It’s been a big year for GKR Karate and we’d like to thank everyone who continues to make the club what it is today, students, families, instructors and management…everyone plays an integral role in the success of our amazing club.

The year started off strong and the last few months of 2024 has been no different with plenty of events, milestones and cause for celebration.

Stop Domestic and Family Violence Campaign

After a very successful Stop Domestic and Family Violence Campaign, we re-opened purple belt orders for the month of October in preparation for our second awareness month in February 2025. Thanks to everyone’s support we were able to donate $72,040 to RizeUp, $19,490 to Shine and £6,242 to Refuge. All Purple Belt orders placed in October will be mailed out mid-January 2025 in time for the next awareness month in February 2025.

National and State Champs

New Zealand and the United Kingdom recently held their National Championships with Australian State Championships also being held last month. It was a great way to wrap up what has been a big year on the tournament circuit. Congratulations to everyone who competed and thank you to the officials who ensured the tournaments ran smoothly. Now is a great time to speak with your instructor and start setting goals for 2025 and beyond!

Black Belt Camps

Black Belt Camps have wrapped up for the year with many higher grades enjoying a weekend of specialised karate training with GKR’s top instructors. These weekends are a valuable addition to regular weekly training and provide higher grades the opportunity to train with people they might not get the chance to otherwise. Keep an eye out next year for a Black Belt Camp near you.

Major Achievements

This year, GKR had the honour of assessing and progressing four longstanding and dedicated instructors to very special grade levels. Most recently, Bob McCracken from the United Kingdom and Mark Case from Australia were both graded to their 6th Dan and bestowed the title of Renshi Shihan by Kancho. They join Brett Vanderwiel and David Gugich, who were recognised in our September newsletter, as grading to 6th Dan and Renshi Shihan too. A very big congratulations to all of our Renshi’s on their outstanding achievement.

We also had a number of students grade to 4th Dan and 5th Dan during our end of year black belt grading. Click here to see GKR’s most recent Yondan’s and Godan’s. Congratulations to everyone on their new rank!

Christmas Message

By now, you will have received a Christmas email from Kancho- if you haven’t read this, please take the time to do so as it contains some noteworthy information. If you haven’t seen this email in your inbox, please check your spam folder or click here to read online. Best wishes to our GKR family for a Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.

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Dear Students, Parents and Caregivers,

2024 has certainly been a big year for GKR Karate with some remarkable milestones achieved and plenty to celebrate. For starters, this year represented our club’s 40th anniversary! We’ve come a long way since our humble beginnings in 1984 and I am sincerely grateful to everyone who has contributed to the club’s success and growth over these years.

World Cup 2024

Aside from our 40th Anniversary, we also hosted our biggest ever World Cup in Sydney. It was amazing to watch more than 1400 students competing in the true spirit of karate-do over the 3-day event, and with 4000+ spectators in full voice over the weekend, the atmosphere was truly electric.

GKR Stories

The launch of our ‘GKR Stories’ platform has provided the opportunity for us to share some inspiring stories from within our karate community. From overcoming adversity, achieving personal goals, having the courage to leave unsafe situations and more, we are appreciative of everyone who has already shared their story and look forward to sharing more GKR Stories in 2025. You can view our GKR stories by clicking here.

Stop Domestic and Family Violence Campaign

This year also saw us initiate a partnership with 3 charities and debut our ‘Stop Domestic and Family Violence – Purple Belt Campaign’ raising much needed funds and awareness for an issue that affects countless Australians. The support received for this campaign has helped us donate more than:
$72,000 to RizeUp Australia
$19,000 to Shine New Zealand
£6,000 to Refuge United Kingdom
On behalf of everyone involved, I would like to thank you for your support. You can read about our Purple Belt Campaign and associated charities by clicking here.

Online Academy

If you haven’t already activated your 1-month free trial for the Online Academy, now is the time to do so. With a comprehensive library of tailored Karate and Pilates classes the Online Academy is the perfect supplement to your training – especially if you are going away and not able to attend classes in-person over the holiday period. Click here to start your one month free access (unless you’ve done so already).

