IMA COMMITTEE

The International Martial Art Alliance Committee is made up of full time professional employees and volunteers. These people are open minded and have the appropriate skills, knowledge and committment to best serve the industry. These martial arts school owners are very important to keep the International Martial Art Alliance informed of the needs the industry might require. One of the most import things for our industry is martial arts insurance that is affordable and accessible. These members have been especially selected by the Chairman and or voted into these positions to help guide the association. We also have a number of legal, financial, business and marketing professionals that back up our committee.

If you would like to be part of our Committee (Regional Directors / Advisors) or our Professional Team please forward your expertise details and time committment to the Chairman.

Chairman / Founder AUSTRALIA (Check media covers)
Shihan Graham Slater 6th Dan has 35 years experience and is based at the IMA HQ in Melbourne, Australia. He has trained all over the world seaking out numerous masters to further his knowledge. His foundation is based in karate systems but also has extensive training in Aikido, Ju jutsu, Shintaido and Tai Chi. He is an advocate for natiral healing to balance the martial arts training having studied massage, reiki and shiatsu. Graham has dedicated his life to the pursuit of develping his own martial art knowledge and the promotion of the arts in general.
Chairman interview!
CHECK HIS UPDATED BIO DOWN THE PAGE.......
Graham Slater Brief History of Training Video (2 mins 1.5mb)

ABOUT THE IMA

President JAPAN
Mr Naoharu Ishibashi 1st Dan has 17 years experience Kodokan Judo Based in Kitami, Tokyo, Japan. (Honorary position)

Technical Advisor JAPAN
Sensei Kazunobu Maekawa 5th Dan Shotokai Karate based with over 35 years experience covering other arts such as Iaido, Aikido, Judo, Kopo & Jujitsu. Based in Adachi-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Regional Directors AUSTRALIA
Hanshi Tony Jackson 10th Dan in Okinawan Shuri te Karate with over 55 year of expereince studying several arts including Ju Jutsu, Tai Chi, Qi Qong and the Indian yoga healing systems. Western Australia.

Kyoshi Lance Taputoro 8th Dan Goju Renmei stylist with over 45 years of experience based Karathra, Western Australia.

Shihan Phil Butler 6th Dan Shotokan Karate based stylists accumulating over 40 years of experience Based in Sth Yunderup, Western Australia.

Shihan Robert Thomas 6th Dan Shito Ryu Karate based stylist with 30 years experience Based in Scaphella, Western Australia.

Shihan Claudio Matinez 6th Dan Korean Karate based called Jung Do Kwon stylist with 25 years experience. NSW Australia

Master John Gill 5th Dan Hapkido and Taekwondo based stylist with 28 years experience. NSW Australia

Shihan M.H.M. Hussain 5th Dan has 30 years expeirence in Sheishikan Karate and is based in Mt Lavinia, Sri Lanka

Shihan Sanjay Prasad 5th Dan in Shuri te Karate and around 30 years experience based in Bihar, India.

Senseis Chris & Phil Berry 2nd Dans in Shotokai Karate with with around 20 years experience each. Based in Liverpool, England.

Sensei Kazunhiko Shirai 2nd Dan Shintaido Karate & Bojitsu with 25 years experience. Based in Tokyo Japan

Shihan Sergei Bogolepov 5th Dan Shotokan Karate with around 25 years experience. Based in Novosibirsk, Russia.

Shihan Jens Fricke 5th Dan with around 30 years experience is based in Germany

Sifu Morgan Buchanan, Cheng/Yang Style Tai Chi lineage holder with 18 years Tai Chi & Chi Kung experience and 20 years mixed martial arts experience. New York, USA.

Graham Slater Training History
Graham Slater started his martial arts training in England in 1973 inspired by Bruce Lee and the need to defend against the ever increasing violence by gang warfare on the streets of Liverpool. He started by learning from books and soon tracked down a Goju Karate school to train at.

After emigrating to Australia in 1975 he commenced training in Kyokushinkai Karate, Ken Shin Kan and Kickboxing until 1979. He then started training in Shotokan/Shotokai (Harada sensei's style) until 1982 when he change to mainstream Japanese Shotokai Karate directly under Sensei Yasuo Ikeda.

Graham made another change in his training around 8 years later when his Japanese teacher died. He had already dabbled in several other arts but now made a concerted effort to become a mixed stylist incorporating Aikido, Jujitsu, Shintaido, Tai Chi and Qi Qong.

Not being content with the training in Australia Graham sort to move out of his comfort zone and travel extensively around the globe learning from many teachers. From 1982 to present day Graham has trained and taught in England, Europe, India, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Pacific Islands and nearly a dozens times in Japan.

Now a 6th dan with his own style Reikijitsu (founded in 1998) he spends his time working with many instructors from around the world exchanging ideas and developing the IMA. He presently communicates with over 1200 instructors every month (via email, phone and by physical meetings). This does not leave much time to teach general students hence the closure of his commercial schools. He is now fully enaged in his role as Chairman of the International Martial Arts Alliance.

Graham's duties are extensive and varied working with many school owners, private companies and government to help protect and grow the martial art industry.

The most important role for Graham has been to garner more recognistion for the martial arts industry. The majority of the general public see martial arts as just another sport (football/cricket) competing for their participation. His strategy has been to help improve the image, qualifications and professionlism of instructors so the general public will have a very positive expereince when they first walk into a martial art school, thus choosing it over other activities. Over the past 8 years Graham has been negotiating with many large companies and has obtained special group discounts for a number of products and services. With his work many instructors enjoy lower prices on insurance, travel, merchant card rates, loans, dvds, software,

He also assists in the direction and production of a series of DVDs and a popular magazine developed by the IMA called 'Interactive Martial Arts" a video magazine also called the IMA Emag.

Graham is always taking on new projects that will help the industry one being to development and faciliate new programs that help instructors to become more qualified in the eyes of the government. By working with Regestered Training Orginisations the IMA has been able to offer nationally recognised qualifications such as Sports Coaching (specialization martial arts). Graham as a qualified Senior Sports Coach and Trainer and Assessor has been helping deliver these programs all around Australia.

The IMA working together with RTOs have made it possible for school students to obtain a government support / funded traineeship program to learn martial arts and gain a nationally recognised qualification. Several other programs have just been released and Graham has diverted his time so more instructors and students can take advantage of the new career opportunities now avaialble.

Check out some of the magazine covers Graham Slater and the IMA have been featured in

Another handy tip for running your martial arts school / club
Some people say don't travel, stay in Australia we have some awesome martial art masters here. I agree but go on martial arts travel tours to places like Japan, Korea, China, Thailand and Malaysia as your first ports of call. The masters are harder to find but what an awesome journey being out of your comfort zone and discovering new things.

When you go on your martial arts travel tour whether you train in karate, kung fu, muay thai, tai chi or taekwondo etc, call FCm Travel your very own corproate travel manager (awesome service and discounts for IMA members). Amy Jacobs 03 9543 3700

Remember you pay the International Martial arts Alliance to do the leg work for you. We simply tell you who we feel is the best and if they offer members a discount, you guys make the choice whether to go with them or do your own research. More Info!