Our Trainers

Peter Thompson Sensei

Renshi (Shihan) Peter Thompson Sensei

Shihan Peter’s martial training began as a child learning unarmed and armed combat with his father, a Vietnam veteran and former member of a NZDF anti-terrorist unit.

Today, Shihan Peter holds blackbelts in various styles:

• 5th dan Seishin Budo Kyokai (Shihan)
• 5th dan Seishin-Kan Shorinji Ryu Okinawa Renmei
• 4th dan Seishin-Ryu Karate
• 3rd dan WAKO Kickboxing
• 2nd dan WTF Taekwondo
• 1st degree WKA Kickboxing

He has a long competition history including titles in Taekwondo, Karate and Kickboxing; former National champion in Kickboxing and an International title holder in Karate. In 2010 he was conferred by the NZMAI an award for excellence in martial arts.

His experiences working as a doorman in Auckland for eight years, running security for dignitaries and training actors and members of CIB has given him the opportunity to test what works and what doesn’t.

Shihan began instructing martial arts in 1996 and not long after this started TOA Fighting Systems with his friend and training partner Sifu Tony Billy. After starting TOA in 1997 Shihan moved to Invercargill in 2007. The most southern WAKO and Seishin dojo in the world has been operating since June 2008.

Shihan Peter holds a degree in Strategic Management (Business Transformation) and Sport Management and is active in both his local Community, Nationally and Internationally:

• Board member International Executive WAKO Kickboxing
• New Zealand and Oceania President for the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations
• Southland Area Director for the New Zealand Martial Arts Institute
• President TOA Fighting Systems
• Chairman Southland Community Broadcasters Charitable Trust
• Chairman Swim Safe Southland Advisory Group
• Member of the Southern Institute of Technology Sports and Recreation Advisory Group

Agata Kaluzna Sensei

Sensei Agata’s adventure with Martial Arts started during her high school years in 1992. Her first Sensei, Jolanta Warchulska was a great teacher with a huge knowledge about the Shotokan style. Under Sensei Jolanta’s teaching Agata took part in few competitions and developed skills needed to be Sempai.

In 2001 she completed a course and was granted the professional title of a Karate Shotokan Instructor.

At the same time she finished training for referee qualifications in two Karate federations: Polish Karate Federation and Polish Federation of Traditional Karate Fudokan. For the next few years her time was well spent attending karate competitions as a referee. Between 2001-2006 she was chairwoman of Karate Club “Tori” in Wroclaw, Poland.

After she moved to New Zealand in 2006, she found her martial arts home at TOA Fighting Systems, Seishin-Ryu Karate club in Invercargill and was awarded Sho-Dan black belt in 30th of October 2011 and granted the title Sensei not long after.

Adam Kaluzny Sensei

Sensei Adam started practicing Martial Arts at the age of 17 at his local Kyokushin Karate Club in his hometown of Dzierzoniow in Poland. After a few years when he moved to near by Wroclaw to study geology at the Wroclaw University where he joined a Shotokan style karate club. Over the next few years Adam was involved in Karate throughout the Polish Karate Federation and Traditional Karate Federation Fudokan where he gained Karate Instructor and Regional Karate referee qualifications.

After moving to New Zealand in 2006 he joined TOA Fighting System in Invercargill and after years of training was graded Shodan (1st dan Black belt) during a karate camp at the Seishin-Ryu Honbu dojo in Auckland in 2012. In the same year he took a part in a trip to Fukuoka Japan as a member of the Seihin-Ryu karate New Zealand team. The highlight of the trip was a karate tournament where the New Zealand team won a number of medals including Sensei Adam won first place in kumite in his respective division. In 2013 Adam was selected to be a member of the National Black Kicks team to represent New Zealand at the WAKO World Kickboxing Championships in Antalya Turkey (Point Fighting and Light Continuous).

During the day Sensei Adam (PhD, geology) works as a geologist for Solid Energy in their operations in Southland. He regularly practices karate and kickboxing at TOA Fighting Systems and is also actively in photography and archery (1st place in team competition on SIDDA 2014 championship).

Daniel Schuck Sempai

Sempai Dan has been training in Seishin Ryu Karate for the past 6 years and Kickboxing for the past 5 years. In 2013 he was promoted to Sempai (Senior Student) and in 2012 during a Karate tournament in Japan he placed third in Kata and third in kumite (fighting) in his respective divisions.

Dan has competed and won in other regional competitions in Karate and Kickboxing including being awarded the most technical fighter during a kickboxing tournament. He has twice travelled nationally to attend seminars and gradings and is currently a probationary black belt. He is also graded in WAKO Kickboxing and in 2014 was selected to represent New Zealand at the WAKO Junior World Kickboxing Championships in Italy.

Joshua Jefferis

Josh has been training in kickboxing since 2006. First starting under Paul Stewart and then in 2008 under Sensei Peter Thompson. Whilst Kickboxing has been his main focus during this time he has also trained in both Karate and Boxing, strengthening his kickboxing style as a whole and increasing his understanding of techniques and respect for other styles.
Josh has been actively competing in tournaments for a number of years winning the majority of his fights around the country. He has twice represented New Zealand overseas at the WAKO World Kickboxing Championships; Macedonia in 2011 and Brazil in 2013. During his semi-final bout in Brazil, he narrowly missed out on a bronze medal by one point.
Josh has been assisting Sensei Pete with kickboxing classes for a number of years now, taking an active part during classes and also instructing classes when Sensei Pete has not been available. Josh has also been instrumental in the preparation of fighters for tournaments, and has often acted as either the corner or second for a number of our fighters. Josh is well known for his wicked sense of humour and quite unique laugh.

David Watts

Dave started his kickboxing journey through TOA in early 2010 and had his first fight a mere 5 months later. He’s since fought regularly and in his own words “..have studied and learnt from the best Southland has to offer spending a lot of quality time training with both Sensei Pete and Sempai Josh Jefferies”.

Dave is particularly knowledgeable in nutrition and exercise through his years of study at S.I.T and prides himself on being able to advise and help first time fighters from the club make weight safely and efficiently.

Dave currently holds a 1st Kyu brown belt in WAKO kickboxing and has an impressive national and international competition history including

Current 2015 ISKA South Island Middleweight Champion
NZ kickboxing Team New Zealand Representative Macedonia 2011
NZ kickboxing Team New Zealand Representative Brazil 2013
NZ kickboxing Team New Zealand Representative Serbia 2015