The Kaizen Culture Pod
Join Kaizen Culture co-founders to keep the conversation moving within Australian Karate with The Kaizen Culture Pod! Mitchell Durham, Australian National Karate team Captain & Nathan Blockley, long-time karate fanatic turned media gun. You will be hearing us chat about all of the hot topics within Sports Karate as they come up, as well as the Get To Know series where we interview big names of Australian Karate and celebrate our rich history. Stay engaged with this nation-wide discussion!
Episodes
78 episodes
Episode 61: Competition and making the most of the Off-Season!
Mitch and Nathan are back to discuss some important topics around competition and making the most of the off-season.They dive into the importance of competition, why we compete as athletes, and how much competition is enough throughout a...
Episode 60: Kids pod TAKEOVER!
Kids pod TAKEOVER!! Mitch and Nathan are kicked out of their seats as a group of young karate athletes take over the podcast!They share their experiences within the sport, what it’s really like being young athletes in karate, and how the...
Episode 59: Dion Panossian | The Road to having the BEST REFEREES in the World
Mitch is joined by special guest and renowned Australian referee Dion Panossian for an in-depth discussion on refereeing in Australia and around the world. They reflect on the recent championships in Thailand, exploring the opportunities the ev...
Episode 58: Wayne Noble | Insights To The Most Successful State in Australia from Victorian head Coach
Mitch and Nathan are joined by special guest Wayne Noble, Head State Coach of Victoria as they go into an in-depth look at the 2026 Karate Australia National Championships and the foundations behind Victoria's incredible success.Leading ...
Episode 57: History made in Hobart! Review of the National Championships
Mitch and Nathan are back to reflect on an unforgettable Karate Australia National Championships in Hobart, breaking down everything that made this year's event one to remember. Diving into the brand-new tournament setup, discussing how the fre...
Episode 56: Nationals is here!
Mitch and Nathan sit down to discuss the previous results from recent National Championships, break down the medal tally and standout statistics from each state, and debate which state brings the loudest chants as excitement builds for the 2026...
Episode 55: Nationals Is Only 2 Weeks Away!
Mitch and Nathan break down everything you need to know ahead of the 2026 Australian Karate National Championships being held at MyState Bank Arena, home of the JackJumpers in Hobart, Tasmania. 🇦🇺From the history of Nationals in Tasmani...
Episode 54: Australia Books World Cup Spot!
Mitch and Nathan sit down to unpack the Oceania Teams Selection Event and NZ Open, where Australia secured qualification spots for the World Cup and brought home an impressive haul of medals‼️The boys break down the team event...
Episode 53: 4 Youth League Medals For Australia!
WE ARE BACK FROM HAT A PERFORMANCE IN MANILA!! Mitch and Nathan sit down to unpack an incredible Youth League campaign for Australia after bringing home 4 medals across 4 different states 🇦🇺 From stando...
Get To Know: Kristina Mah
We are kicking off the Get To Know series again with a banger of a guest...World Champion 🏆Doctor 🥼All round wonderful human being ❤️Kristina Mah is one of Australia's most successful athletes, and considered one of ...
Episode 52: Youth League Manila With 67 Aussie Kids
What an unbelievable turnout for this Youth League in Manila, Philippines, which is one of the closest to home! 67 young Australians, 18 Aussie coaches AND what can only be expected to be a major pack of supporters going along for the ride! Nat...
Episode 51: Unpacking Aus Open, Junior Worlds Pressure & Tri-Nations ANZAC Comp in Turkey
Rory Attridge is Co-Host for this episode!!WHAT AN AUSSIE OPEN!! Mitch is hanging around in Sydney and staying with the great man Rory Attridge and his family! They sit down to unpack another great weekend at the Aus Open, chat about the...
Episode 50: The Half Century Special.
50 episodes. Half a century. 🤯We had to celebrate this milestone by taking a trip down memory lane. Revisiting the best topics, the unforgettable guests, and the moments that had us laughing way too hard (yes, we threw in some of the blo...
World Karate Cast | Episode 14: Elena Quirici
In Episode 14 of the World Karate Cast, we sit down with Elena Quirici's for a deep dive and more personal conversation. From her early days in karate as a child to becoming one of the top athletes in the world, Elena shares the journey that sh...
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Episode 49: Insane Travel Stories for International Competitions.
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 insane wave of registrations the Aussies rolled in with for the Youth League in...
World Karate Cast | Episode 13: Matteo Avanzini & Terryana D'Onofrio
Join the World Karate Cast for Episode 13, featuring Italy’s top karate athletes, Matteo Avanzini (Senior World Champion +84kg) and Terryana D’Onofrio (Kata European and World medalist).With the first-ever Karate One Premier League bein...
Episode 48: Declan Squire | Changing and Maintaining Weight!
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 really fast. The first ever Premier League in Italy is on next week and we have Del...
World Karate Cast | Episode 12: Amy Connell
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 Karate.Amy has won multiple medals throughout her career and represented Scotland on th...
Episode 47: Sakura Kokumai | Inside The Mind Of USA Olympian & Senior World Kata Medallist
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 America!Yes, this show focuses on the Australian karate landscape, but guess what… Sakura is ...
World Karate Cast | Episode 11: Rodrigo Rojas
Episode 11 of World Karate Cast features Rodrigo Rojas of Chile, a consistent presence in elite international karate since 2013. He recently secured his second Karate One Premier League gold medal in Istanbul, marking a remarkable achievement n...
Episode 46: Dominic Sculli | New Rule Changes & What It Takes To Be A WKF Referee
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 distinguished referees, Dominic Sculli! We are proud to welcome our first referee guest onto the Kai...
World Karate Cast | Episode 10: Abdalla Abdelaziz
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 event of the 2026 Karate One Premier League in Istanbul. He speaks in depth about how he felt...
Episode 45: Michelle Wilson | Hello 2026 & Welcome To The Team, Mish!
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 on to the board and team at Kaizen Culture, Michelle Wilson, also known as, Mish! We sit ...
