Parents play a crucial role in motivating children to explore new activities and serve as important role models in their lives.  Participating in organised sports from a young age positively impacts children’s physical development as they learn various skills and movements.

As toddlers and children learn to roll, walk, talk, and develop hand-eye coordination, activities like kinder gym play a significant role in helping to develop these important skills.  However, it is also important to note the unique benefits of martial arts in this critical stage of development.

Tailored to suit age and ability level, karate classes for toddlers and children feature engaging exercises, games, and drills that teach basic karate techniques.  More than just physical skills, these classes imbue young learners with discipline, respect, and perseverance – skills that serve them well inside and outside of karate classes.

At GKR Karate, we have seen firsthand how martial arts training can enhance a child’s physical fitness across several dimensions – including cardiorespiratory fitness, speed, agility, strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance.  Karate is not just about building skills; it’s about setting a foundation for a healthy, active life.

Improved Physical Fitness and Coordination

Karate is a martial art that can provide numerous benefits to toddlers and children.  Regular karate practice can significantly improve a child’s physical fitness and coordination.  Karate training involves exercises and techniques that target different muscle groups and promote flexibility, balance, and stamina.

During practise, students perform various movements such as kicks, punches, and blocks.  Constantly repeating these movements helps to improve balance, coordination, and agility, which can help prevent falls and injuries.

Increased Focus and Discipline

Karate classes are an excellent environment for teaching children the values of hard work, perseverance, and self-discipline.  As young children learn to pay attention and follow instructions in class, their ability to concentrate and adhere to directions significantly improves.  This discipline extends beyond the class environment and instils a strong foundation for academic learning and everyday interactions.  The structured nature of karate classes, where students must wait their turn, respect others’ space during exercises, and persist through challenging tasks, also helps to develop patience and impulse control.

Skills learned in karate classes positively impact future success in all areas of life, including in educational settings, social situations, and at home.  By cultivating habits early, toddlers and children learn martial arts and gain a toolkit that fosters a disciplined and thoughtful approach to challenges they will encounter as they grow.

Self-Esteem and Confidence

Karate instructors are skilled in fostering a nurturing and supportive environment that champions each child’s progress and celebrates their achievements, big and small.  This approach creates a sense of accomplishment and pride in the student’s abilities, bolstering their self-esteem and confidence each time they learn a new move, earn a new belt, or step outside their comfort zone.

Karate also improves confidence in physical skills, builds resilience, and prepares children to navigate challenges they may face with inner strength and determination.  By providing positive reinforcement in class, instructors assist in building a solid base of self-worth that children will enjoy for years to come.

Click here to read in more detail how karate helps build self-confidence in children.

Partner Activities and Socialisation

Karate classes offer a structured and well-organised environment where toddlers and children can develop physically, socially, and emotionally.  Engaging with peers through partner drills and practical self-defence scenarios increases students’ social skills and teaches them the virtues of cooperation, effective communication, and strategic problem-solving.  These activities require students to listen, respond, and adapt to others while providing beneficial social interaction and teamwork opportunities.

Additionally, taking turns during class exercises requires patience and teaches the importance of respecting other people’s opportunities to learn and showcase their skills.  This aspect of karate training helps young children understand the value of waiting and sharing space, which is essential for developing empathy and social etiquette.  Combining structured physical and social interactions in karate classes supports holistic development, making toddlers and children better prepared to handle the complexities of social dynamics as they grow.

Self-Defence Skills

Self-defence is a vital component of any martial arts, it equips students with the confidence and age-appropriate skills to navigate difficult situations safely. Karate training fosters an understanding in children about controlling their actions and recognising their impact on others, cultivating a growing sense of respect and responsibility within the community.  It also promotes situational awareness, teaching students to remain alert and cautious in different surroundings, which is imperative for personal safety.  With regular practise, children can respond quickly and efficiently to different scenarios, significantly increasing their safety and well-being.

Cultural Education

Karate offers physical and cognitive benefits and provides a unique cultural education that enriches a child’s understanding of the world.  As students learn karate, they learn more about Japanese customs, language and etiquette through using Japanese and English terminology in class and the reason behind karate’s customary bow.

Exposure to a new culture at a young age helps bring a sense of global awareness and respect for diversity to even the youngest minds.  It encourages young learners to appreciate cultural differences; respect; self-discipline; and values central to karate’s philosophy.

Why Should My Child do Karate?

