Nelligen's Darrell Bossley can casually maintain a conversation with onlookers while lying suspended in the air on four spears - two under his thighs and two under his hands.

For most people, the pose would pierce limbs, or cause excruciating pain.

But Mr Bossley has developed what he calls an ability to "override his body".

For him, the performance is a wonderful demonstration of what the human mind and body can achieve - and a testimony to the possibilities of karate.

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Mr Bossley is a Shihan - a Japanese title of respect for experts in martial arts - and has been running Batemans Bay Goshin Ryu Karate Club since he founded the group in 1974.

He was a professional rodeo rider for 32 years, and was forced in to retirement after an accident left him confined to a wheelchair. He started learning karate for rehabilitation and exercise, and loved it.

The club was forming in the Bruce Lee era, when martial arts was beginning to gain worldwide appreciation and, though take-up across Australia was slow, the club was initially incredibly popular on the south coast.

Now aged 76, and whilst being the oldest medieval jouster in the world on the side, Mr Bossley is a 6th Dan Master - one of the highest grades worldwide - and one of only four black belt examiners in Australia.

For Mr Bossley, karate is all about honesty, respect, integrity and discipline.

"If you have the right attitude, you can do it," he said. "If you haven't got the right attitude, I don't want you to do it."

He said karate was about mental strength, and pushing oneself to be controlled, disciplined and to keep improving.

"Karate is 55 per cent in the head and 45 per cent in the body," he said.

It is not about fighting, but about developing mental skills and control. If children are found picking a fight in the school playground, they are kicked out of karate club.

School teachers often comment to Mr Bossley that students in their classes who attend his karate lessons rapidly improve in their academic work ethic and ability to concentrate.

Such feedback is no surprise to Mr Bossley, he knows the power of the mind and concentration. It is why he can balance, painlessly, on a handful of spears.

When he was confined to a wheelchair after his rodeo accident, Mr Bossley learnt to override his body systems.

"It's all about being able to control your body," he said.

To demonstrate, he would sit in the snow without a shirt on: one hand sweating, the other blue with the cold. By just mental will-power, Mr Bossley remembers changing the blood flow to switch hands, so the sweating hand becomes blue, the cold hand starts sweating.

"I can't teach it, I just do it," he said.

The skill has evolved from the mind control and muscle coordination of karate.

It works too, during karate demonstrations.

"If you are totally relaxed, you can lock your system and nothing penetrates it," he said.

Mr Bossley has had two people break wrists punching him while his system was 'locked'. That is how he describes sitting atop sharpened spears without searing in pain.

He holds multiple records for muscle control with the martial arts federation - including one for straight punching through three house bricks.

However, he is adamant his skills are nothing special, and anyone could do his demonstrations if they had the same mindset.

"I am not showing what I can do," he said, "I am just showing what can be done. I am not marvellous."

Mr Bossley often has ex-students return to Batemans Bay and tell him how his karate lessons changed their life, or set them on the right course.

Currently, there are grandchildren of the original members of the Batemans Bay Goshin Ryu Karate Club in his classes.

The original club met in the Old Dance Hall at Observation Point, Batehaven - now no longer in existence. In July, the club is relocating to the new Bay Pavilions.

Mr Bossley hopes it will create more exposure and increase community participation in karate. He is considering beginning women's self-defence classes.

He runs the classes voluntarily - a small fee covers hall hire and insurance - because of a love for karate.

"It is about spreading knowledge," he said.

"I just want to see more people enthusiastic to take up karate."

Batemans Bay Goshin Ryu Karate Club trains on Monday and Wednesday evenings, from 6 to 8pm. They are meeting in the new Bay Pavilions from Monday July 18.