December/January Class Timetables

Whilst our last regular public classes for 2024 will be on Friday 20th December, it is likely that we will still be running a reduced class timetable in your area over the Christmas/New Year period. Please speak with your Branch Instructor in December about this reduced class timetable. If you’re not going away over this period, we encourage you to keep up your karate routine during this time to maintain the training momentum you have built. Our regular public class timetables will resume in 2025 from Monday 6th January.

Training Fees

Your direct debit training fee rates are based on an annual fee divided by 52 equal weekly payments (or 26 or 12 depending on your payment frequency). As the formal Christmas break period forms part of this 52 week calculation, please note that your normal payments will continue during this time. Again, we encourage students to not only take advantage of our reduced Christmas/New Year timetable, but to also attend as many extra classes as they can during the January school holiday period.

THANK YOU!

I’d like to express my gratitude to all the students who have maintained a consistent approach to their karate training throughout 2024, as well as thank our dedicated branch and senior instructors. The incredible work they do each week is essential to making our wide range of locations and training days possible across the country. Their commitment to delivering high-quality classes this year has, as always, been exceptional.

Merry Christmas

On behalf of the entire senior instructor group, I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and we look forward to seeing you again in the New Year!

Best wishes,

Kancho Robert Sullivan
Founder & Chief Instructor

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Our October Purple Belt Month saw GKR students wear special purple belts to class in support of our Stop Domestic and Family Violence Campaign. With special seminars and events taking place in Dojo’s across the country, the GKR Community came together in aid of victim-survivors of domestic and family violence and our charity partners ‘RizeUp’, ‘Shine’ and ‘Refuge’.

RizeUp Australia – $72,040.67 raised!

RizeUp is a community-driven organisation dedicated to supporting those affected by domestic and family violence, working in the space of transformative recovery. They have created various networks and programs to connect victim-survivors to specialist services which includes access to therapeutic counselling, support programs for traumatised children, and logistical assistance for those fleeing a violent household. Their flagship program furnishes homes for victim-survivors and their families and helps them re-build their lives after escaping a violent environment.

Shine New Zealand – $19,490.66 raised!

Shine is a leading specialist family violence service provider in New Zealand dedicated to supporting those affected by domestic and family violence. Each year, they help thousands of adults and children who experience abuse to become safer through frontline services and programmes. Shine works hard to address all aspects of domestic and family violence issues, from safety and recovery to providing meaningful support and assistance to everyone.

Refuge United Kingdom – £6,242.50 raised!

Refuge is a registered charity and the country’s largest single provider of specialist support services for those who have experienced gender-based violence (domestic abuse, sexual violence, forced marriage, ‘honour’-based violence, stalking, trafficking, exploitation, female genital mutilation and modern slavery). Refuge supports thousands of women and their children every day, in our emergency accommodation, our community services, and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, which Refuge runs, and which is the gateway to support services across the country.

Thank you for your support in raising valuable funds and awareness with our Stop Domestic and Family Violence – Purple Belt Campaign. The funds we raised with our first round of belt orders will go a long way to helping those in need. We look forward to providing more support with our second Purple Belt Month in February 2025.

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Wow!  What a month it’s been.  We have just held our biggest ever World Cup, including our 40^th Anniversary Celebration and Merch release; saw special new grades awarded to some of our most senior instructors; and completed our very first RizeUp ‘Homes’ project.  Here’s a quick recap for you.

World Cup

With our biggest ever World Cup taking place at Netball Central in the Sydney Olympic Park Precinct – it was great to see everyone competing in the true spirit of Karate-do.  With more than 1440 competitors, the stage was set for some epic showdowns.

We crowned new World Champions, broke competitor records and had an amazing time doing it. Click the button below for a full list of results from the weekend. We also had a fantastic crew of volunteer photographers taking photos at the event and suggest, if you haven’t already, check out the action shots from the World Cup by clicking the button below.

World Cup RESULTS  World Cup photography

Once again, we would like to thank all our officials and management team, and our sponsors; Dependable Strata; 5^th Avenue Jewellers; Sir Properties; Aviso Broking; and Conroy Removals, for their support in helping us make the 2024 World Cup the huge success that it was.