Karate offers many benefits for toddlers and children, encompassing physical, cognitive, and emotional development.  Physically, it enhances their strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance, establishing a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.  Cognitively, karate sharpens students’ focus, concentration, and decision-making skills, pivotal for future academic success and daily problem-solving.  Emotionally, it builds confidence and self-esteem, teaching children the importance of perseverance, resilience, and self-discipline.

If you’re interested in karate for your toddler or child, we have exciting news.  Our full-time centres offer Yoji classes for students aged 3 and above, specifically designed for young children eager to explore the world of martial arts. These classes help children develop skills in a fun and supportive environment.  To find the nearest location offering Yoji classes, use the location finder on our website.  Get ready to watch your little one embark on an exciting journey of growth, discipline and learning in a martial arts environment.

The post How Karate Is A Great Way to Get Toddlers and Kids Moving appeared first on GKR Karate.

Karate is the ideal sport for children for building self-confidence, balance, coordination, discipline and social skills. Karate has the ability to make your children stronger, from the inside out.

Self-Confidence and Karate

Apart from getting their young bodies moving, karate encourages children to step outside their comfort zone and try new things as they progress through their karate journey. Children will carry this strength with them through their lives, equipping them with the self-confidence to deal with challenges thrown their way.

Being a non-competitive sport, karate is not as high-pressure as some other activities. Continuing to improve with each session means students only ever find themselves winning which is a great self-esteem boost.

Unless you’re competing in a tournament, karate is generally not a spectator sport. While a few parents choose to watch, many drop their children off, or even choose to participate themselves! This creates an environment where young people can feel completely comfortable to train without worrying what others might think of them.

Karate teaches children that size or gender are not barriers to achieving success. This can be a very powerful realisation, particularly for children who may be shy or bullied.

Confidence is something that will help children in every area of their life, from meeting new friends, trying new activities, finding their first part-time job, speaking up in a group environment or in front of an audience.

Bullying and Karate

Bullying is a serious issue, as the effects can last for years after it stops. In some cases, right through to adulthood. Karate is extremely beneficial to children who are the victims of bullying.

Karate helps children who are experiencing bullying in a number of ways. Most children who are bullied are shy and lack confidence, and so appear as “easy targets” for bullies. As karate nurtures a child’s self-esteem and builds their confidence, the bullying often stops through this process alone.

Instructors also train children in dealing with bullying, and encourage them to speak to their teachers and parents. In some cases, children may feel uncomfortable speaking with their parents if they are being bullied. Because karate deals with self-defence, children who are bullied will often turn to their instructors for advice on dealing with these situations. In this instance, the instructor can notify the parents of the child’s situation.

Karate and Bullies

Some children who have a tendency towards bullying may develop an interest in karate. Parents of these children might fear that the skills their child learns at karate may make their bullying worse. This couldn’t be further from the truth!

To begin with, bullying and low self-esteem go hand in hand, so as karate builds a child’s self-confidence, their interest in bullying others will generally lessen.

Secondly, being regularly reminded that their karate is ONLY to be used for self-defence, and is something that can never be misused without risk of being suspended from training, provides extra motivation for children to behave.

If you’re concerned about your child’s attitude towards other children, please speak with your instructor so he or she can help you further.

Training with GKR Karate

All GKR Karate classes are taught in a supportive, encouraging and inclusive group environment which fosters the values of GKR Karate:

• Pursue the highest standards of personal character
• Cultivate a spirit of effort and perseverance
• Exercise courtesy and respect towards others
• Refrain from reckless or violent behaviour
• Be faithful and sincere in everything you do

Children can start training with GKR karate as young as 5 years of age. Click here for more information on children and GKR Karate.

Further reading

If your child is a victim of bullying, there are many websites that offer great advice and support. Below are the official national websites which all contain helpful information, as well as links to further support.

• Bullying. No Way! Australia
• Bullying Free NZ
• National Bullying Helpline UK

If you’re not already a GKR Karate member and you’d like to learn more, or register for a free trial, please click here to locate your nearest class.

The post How Karate Helps Children Build Self-Confidence appeared first on GKR Karate.

One sure-fire way to get kids active is to make a game of things. These Karate number games require at least two people, so it can also double as a great family bonding experience!

Whilst these types of games are primarily for children, they are great fun for people of all ages.

