David Lambert: The Sensei

“I know I cannot save the world, no one can. However, I feel a great sense of responsibility to help shape the people of Goulburn and Southern Tablelands. It’s a privilege teaching children to stay safe, be disciplined, open their hearts and use their heads. The same can be said for our teenage and adult students, they really open their minds, examine themselves and strive daily to become something better. All this is beneficial to our community.”
David Lambert

David Lambert is an extremely accomplished sensei. He is a 4^th Dan Black belt in Goju-ryu Karate-do. He is the only Australian to have been asked to instruct at the International Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate-do Federation (IOGKF) Gishiki training event, held in the birthplace of karate – Okinawa. He is the only Australian to have successfully passed solo grading tests under the IOGKF chief instructor. He is in demand worldwide as an instructor and sits on the Executive Committee of the Australian Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate-do Federation (AOGKF), responsible for the protection of this traditional style of karate in Australia. He has grown the Lambert Karate Dojo to over 250 members in Goulburn, has built a strong followship in Crookwell and this year also began training in Marulan.

In 1981 David’s father, David Lambert (Senior), established his dojo in Goulburn. David (Junior) began training at age 3. He confesses to not being an ideal student when he was young – he didn’t always enjoy karate, could be lazy and often a sore loser. He had a temper that got him disqualified from national competitions on multiple occasions. Then, in his mid-teens, his outlook changed significantly. “I saw a lot of adults and instructors who had the same [issue with temper], and that was a real reflection of where I was heading and I didn’t want to be like that, so I took a different path” he reflects. He also came to realise the gift he had been given by his father and the practice of karate – to help live a better life, but also to help others live better. His respect for this gift is seen in his dedication to nurturing his dojo.

In early 2019 David struggled with a prolonged bout of stomach illness, which left him drained, unable to train and barely able to teach. This forced rest gave him a chance to sit back and ruminate on his strengths and limitations, his decisions, and the path of the dojo. He has been contemplating the concept of legacy and defining what it means to him. On one hand, he is very aware that his father left behind a significant legacy in that he touched the lives of many people through his karate instruction. He is also aware that, when misused or poorly taught, karate can cause harm and promote undesirable attitudes. The contrast between these is where David finds his calling – to teach karate the right way.

 Put simply, David’s approach is to focus on his student’s hearts and minds, with the physical aspect of karate being a bonus. “I teach people how not to fight…The best self defence tool we have is love. If everyone was just a little kinder, went that little bit extra to say hello to someone and were more ready to help than turn away, I think the world would be a much better place. Karate is all about avoiding conflict by never creating it or entering into it in the first place.”

“I teach people how not to fight… Karate is all about avoiding conflict by never creating it or entering into it in the first place.”

David Lambert

David’s philosophy is underpinned by the teachings of Sensei Chojun Miyagi, founder of Goju-Ryu Karate, who states “The ultimate goal of karate is peace without any incident”. Although David is a highly skilled instructor who has passed many physically and technically demanding grading tests when he talks about karate he speaks of the intention of your heart, respect for yourself and respect for others. “People think we do the crane kick and chop boards shouting ‘hi-ya’ all the time. Karate is everything but this. For many, it’s a positive way of life, a connection to a supportive community and a place where, no matter where you are at in your life, you will always be welcomed with open arms.”

“People think we do the crane kick and chop boards shouting ‘hi-ya’ all the time.
Karate is everything but this.”

David Lambert

Having the right intention is of critical importance to David, and it is a solid counterbalance to his tendency to be hard on himself for making mistakes. It also helps him to push his students to their limits, physically and mentally. “The intention in my heart is that I want the absolute best for all of them [his students]. So, I am trying to give as much as I can because I want to push them as I was pushed.” Before a grading test he will prepare his students by telling them “Your mind is like an egg. What happens when you put pressure on an egg? It cracks. I am going to try and crack your egg now and you are going to try not to let it crack.”

Karate is a gruelling discipline, and daily instructing and training can be exhausting. Karate pushes David to focus and lift his mental game to engage in a battle with his self. He also draws motivation from his students. “When we have a big sweat session…the kids are trying so hard, because they don’t want to let me down. I can’t let them down, so I push, and then they push to keep up. So we help [motivate] each other”.

This month, David is heading back to Okinawa for the 2019 Gishiki training event. Over 1600 people from more than 50 countries will gather to train at the birthplace of Goju-ryu. For the third time in a row, David has been invited to teach at the event, the only Australian to receive such an honour. Best of all he will be accompanied by some 80 people from his dojo. “I never ask anyone to follow me. But when they do come, I am very grateful and I think they are giving me a gift because they empower me, so I do what I can to empower them back.”

“Through the intense training and the encouragement, love and respect everyone develops for each other we’ve really created a second home for so many people in Goulburn”

David Lambert

The dojo is more than a karate centre, it is a family. The special bonds between David, the other instructors and their students is what attracts people to the dojo and keeps them involved. “We call our Karate group in Goulburn and surrounds the ‘Karate family’. Through the intense training and the encouragement, love and respect everyone develops for each other we’ve really created a second home for so many people in Goulburn”. David is particularly gratified that his dojo provides not only high-quality training but an inclusive environment where people are nurtured and their accomplishments celebrated, regardless of background. “They are accepted, respected, developed and most of all loved. That is very special to me” says David.

No man is an island, as the saying goes. The success of the Lambert dojo is also a testament to the commitment, generosity and support of David’s wife, Shenae, and his assistant instructors. “All of these people gladly donate their time and effort for free and ask nothing back. Karate has given them all so much, they are only too happy to give the same back to others and to help me create something special for our community.”

“There is something special about this place…Goulburn is more to me than just the place where I live, it’s my home.”

David Lambert

David is just as passionate about Goulburn as he is karate. Having lived here all his life he has seen that people who leave often return. “There is something special about this place, especially if you take the time to appreciate it…Goulburn is more to me than just the place where I live, it’s my home. When my father passed away, the entire community came out to support us. His funeral filled the entire St. Saviours cathedral and the field next to it. They had to put speakers outside! When we left the church for the cemetery, people lined the side of the road, hats off and heads bowed. I never ever forgot that. Goulburn is strong enough to be a modern city, but still has those old traditional values and sense of community. Through Karate I hope to keep that alive in future generations and continue to make Goulburn a beautiful place to live”.

More information about the Lambert Karate Dojo can be found here.