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
66 episodes
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...
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53:00
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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1:12:48
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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...
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59:20
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...
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48:14
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...
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1:06:39
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...
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1:00:10
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 ...
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1:26:28
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...
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55:00
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...
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1:06:01
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...
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48:10
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 ...
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44:52
World Karate Cast | Episode 9: Maria Torres
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 behind her success, how she is approaching the new season, and the mindset required to stay on top. She...
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44:18
World Karate Cast | Episode 8: Douglas Brose
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 legend of the sport.Douglas opens up about his incredible career at the highest level, sha...
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1:11:06
Episode 44: Last One For 2025, Let's Review The Year!
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 Australian Karate and Kaizen Culture!We have seen so much growth and support, and could...
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56:26
Episode 43: Rory Attridge | 2 Weeks Out From Cairo & Managing Life With Karate
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 about how he is preparing for the Senior World Championships, and how he has been balancing l...
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1:05:39
World Karate Cast | Episode 5: Ariel Torres Gutierrez (Deep Dive)
Episode 5 of World Karate Cast features Ariel Torres 🇺🇸, one of the world’s top kata athletes, who shares the story behind his relentless pursuit of excellence. From starting out in both kumite and kata to dedicating himself fully to kata, Arie...
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1:29:08
Episode 42: Laura Golding | Road To The Senior World Championships
Laura Golding joins us on the podcast today talking about her unique journey, the father-daughter dynamic with Head National Coach of Australia, and all things Senior World Championships leading into Cairo next month! We are 4 weeks out from th...
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52:31
Episode 41: Daniel Tielen | Series A Bronze Medal & The Art of Persistence
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 episode, we are joined by Daniel Tielen who achieved a bronze medal from a division of 68! Joi...
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1:05:05
World Karate Cast | Episode 3: Kamran Madani
Mindset. Motivation. Mastery.World Karate Cast sits down with Kamran Madani, former USA male kumite 84kg athlete and now National Team Coach, to talk about the athlete’s mentality and the coach’s perspective. Discover how his journey fr...
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48:58
Episode 40: Max Noble | Training Camps With Friends & Competing Overseas At The Right Level
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 Camp preparing for the Series A in Malaysia! Sitting down with Max to talk about his thoughts on...
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49:59
World Karate Cast | Episode 2: Niamh Junner
We sit down with Scotland’s own Niamh Junner 🏴 in the female kumite +68kg category, who’s been living and breathing karate since she was nine years old. From starting competitions at 12 to now preparing for the Karate World Championships ...
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43:02
Episode 39: IPP Tour So Far & Weight Cutting with Trevor Kan
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 performances at the Series A Salzburg and Budapest Open, Trevor and the team make their way to Lisbon...
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46:50
World Karate Cast | Episode 1: Elena Quirici & Eray Samdan
Episode 1 of World Karate Cast brings you an exclusive conversation with two of karate’s biggest stars. Hosts Nathan Blockley and Mitchell Durham sit down with Elena Quirici 🇨🇭 (#1 WKF World Ranking, 4x and current Grand Winner, Olympian) and E...
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53:36