Karate Number Games

Pick a number of karate techniques and assign a number to them, for example:

1. Left leg side kick
2. Do a tuck jump in the air
3. Step to the right with a right arm head level block etc.

Start with a small amount of numbers, say four or five, and start introducing more once your child is confident with these. Pick a few techniques each, and be sure to include one or two you know your child may struggle with.

Have you child start from ready stance (Heiko-Dachi), and move quickly back after each technique.

Call a number and wait for your child perform the technique. Start the numbers in order until the technique for each number is memorised, then start mixing the numbers up.

Start with a slight pause between numbers, then speed up the count.

The goal is to see how long your child can last before making a mistake!

Example Moves

We’ve provided you with some example karate moves below, and you’re welcome to create your own!

• Step forward left leg with a left arm lunge punch.
• Step forward right leg with a right arm lunge punch.
• Left leg side kick
• Right leg side kick
• Step to the right with a right arm head level block
• Step to the left with a left arm body level hooking block
• Do a tuck jump in the air
• Two squat kicks from Sumo stance
• Turn around and execute a right arm punch behind you
• Turn around and execute a left leg front kick behind you
• Drop into sumo stance and execute 3 fast punches

Benefits of Number Games in Karate

Focus: In general, karate training involves explaining what is to be done, then counting through. As number games mean kids don’t know what technique is to come until a number is called, it develops their ability to focus.

Reaction Time: Number games develop a child’s reaction time and reflexes.

Fun: By choosing a few difficult techniques, it gets them to practise the techniques they need to work on most in a fun manner.

Variety: By varying the game every few minutes, not only will it work up a sweat, it will find them practising almost all of their karate techniques – those they like and dislike.

Related Reading:

• GKR Karate Belt Journey
• Gamification of Learning on Wikipedia

The post Home Karate Practice for Kids – Number Games appeared first on GKR Karate.

CONFIDENCE KICK

How spending time in the dojo delivered a dramatic boost to a dyslexic student’s self-belief

WHEN Harry Simms first expressed an interest in taking up karate, his parents feared a gi would not prove the most natural of fits.

With kata sitting at the martial art’s core, they were concerned how their six-year-old son, who sometimes had difficulty with the written word and found sequencing a struggle, would cope with remembering the complex moves on display in the dojo. And although at the time Harry had little understanding of what it meant to be diagnosed as dyslexic, he too suffered some early doubts about the suitability of his choice of sport.

“I remember my first class as being really scary,” the 13-year-old told Shimbun. “I was worried about the discipline and getting told off and worried about remembering what I had to do and when.”

Harry’s concerns – and those of his parents – were, however, short-lived and he quickly progressed from a white belt to 6th Kyu and qualified for the GKR Karate UK National Championships in 2015.

“I stuck with karate because I liked the fitness side and the mental challenge,” he explained. “As a sport it keeps making you push forward; you are always learning new things and preparing to take the next step.”

“I’m not sure if being dyslexic has made karate more difficult or helped me to be honest. “I don’t find kata easy, but I think – and have been told by my sensei – that I pick them up fairly quickly. I find it easier to remember patterns in my head than I do writing things down. I can picture the patterns in my mind when I’m doing them.”

“The more you practise your kata, the more of them you remember and if you’ve practised them enough you have to then just trust yourself.”

Harry admits having faith in himself is something he previously found difficult as a result of his learning difficulty and he credits GKR Karate with teaching him to hold his head up high. He points to being asked to lead a warm up for a packed class at Farnham dojo as the moment his self-belief began to soar.

“That first time was nerve-wracking,” said Harry, a Year 9 student at All Hallows Catholic School. “I’m quite shy and never really used to like talking in front of big groups, but to be honest I really don’t mind any more.

“It’s great to see people doing what you have asked them to do. In karate, everyone responds and shows whoever is talking respect and that makes you feel more sure of yourself.”

Harry also highlighted the morale-boosting effect bowing a class in and out can have.

“You have to make it sound like a command rather than a request so that everyone follows and when a whole class is listening to you it fills you with confidence.

“I am definitely more confident in class at school now,” he added. “I’m no longer worried about answering a question whereas before I didn’t want to be noticed.”

Harry Simms in Action at the GKR Karate World Cup

Despite Harry’s new-found confidence and excellent academic progress, his karate journey has not been without bumps in the road and he found progressing from green to blue belt to be a significant challenge.

Reflecting on his 18-month wait to grade, he said: “There was a brief time when I wanted to give up.

