The Kaizen Culture Pod
Episodes
Episode 49: Insane Travel Stories for International Competitions.
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A little switch-up this, week no guest, just the lads firing up for a proper chat.We break down the freshly announced Oceania teams and unpack the in...
World Karate Cast | Episode 13: Matteo Avanzini & Terryana D'Onofrio
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Join the World Karate Cast for Episode 13, featuring Italy’s top karate athletes, Matteo Avanzini (Senior World Champion +84kg) and Terryana D’Ono...
Episode 48: Declan Squire | Changing and Maintaining Weight!
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Youth League in Manlia registration is open and we go through the new way to enter the competitions. Get onto this quick because these spots run out r...
World Karate Cast | Episode 12: Amy Connell
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the World Karate Cast, we sit down with Amy Connell, a Scottish Female Kumite -55kg athlete and Head Instructor of Guardian Girls K...
Episode 47: Sakura Kokumai | Inside The Mind Of USA Olympian & Senior World Kata Medallist
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Another big first for the Kaizen Culture Pod! We have our first OLYMPIAN karateka featured as a guest, Sakura Kokumai from the United States of Americ...
World Karate Cast | Episode 11: Rodrigo Rojas
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 11 of World Karate Cast features Rodrigo Rojas of Chile, a consistent presence in elite international karate since 2013. He recently secured h...
Episode 46: Dominic Sculli | New Rule Changes & What It Takes To Be A WKF Referee
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
NEW RULE CHANGES! We have 10 new rules to talk about in 2026, and who better to help us dissect and interpret them than one of Australia’s most dist...
World Karate Cast | Episode 10: Abdalla Abdelaziz
01 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of World Karate Cast, three-time Grand Winner and two-time World Champion Abdalla Abdelaziz reflects on his performance at the opening...
Episode 45: Michelle Wilson | Hello 2026 & Welcome To The Team, Mish!
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! Happy first episode of the Kaizen Culture Pod for 2026!We are buckling up for a big year, and what a way to kick it off with welcoming...
World Karate Cast | Episode 9: Maria Torres
17 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
World Karate Cast kicks off 2026 with Maria Torres 🇪🇸, back to back Grand Winner of 2024 - 2025. In this episode, Maria breaks down the work beh...
World Karate Cast | Episode 8: Douglas Brose
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In Episode 8 of the World Karate Cast, we sit down with Douglas Brose — the most recognised Brazilian athlete in the history of karate and a true le...
Episode 44: Last One For 2025, Let's Review The Year!
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the very last episode of the Kaizen Culture Pod for 2025, sit down with Mitchell and Nathan as they go through what a massive year it has been for ...
World Karate Cast | Episode 6: Irina Zaretska
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have your say to what we discuss on the show! We would love to hear your thoughts! Send us your ideas/feedback to our email or DM us on socials! kaize...
Episode 43: Rory Attridge | 2 Weeks Out From Cairo & Managing Life With Karate
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is no better energy and vibe magician than Mr Rory Attridge! We are now 2 weeks out from the biggest competition of the year and we chat to Rory...
World Karate Cast | Episode 5: Ariel Torres Gutierrez (Deep Dive)
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 5 of World Karate Cast features Ariel Torres 🇺🇸, one of the world’s top kata athletes, who shares the story behind his relentless purs...
Episode 42: Laura Golding | Road To The Senior World Championships
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Laura Golding joins us on the podcast today talking about her unique journey, the father-daughter dynamic with Head National Coach of Australia, and a...
World Karate Cast | Episode 4: Lynn Snel
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have your say to what we discuss on the show! We would love to hear your thoughts! Send us your ideas/feedback to our email or DM us on socials! kaize...
Episode 41: Daniel Tielen | Series A Bronze Medal & The Art of Persistence
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What an incredible tournament the 2025 Series A in Malaysia was for our nation! We saw 31 Aussie athletes step out onto the Karate1 stage and in this ...
World Karate Cast | Episode 3: Kamran Madani
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mindset. Motivation. Mastery.World Karate Cast sits down with Kamran Madani, former USA male kumite 84kg athlete and now National Team Coach, to talk ...
Episode 40: Max Noble | Training Camps With Friends & Competing Overseas At The Right Level
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kaizen Culture Pod on the road in Victoria! We are with Max Noble at his house after a massive week in Melbourne for the Super Seminar and Training Ca...
World Karate Cast | Episode 2: Niamh Junner
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We sit down with Scotland’s own Niamh Junner 🏴 in the female kumite +68kg category, who’s been living and breathing kar...
Episode 39: IPP Tour So Far & Weight Cutting with Trevor Kan
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Trevor Kan is our special guest today tuning in live from Portugal at the tail-end of the IPP international tour! After kicking off with solid perform...
