Our Mission
Renma Kyokushin Karate aims develop a student’s technique, body, mind and spirt through tempered training. We always practise Kyokushin Karate with our values - Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Discipline and Excellence - in mind.
Our Instructors
SEMPAI MATTHEW LORD
Owner/Operator
Sempai Matthew Lord has over 20 years of experience practising Kyokushin Karate. He first joined the dojo, formerly Davies Karate, at the age of 11 and went on to earn his black belt at the age of 22 under renowned Kyokushin master Shihan Duayne Davies.
He has competed at the New Zealand Nationals, the Australian Nationals and the Asian Pacific Tournament. He has also previously held the the title of New Zealand National Champion.
Sempai Matthew took over the operation of Davies Kyokushin Karate (now Renma Kyokushin Karate) in 2022. A year later he travelled to the 2023 Kyokushin World Cup in Chile and earned his Nidan (2nd-degree black belt). This moment was made even more special given he is half Chilean.
His goals are to grow the dojo, to complete his next belt exam and to take students overseas to compete.
“I train Kyokushin to keep myself fit and healthy in both mind and body while also keeping myself honest in my endeavours.”
Sempai Martyn Todd has been practising Kyokushin Karate for 18 years. He joined the dojo, formerly Davies Karate, in 2008.
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He has a wealth of fighting and martial arts skills having also practised boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, Kendo and Aikido.
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Sempai Martyn holds the rank of Shodan (1st-Degree Black Belt) and is the head instructor at Renma Kyokushin Karate.
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During his time as a student, he competed regionally and nationally and went on to achieve placings in non-contact and full contact divisions.
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Sempai Martyn is committed to providing a positive, safe and fun training environment, allowing students to develop and grow in their abilities.
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His goals are to develop as an instructor, attain the rank of Sensei, grow the dojo, develop a fight training programme and have students compete and place at a world tournament level.
SEMPAI Martyn todd
Head Instructor
HISTORY OF THE DOJO
Renma Kyokushin Karate was formerly named Davies Karate and was founded in 2000 by Shihan Duayne and Shihan Penita Davies.
Shihan Duayne is a world renowned Master of Kyokushin and is a Matsushima International Kyokushin Organisation Branch Chief of New Zealand. His tutelage at Davies Karate led to the dojo earning three world titles. Two of those titles were won by Shihan Penita.
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Sempai Matthew Lord stepped into the role of owner/operator in 2022 and renamed the dojo to Renma Kyokushin Karate in 2024.
founder of kyokushin
Kyokushin Karate was founded by the late Sosai Masutatsu Oyama. His martial art journey started by practising the Shotokan system under the tutelage of the great Gichin Funakoshi. He went on to achieve his Nidan (2nd-degree) black belt by the age of 18, and his fourth-degree black belt by the age of 21.
He is known for many incredible feats, including the time he spent 18 months atop Mount Minobu in the Chiba Prefecture to test his skills against nature. His training methods included kicking trees, lifting heavy rocks hundreds of times a day, jumping over boulders and practising techniques in freezing cold water. It was during this time that he started to develop the ideas that would form his own style of martial art - Kyokushin.
Sosai Oyama is also well known for fighting 52 bulls in the 1950’s with just his bare hands. He killed three of these bulls instantly and took the horn's of the other 49 off clean with his knife-hand strike.
Sosai Oyama passed away at the age of 71 in 1994 to lung cancer.
Today, Kancho Matsushima Yoshikazu of Japan is the president and Hanshi Gary Vicars of Australia is the South Pacific Chairman for IKO Matsushima.