“I felt I was stuck and going nowhere having reached green belt quite quickly. What kept me going was that when I went to classes I was still enjoying my karate and that kept me interested.

“I liked karate, I just didn’t like the colour of my belt and was frustrated at not being a higher grade.”

The wait, of course, made the prize all the more worthwhile and Harry hasn’t looked back since grading to 5th Kyu last summer. Buoyed by wearing blue, he made the decision to return to tournament karate after a three-year break, qualifying for the UK National Championships at the first attempt and returning home from Sheffield with a bronze medal in kumite having excelled in a division dominated by red belts.

“Getting my blue belt was sweet,” Harry said. “I knew I’d had to dig deep and it meant more because of that.

“Just being back at the National Championships was great, but winning a medal was amazing because I didn’t expect it. I thought the other finalists would be better than me but I just kept going and the experience has definitely given me even more confidence in myself.

“If I now come up against someone who I think is good at karate, I don’t immediately think they are better than me.”

While medalling at this summer’s World Cup is his immediate target, Harry says he is committed to karate for the long-term and is set on becoming a black belt. He knows that doing so will take hard work and hours of practise but is ready for the challenge.

“I’m the only one from my friendship group who does karate, but that doesn’t bother me,” he said.

“I don’t mind the step-up in training as you reach the higher grades. You have to be dedicated to improve and I can see that it is worthwhile. I get a buzz from doing better and better.”

Seven years after taking part in his first class, nobody would argue that karate is not a good fit for Harry.

But why does the former “shy guy” think the sport suits him so well?

“I really like the etiquette and how you have to behave to others,” Harry concluded. “In some sports, like football, people don’t always show their teammates or opponents respect.

“In the dojo you are always treated seriously and no matter what your grade, you are seen as an equal.”

“I think people have always shown me respect at school, so that has not changed because of karate, but it has made me feel better about myself.”

The post Confidence Kick – Harry Simms appeared first on GKR Karate.

With State/Zone Titles coming up featuring many children competing in a tournament for the first time, we wanted to put together a list of ways that children can improve their chances of getting a medal.

Here are some tips for tournaments that are sure to help their performance.

Tournament Kata Tips

When you do kata, you are not only being judged on your technique. There are other things that the judges are looking for, so keep in mind the following:

Look Sharp

Looking neat and tidy will give the judges a good impression, and it will also help your confidence. Be sure to have mum or dad give you a clean, ironed gi. If you have long hair, have it tied back neatly and try to keep your fringe out of your eyes.

Finally, tie your belt nicely so that both ends hanging down are the same length.

Louder Is Better

Most of you would be used to your parents telling you to keep your voices down. The good news is that in the tournament ring, these rules don’t apply, in fact, in a tournament, louder is better!

When you hear the judge call out your name to come up and perform, respond very loudly with “Hai” as you get up. When you enter the ring and call out the name of your kata, call it out very loud and clear. This tells the judge that you are confident, and when it’s time to kiai in your kata, do it so loud that everyone at the tournament hears you.

Put On Your Kata Face

One thing the judges are looking at is your focus. The better your focus the better the score they will give you. You can show them that you have good focus by putting on your ‘kata face’.  This is one of serious concentration, and NEVER looking around. When you finish your kata, stand still (without fidgeting) while waiting for your score.

Get Down Low And Go, Go, Go

Sometimes we do all our punches and kicks as fast as we can but we forget about our stances.

When the judges are deciding what score to give you, they pay close attention to your stances. Make the decision that before you go up, you will try your hardest to do the longest, lowest and neatest stances you can do.

Be A Good Sport

Manners and respect are important parts of karate. So when you are at a tournament, after each person has completed their kata, be sure to join in and clap and cheer for them. Even if you don’t know them, it shows everyone that you are a good sport. Plus I’m sure they tried his or her hardest and for that, they deserve your applause.

Finally, if you get a medal, that is awesome. But if you don’t get a medal, don’t worry, because as long as you tried your best then you should be proud of yourself and happy.

Tournament Kumite Tips

To Do Well, You Need Energy

Kumite requires lots of energy so be sure to get a good night’s sleep and have a good breakfast. Even if you are a little nervous and don’t feel hungry, eat a bowl of cereal anyway. Also, pack a bottle of water or Gatorade to bring with you to sip between rounds.

Pull Your Punches

It’s not how many punches you throw that scores you points, it’s the quality of your punches. If you want to score points, make sure that after every punch you pull your hand back to your hips.

