Wojtek Bagadzinski Sensei

Wojtek Bagadzinski commenced his training in karate at the Hurstville Dōjō in 1994, under Glenn Wheeldon. He became the Chief Instructor of the Hurstville Dōjō in 2005 and led it with unswerving commitment, relocating in 2019 and establishing St George Dōjō.

Along with Gabriel Dayeh, Wojtek proudly leads Kumataka St George Dōjō, sharing the Kumataka organisational mission, to practice and propagate authentic budō and bujutsu of Japan and Okinawa.

His first visit to the Sōsuishi-ryu Jūjutsu Hombu Dōjō, the Sekiryūkan in Fukuoka, was in 2000, and he has returned numerous times since then. In addition to his leadership, teaching and administrative duties, Wojtek also studies Sōsuishi-ryū Jujutsu and Kōdokan Jūdō. He holds the rank of Nimokuroku (second black belt degree) in Sōsuishi-ryu Jūjutsu. Kumataka St George Dōjō is one of the few places in Australia offering this rare art in its legitimate form.

Wojtek holds the rare distinction of having been graded to Shodan in Shorin-ryu Seibukan Karate-do directly by Shimabukuro Zenpo Hanshi, 10th Dan. Shimabukuro Sensei presented Wojtek Sensei with a dojo charter to represent his organisation, the International Okinawa Shorin-ryu Seibukan Karate-do Association (IOSSKA), and the Shimabukuro family’s karate at the St George Dojo.

Wojtek holds an Assessor’s Skillset in Training and Assessment and has all Apply First Aid and Working With Children clearances. St George Dōjō is an inclusive, family-oriented dōjō, training adults and children, and this is largely due to Wojtek’s welcoming and generous nature.