Hsing-I and Karate backgrounds on top of their many years of training in Red Boat Wing Chun. The school’s values are that of Family, Honour and Loyalty. We welcome all students as if they are family and expect everyone to treat each other with the care and respect that you would expect from such a relationship. Our duty is to provide a place that nurtures your path toward excellence in martial arts, and for those who have embraced this culture their lives have changed for the better as well.
Michael Quin is an 8th Dan in Karate! Kyoshi Mike Quin established his martial arts school “Firestorm Martial Arts” in 1991 after many years of training in the Zen Do Kai karate System. The school has grown significantly over the years as providing consistent and high-quality martial arts to his community. The same spirit and enthusiasm that the Firestorm School was built on still exists today and this being evident in the strong and loyal following that the organisation is renown. Mike Quinn is a committed martial artist who is passionate about ensuring the quality of training provided over the past 30 years continues well into the future. Together with his team of black belt coaches he intends to continue to build a strong martial arts program that provides community benefits for years to come. In his own words' "I am committed to providing a supportive and challenging environment that acknowledges and caters to members capabilities and capacities and encourages members to seek out a greater self-concept and to hone potential!" Mike Quin #MartialArtsBayswater #KarateBayswater https://www.firestormmartialarts.com.au