Kiai Loudly

Every time you punch, you need to yell out a nice, loud kiai. This tells the judge that you were trying your best to punch hard and fast. If you forget to kiai, your point won’t be scored.

Step Forward When You Punch

The most common reason that kids don’t score is that they are too far away from each other. The trick is to take a big step forward with your front foot each time you punch. This will get you close enough to score… but remember it’s non-contact! Another trick is to step forward after each kick.

Keep Up Your Guard

When competing, you have two goals. To try and score points for yourself AND to stop your opponent from scoring points. This is where your guard comes in. You need to keep your guard up high and out from your body. When your opponent throws a punch, move your guard to block as fast as you can.

Have Fun!

Whether you win or lose is not as important as to whether or not you tried your hardest and had a great time. So decide before you start that you are competing for fun. Winning is just a bonus!

The post Kids Tips For Karate Tournaments appeared first on GKR Karate.

In old Okinawa, the nobles taught their sons karate because it would teach them to become noble, an objective reached by a few means. The tough physical training developed self-discipline, focus, courage, and spirit. Forever being short on both knowledge and physical prowess to one’s instructor, developed continued humility and kept over-ego at bay. Constantly aiming to perfect technique, developed habits of commitment to excellence that could be carried into all facets of life. Even from a self-defense aspect, a boy well trained in fighting would have nothing to prove and therefore resist resorting to his fists to end an argument. This would develop negotiation, empathy and reasoning skills, each one an important attribute to a nobleman.

Today, thousands of parents from around the world enroll their children in martial arts with an identical goal in mind; that it will develop their children’s character so they grow into noble men and women. So how then can one establish as to whether karate training is shaping their character? Simply by observing training habits for karate is a character in action.

Kata Is Character In Action

The Meticulous: Some students are very meticulous in their Kata. Their primary concern is that every technique is neat and follows the perfect path. When practising kata they tend to ask the most questions and while this is admirable, they often compromise their focus on power, speed and kime. If kata is character in action, it suggests these students take the same approach to life; they get ideas, make detailed plans, dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t’ but fall short for a simple reason – they fail to take immediate action, massive action and put some ‘gusto’ into it. In their kata they often stop and look down to check their stance, ensuring it’s perfect instead of completing the kata without distraction (mistakes and all). Similarly, in their life, every obstacle they meet finds them wanting to stop and assess everything all over again, bringing a stop to any momentum gained.

The Doer: The ‘doers’ are those students who are happy to get in there and simply ‘do’ their kata over and over. Blessed with work ethic, always putting heart and soul into every technique, yet cursed because they neglect the details. Once again this is likely how they approach life, their mottos being, “Get in there and have a go,” “In life, you have to work hard,” “I’ve never been afraid of getting my hands dirty.”

Kata And Life Require Balance: In both kata and life, the key is balance. If we are too focused on perfect planning, and on everything running smoothly and precisely, our kata will not flow or appear ‘real life’ effective. In our life, our meticulous planning will find we rarely start on our ideas or stop too often once we do start. In contrast, if we are all gung-ho, ‘work hard, focused’, our kata will lack technique. Similarly, while we find ourselves taking massive action on our ideas, we instigate bad habits, which find us working hard, but without productivity.

Problematic of most peoples attitudes is that they take on the ‘that’s the way I am’ approach. They might sum themselves with affirmations as, “I like to know all the details before I do something,” “I just don’t have the gusto in me,” “I just like to get in there and do it, I don’t think too much.” When we categorise ourselves, we instantly forget we have the ability to change at any moment we choose.

When we understand how kata and life go hand in hand, we have more credence to promote change within ourselves. If you’re too meticulous, remind yourself that you need to practise and that action is as important as knowledge, and vice versa.

Kumite Is Character In Action

As an example, let’s say we have a student who practises his or her attacking kumite drills and this in turn develops self-confidence. To some degree, this alone is pivotal to life success; that is, through proper preparation (practise) we develop the confidence to go after our goals.

The student in question now begins kumite with high expectation and after their first attack something happens…. perhaps they are picked off, counter attacked, or worse – contacted. Their confidence takes hit and on their next attack, they half commit, making it even easier for their opponent to pick them off. Suddenly their world comes crashing down and all confidence abandons them. What follows is a few minutes of either standing still and doing nothing or running away. What happened to that confidence and conviction gained through preparation? It was overcome by a focus on fear, self-doubt and losing.

