Our Instructors

Kyoshi George Ciechanowicz, 7th Dan, founder & director of Kin Shin Kai. For more than 40 years George has been educating & developing self defense martial arts with a holistic focus. He has gratefully learned from some of the world’s finest, especially from the late master Tadahiko Ohtsuka & his  Goju Kensha system, Patrick McCarthy & his Koryu Uchinadi, and Maul Mornie’s Bruneian Silat. George founded Kin Shin Kai in 1997 to focus on further restoring karate’s lost self defense practicality. George is a skilled educator and his twin passions are developing his students and his martial arts. Kin Shin Kai thus primarily focuses on students & curriculum, rather than ‘growing the business’. He still teaches classes at all levels, and takes a great interest & pride in helping each student learn to be their best “Selves”. He holds a BA in Music & Philosophy and a DipEd – he is a trained teacher. Some other qualifications & competencies include sports medicine, remedial massage / bodywork and alternative health modalities including acupuncture. These all inform his teaching

Shihan Michael Mules, 5th Dan. Training martial arts for more than 30 years, Michael is a highly experienced & committed educator at one of Melbourne’s most reputable schools. Michael marries his first-rate teaching skills with a deep love and understanding of the martial arts to provide our Kin shin Kai students with an excellent learning experience

Shihan Nick Bell, 5th Dan, has been training martial arts (& tennis) intensively for more than 20 years. Nick has a personal trainer Cert IV, numerous high level Tennis coaching accreditations and a mostly finished sports science degree to add to his 5th Dan in Karate, Blue belt in BJJ and experience of numerous martial arts. Nick is a very dynamic and motivating teacher who prides himself on an excellent grasp on identifying & correcting important technical detail missed by many other instructors

Sensei Mate Lezaja, 4th Dan, closing in on 20 years training. Mate is a very patient & detailed teacher reflecting his deep understanding of what makes these arts really functional beyond what might look superficially impressive He is steeped in the values & respect embedded in the Traditional martial arts and has rounded off his ’empty hand’ Karate training with an intensive co-commitment to traditional Okinawan Kobudo (weaponry) where he is also a 4th Dan sensei!

Sensei George Dixon, 3rd Dan, with almost 20 years training and a great ability to assimilate the fine detail and a great understanding of our art, George also harnesses his IT logic & attention to detail to teach our students in a very detailed, methodical & patient manner that students really appreciate