World Karate Cast | Episode 1: Elena Quirici & Eray Samdan
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 1 of World Karate Cast brings you an exclusive conversation with two of karate’s biggest stars. Hosts Nathan Blockley and Mitchell Durham si...
Episode 38: Unsure About Your Karate Pathway? Meezaan Dickinson Joins Us To Give Insight Into Her Career & The Opportunities Karate Can Give You
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mitchell & Nathan, together with current Victorian State team kata coach, former National Team member and Senior World Championship representative...
Episode 37: National Coaches Matt Johnson and Robyn Choi & The Tour In China and Philippines
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
More national coaches join the Kaizen Culture Pod this week! Sensei Matt Johnson from Shingokan Karate, Adelaide, and Sensei Robyn Choi from Seiha Shi...
Episode 36: Dardan Jahiu Wins Gold at YL, Hannah Sullivan Joins Us For World Games Recap & Talking About Asian Youth Camp & Comp
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time in the new Karate 1 Youth League system, an Australian has taken home GOLD! Dardan Jahiu takes out the Cadet Male Kumite +70kg with...
Episode 35: National Coaches Darren Olsen, Lliam Worthington Chat All Things IPP & Big European Tour
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Just because Nationals are over, doesn’t mean the season is done! National coaches for the International Pathways Program (IPP), Darren Olsen and Ll...
Episode 34: Recap of Nationals In South Australia & A Serious Chat About Competition Etiquette
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What a National Championships that was! Adelaide, congratulations for putting on a great show! We talk about some of the big time results and moments ...
Episode 33: Amy Connell On Guardian Girls & Her Time In Australia For The 51st National Championships
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We have a special guest to help us preview the National Championships in Adelaide! Amy Connell is joining us to chat all things Guardian Girls and giv...
Episode 32: Recap of Oceania in New Caledonia & Senior Worlds Athletes Locked In
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We have been offline for a little bit as the Oceania championships took over the Australian karate world! This was one of the most insane events, some...
Episode 31: Oceania Championships Preview
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are nearing the Oceania Championships in Noumea, New Caledonia! Sit back and hear us go through the team and chat about what this means for the Sen...
Episode 30: World Masters Games Includes Karate For The First Time & Chatting To Some Aussies Going!
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time ever, Karate will be showcased at the 2025 World Masters Games in Taipei in a few weeks time! We had to do an emergency pod to get ...
Episode 29: Dylan Fisher Shares Injury Struggles, Kata From Local To World Level & Closing In On Oceania Next Month
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today we have another special guest to talk about kata! Dylan Fisher is a national team member competing out of Shobukan Martial Arts in Perth and the...
Episode 28: Young Aussies Take Medals At US Open, International Camps & Cairo Premier League
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
More international success for our young Aussies! Hudson Maggio, Lucy Maggio and Matthew Riley have all come home with medals from the US Open in Las ...
Episode 27: Kata World Champion Banned, Aus Open Recap, Oceania Team & Another WKF Media Deal!
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is a lot to cover in today's episode! Breaking news… Ali Sofuolgu has received a 2 year ban on top of every accolade stripped from him ov...
Episode 26: Harsh Consequences For WKF Referee Mistakes, Aus Open Next Week & Senior Oceania Qualification Event
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We always talk about athletes and how mistakes can lead to losses at competitions, but we never discuss what a mistake will cost a WKF referee? Are th...
Episode 25: Working With The WKF At The Premier League & Aussies In Hangzhou
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Aussies are once again back on the world stage with Hannah, Iris and Mitch competing at the Premier League in Hangzhou, China! Hannah is looking for s...
Episode 24: Kata Legend James Giuliano Joins KC, New Ventures & Kata At The Highest Level
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
JAMES GIULIANO is the special guest for today’s episode! There needs to be a full Get To Know episode just for this Australian Kata legend, but for ...
Episode 23: First National Team Training Camp of 2025 & New Oceania Selection Criteria!
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join in the conversation as we discuss the first National Team Training Camp of the Year and the CONTROVERSIAL new selection criteria for athlete’s ...
Episode 22: We Are Back! What To Expect From Us In 2025 & How You Can Take Advantage Of It
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We have so much planned for you to take advantage of in 2025!! Watch Parties, Podcasts, Our September Seminar and more. Tune in to hear all about it a...
Episode 21: Last Episode For 2024, Karate World Cup & The Australian Team Fighting In Pamplona
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After 21 episodes, this is it for 2024! Thank you so much for jumping on board and contributing so much to this amazing karate community! The inaugura...
Episode 20: Senior Teams Squad Training Camp & Super Seminar Recap With Hannah Sullivan
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We sit down with special guest Hannah Sullivan to revisit a massive week in Victoria last month for Kaizen Culture and Karate Australia. Going through...
Episode 19: Emily Nguyen, Iris Webb & More From The Cadet, Junior & U21 Worlds
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Two of Australia’s young guns, Emily Nguyen and Iris Webb, came away with 5th place from the Cadet, Junior & U21 World Championships! Listen in ...