What attitude do you have in kumite? Do you find yourself giving in early on if an opponent gets the first few techniques in? Do you find yourself hiding away if someone makes slight contact on you? If you do, don’t dismiss it as kumite, saying “I’m not a kumite person” is not a reasonable excuse because kumite is character in action, so what is it saying about your character?

This is a common scenario and once again is a reflection of ones character. The world is full of people who had a goal, prepared, gained confidence, committed once and then after a rejection or setback, gave in. Perhaps they applied for a job or two and were told they did not have enough experience or that no one was hiring at that point in time. What happens? Next time they put in less time to their application letter and if they get an interview, less time into their interview preparation – their reasoning, they probably won’t get the job anyway. This if course sees them fail as expected and a person who was once optimistic is now pessimistic.

In Life And Kumite, You’ve Got To Be Prepared To Take The Hits: In every area of your life, for your entire life, you are going to take some hits: rejection, setbacks, disappointment, temporary failure, people who let you down and even use you. When you allow these hits to beat you down, you give up from future endeavour, or to fail to commit 100%, or develop pessimism – then you are setting yourself up for a life of misery. It is not human nature to run into adversity, so during kumite, I always remind myself, “I’m happy to get hit.” In kumite, I know I cannot win every confrontation. This means that there will be times I get picked off, or even contacted. But again, I remind myself, “I don’t have to win every confrontation and I’m happy to take the hits.” Only when we take this attitude are we able to keep our focus on our preparation, on our skill sets and away from fear and pessimism.

What attitude do you have in kumite? Do you find yourself giving in early on if an opponent gets the first few techniques in? Do you find yourself hiding away if someone makes slight contact on you? If you do, don’t dismiss it as kumite, saying “I’m not a kumite person” is not a reasonable excuse because kumite is character in action, so what is it saying about your character?

You have to get in there and keep trying, never giving up. Losing 50 encounters does not mean the 51st encounter will also see you losing, unless you drop in commitment or give up. The same way that getting 50 job rejections does not mean the 51st will also equal rejection – unless you drop in your interview preparation commitment. You have to get in there and be prepared to take the hits and the losses, and when you get them, don’t focus on fear, focus on doing it with the same commitment but better technique. That’s right, focus on how you can do it better next time! And when you do and fail again, learn from it and try again, even better!

Ask yourself: Do you come up in sumo stance early? If you do, now ask yourself, do you tend to become discouraged or want to quit at first sign of difficulty in life?

Ask yourself; do you tend to blame your sensei when you’re held back from a grading? Chances are you blame others when things are not going well in your life.

Ask yourself; do you become frustrated when others around you progress faster than you? Chances are you find frustration in life by comparing yourself unfairly to others.

Everything in karate is a reflection of our character and every training habit we develop is telling us something either positive or negative about our character. So next time your training, wether its basics, kata or kumite, take the time to think about the character you’re demonstrating. If it’s not favourable, remember humans have the power to change anything in their life with a single decision.

By Shihan Anthony Ryan

The post Karate Is Character In Action appeared first on GKR Karate.

GKR is often labelled ‘The Family Club’ for many reasons. Karate is an activity where the whole family can train, learn, and gain benefits together.

Many may not realise that GKR started out literally as a family club. Kancho’s first class had one student in it, his son Matt. Kancho always felt that karate was an activity that was for the whole family, and even titled his first book written in 1985, “Karate For Everyone’ placing a heavy emphasis on family values. While GKR Karate has since spread throughout Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and now Houston, the promotion of family values remains strong. Today, thousands of families train together at GKR Karate, and in each edition of Shimbun, we bring you the stories of these ‘karate families’.

The title of this article applies on more than one level.

Initially, it brings the individual family, as a unit, closer together. The opportunity to spend time together is just the beginning; beyond this, it gives them common goals – something they can work towards together – offering each other advice on techniques and motivating each other to improve. I know I have seen this in my family. My wife Vicky recently got back into training by attending classes with our son Nicolas. This has been great for both of them as they have a ‘project’ to work on together. Rather than simply seeing Vicky as a mum, he also sees her as a training partner and role model.

Extending further, we’ve had countless testimonies from parents who had a strained relationship with their teenage children because they had an inability to relate to them. Starting karate together, whether attending the same classes or not, gave them a means to relate to one another, and this helped heal and re-strengthen the relationship.