Episode 18: Every Aussie Athlete Going To The Cadet, Junior & U21 World Championships In Venice
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's time for us to go through each and every Aussie who will be repping the GREEN & GOLD for us all in Venice at the Cadet, Junior & U21...
Episode 17: Series A Salzburg Wrap Up With Shaun Yuen & Junior Worlds
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What better way to highlight some of our great Aussie performances at the recent Series A in Salzburg than with the one and only, Shaun Yuen! Mitch &a...
Episode 16: Aussies Overseas, Series A Salzburg With Top 32 & Super Seminar Session Breakdown
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A couple of Aussies are overseas making their mark on the world stage; Max Noble, Iris Webb, Celia Tran and the ultimate traveller, Shaun Yuen! Salzbu...
Episode 15: Will Karate Ever Be In The Olympics Again?
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Australia just had its most successful Olympics this year in Paris! We want our sport to be part of that glory too, but will it ever happen? Listen in...
Get To Know: Mish Wilson
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is the first ever episode of our Get To Know series of The Kaizen Culture Pod! We can't think of a more influential and amazing role model o...
Episode 14: A Deep Dive Of Nationals From Geelong & Big Thank You For The Love
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What a weekend it was in Geelong! Hard to believe the 50th National Championships has come and gone! Tune it to Mitch and Nathan as they discuss some ...
Episode 13: Fun Chats With Jes Bromley Before The 50th National Championships
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 50th National Championships is here! Jes Bromley joins us, as we have some more exciting things to share about how Kaizen Culture is going to be t...
Episode 12: Nationals Is 2 Weeks Away, Travel Tips & Putting Together The Ideal Preparation On The Road
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The biggest Australian event of the year is 2 weeks away - the 2024 Australian National Championships! Nathan, Mitch and Jon share their travel tips, ...
Episode 11: Can International Training Transform Our Athletes? Aussies Overseas In Numbers & Premier League Chats
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We have had numerous Aussies take part in international training camps and the Kaizen boys feel there has never been a better time to highlight how si...
SPECIAL: Australian Open Stall Interviews
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode is a special release! Since we are Re-Living the Australian Open across our social media this week (@kaizenculture__) we thou...
Episode 10: European Championships Analysis, Good vs Bad Refereeing & Decisions Impacting Your Performance
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The European Championships has always been a statement event within the karate world. Even more so this year with the impact it had on the qualificati...
Episode 9: Ally Lourensz YL 5th Place, Junior Worlds Team Announcement, What To Expect In Venice & New Senior WKF Rankings
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ally Lourensz put on a stellar performance at the recent Youth League in A Coruna last week. The Australian team going to the Cadet, Junior & U21 ...
Episode 8: Big Moments From The Senior Oceania & Australian Open Weekend
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
4 days of competition done and dusted. The level of excitement was through the roof and there were some big moments that MUST be talked about! Nathan,...
Episode 7: Previewing Oceania Team Event, Individuals & Our Presence At The Australian Open
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
All of the hype leading up to this event and it starts this week! The Australian Team event categories will find out if they are going to make the cut...
Episode 6: International Pathways Program & Making The Jump To The Australian Team
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There has been a new initiative introduced to the way things are structured within the Australian Squad. It seems as though the National Team is cater...
Episode 5: Aussies In K1’s (Larnaca, Fujairah, Antalya), The New Fox Sport Australia Deal & Reality Of Competing Overseas
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We have had some decent Aussie representation overseas at the highest level in the past month and a half! Mitch, Jon and Nathan go through some of the...
Episode 4: Competing In Rival State Tournaments, An Australian Karate League & National Ranking System
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mitch competes in the NSW State Championships as a WA boy! It raises the question of should this happen more often? Mitch, Jon and Nathan discuss the ...
Episode 3: Junior And Senior National Team Training Camp Is Split & The Preparations For Junior And Senior Team Event World Championships
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A few weeks ago, the Junior & Senior National team training camp happened at the same time, but in different cities! Cadet/Junior & U21 camp w...
Episode 2: The Return Of The Paris Premier League, Breaking Down The New K1 System & Does The Timing Of Our Off-Season Matter?
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The infamous Paris Open has returned to the Karate 1 circuit for the first time since 2020. Mitch, Nathan and Jon dissect the impact this has on the k...
Episode 1: Welcome To The Kaizen Culture Pod, Introducing Ourselves And Our Story & What’s In Store For 2024
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The first ever episode of The Kaizen Culture Pod. I can't believe we're really doing this! Oh my goodness!Mitch, Nathan and Jon, founders of...
Trailer
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Kaizen Culture Pod with Mitchell Durham, Nathan Blockley, and Jon Staynor launches Feb 1st. Stay tuned!Have your say to what we discuss on the sho...