‘Bringing Families together’ also applies on a secondary level. It brings different families together. With workplaces expecting longer hours, the growing popularity of the Internet, and 200 TV channels, people are isolating themselves more than ever. Outside of our family, we hardly have time for anyone anymore.

Remember when you could stop and have a coffee and chat with anyone on your street? For most, these days are long gone. GKR Karate not only provides a place where a family can spend time together but also where they can meet other like-minded families and develop family friends again. Many of you may agree; close friends of the family are often other families in GKR.

In this edition of Shimbun, we get up close and personal with five families, the Zaloumes family, the West Family, the Kristen family, the De-Marino family and the Bounkeua family. What makes this issue different however is that these five families all know one another. They have not only managed to form a strong bond within their own family unit, they have formed relationships with other families. Thanks to their united passion, the adults and kids, despite any difference in age, can all relate to one another. What’s more, all share healthy attitudes and outlooks on life.

If you have a family that you have grown close to via training with GKR Karate, we would love to hear your story.

Related Articles

Families Who Train Together
Is Karate Improving Your Life?

The post Bringing Families Together appeared first on GKR Karate.

Want to improve your chances of getting a medal at your next GKR tournament? Here are some tips for tournaments that are sure to help your performance.

Tournament Kata Tips

When you do kata, you are not only being judged on your technique… there are other things that the judges are looking for. So keep in mind the following:

Look Sharp

Looking neat and tidy will give the judges a good impression, and it will also help your confidence. Be sure to have mum or dad give you a clean, ironed gi. If you have long hair, have it tied back neatly and try to keep your fringe out of your eyes. Finally, tie your belt nicely so that both ends hanging down are the same length.

Louder Is Better

As kids, mum and dad are always telling us to keep our voices down. The good news is that in the tournament ring, these rules don’t apply. In fact, in a tournament, louder is better! When you hear the judge call out your name to come up and perform, respond very loudly with “Hai” as you get up. When you enter the ring and call out the name of your kata, call it out very loud and clear. This tells the judge that you are confident. And when it’s time to kiai in your kata, do it so loud that everyone at the tournament hears you.

Put On Your Kata Face

One thing the judges are looking at is your focus. The better your focus the better the score they will give you. You can show them that you have good focus by putting on your ‘kata face’. This is one of serious concentration, and NEVER looking around. And when you finish your kata, stand still (without fidgeting) while waiting for your score.

Get Down Low And Go, Go, Go

Sometimes we do all our punches and kicks as fast as we can but we forget about our stances. When the judges are deciding what score to give you, they pay close attention to your stances. Make the decision that before you go up, you will try your hardest to do the longest, lowest and neatest stances you can do.

Be A Good Sport

Manners and respect are important parts of karate. So when you are at a tournament, KIDS TIPS 4 TOURNAMENTS after each person has completed their kata, be sure to join in and clap and cheer for them. Even if you don’t know them, it shows everyone that you are a good sport. Plus I’m sure they tried his or her hardest and for that, they deserve your applause. Finally, if you get a medal, that is awesome. But if you don’t get a medal, don’t worry, because as long as you tried your best then you should be proud of yourself and happy.

Tournament Kumite Tips

To Do Well, You Need Energy

Kumite requires lots of energy so be sure to get a good night’s sleep and have a good breakfast. Even if you are a little nervous and don’t feel hungry, eat a bowl of cereal anyway. Also pack a bottle of water or Gatorade to bring with you to sip between rounds.

Pull Your Punches

It’s not how many punches you throw that scores you points, it the quality of your punches. If you want to score points, make sure that after every punch you pull your hand back to your hips.

Kiai Loudly

Every time you punch, you need to yell out a nice, loud kiai. This tells the judge that you were trying your best to punch hard and fast. If you forget to kiai, your point won’t be scored.

Step Forward When You Punch

The most common reason that kids don’t score is because they are too far away from each other. The trick is to take a big step forward with your front foot each time you punch. This will get you close enough to score… but remember it’s non-contact! Another trick is to step forward after each kick.

Keep Up Your Guard

When competing, you have two goals. To try and score points for yourself AND to stop your opponent from scoring points. This is where your guard comes in. You need to keep your guard up high and out from your body. And when your opponent throws a punch, move your guard to block as fast as you can.

Have Fun

Whether you win or lose is not as important as to whether or not you tried your hardest and had a great time. So decide before you start that you are competing for fun. Winning is just a bonus.

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