40^th Anniversary

More than 650 people danced the night away with the Party Anthem Band at our 40^th Anniversary Celebration and World Cup After Party.  There was plenty of entertainment for the kids (big and small) with arcade games from Arcade Machines Australia and a photobooth that was kept busy all night. In fact, we’re told that our celebration had the most amount of photos taken on that machine at an event ever…GKR folk are definitely not camera shy!  Complete with a birthday cake and sing-a-long, it was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the end of a very successful World Cup and 40 years of our amazing club.

Our 40^th Anniversary commemorative merchandise previewed at the World Cup and was the talk of the town.  With a sleek design that celebrates our 40 year history, we’re excited to let you know that we have opened orders for our 40^th Anniversary merchandise for a limited time only.  So, if you thought you’d missed out, fear not, we have your back, front and head (and wrist) covered with our limited edition 40^th Anniversary hoodies, tees, caps, beanies and watches! Orders close Sunday 6th October in Australia;  Sunday 13^th October in New Zealand and the United Kingdom and will be available to collect at class in November.  

Order Yours…

Australia click here ; New Zealand click here; United Kingdom click here.

Stop Domestic & Family Violence Campaign

In late July, Kyoshi Gavin and a small team of volunteers met with RizeUp CEO Nicolle Edwards and Business Lead Debbie Kennedy, to participate in a ‘Homes’ set-up.  It was a great insight into the valuable work that RizeUp does and an opportunity for GKR to offer practical support to our charity partner.  Click here to read about the set-up and see some photos from the day. If you are in Australia and would like to volunteer as part of our GKR team in any future Homes projects, then please email us at charities@gkrkarate.com

Purple Belt orders have closed for now and will be delivered to you mid-late September, in time for you to wear to class at the start of October.  We can’t wait to see photos of you in your purple belt shared on social media with the hashtag #GKRPurpleBeltCampaign #GKRCommunity

Okinawa Karate-Do Seminars In Australia & New Zealand

Kancho James Pankiewicz from Okinawa is visiting Australia (QLD, NSW and VIC) and New Zealand (Auckland and Wellington) in September/October to conduct seminars on Okinawan ‘Tomari-Tei’ techniques, kata self defence applications, principles of combat and much more.  For more information on seminar locations and dates, please click here.

Major Achievements

On Wednesday 14th August we conducted a special 5 hour seminar for our senior instructors and their karate leadership teams.  With more than 120 of these key people in attendance, we are proud to announce the progression of a number of these longstanding instructors to special grade levels.

In amongst these gradings were 2 very special recipients, both of whom graded to 6th Dan and were bestowed the title of Renshi Shihan by Kancho.

Special congratulations to our new Renshi’s – Brett Vanderwiel from Victoria and David Gugich from Christchurch (NZ).

Our other special grades were awarded to Daniel Zivanov (5th Dan); Sharon McGregor (5th Dan); Jenna Sinclair (4th Dan); Andrew Howell (4th Dan); Josh Saunders (4th Dan); Neil Boddington (4th Dan); Ray Bettridge (4th Dan). Congratulations to all!

The post GKR News – September 2024 appeared first on GKR Karate.

As you may have seen in our previous post, GKR Karate has partnered with RizeUp Australia for the Australian component of our ‘Stop Domestic & Family Violence’ – Purple Belt Campaign.  We are encouraging students and families to support the campaign by purchasing and wearing a Purple Belt for the month of October, with all profits from the sales in Australia donated directly to RizeUp Australia.

RizeUp Australia has a so many fantastic programs, but the cornerstone endeavor is the ‘Homes Program’ where volunteers assemble to furnish and setup homes for families fleeing a violent household. Each home is tailored to meet individual needs, affirming that victim-survivors are not just escaping violence but are embarking on a new beginning.

Last week in Melbourne Kyoshi Shihan Gavin had the opportunity to participate in GKR’s first ‘Homes Program’ along with four other GKR volunteers – Anita Andersen, Ashleigh Pearce, Michelle Pedder and Luke Carruthers. Our team met up at an empty unit that had recently been allocated to someone who’d spent 4 months lodging in a refuge after fleeing a violent household.

As you’ll see from the photos, the unit looked like a home only 3 hours later thanks to our volunteers and the team at RizeUp Australia.

If you’d like to volunteer as part of our GKR team in any future ‘Homes Projects’, please email us at charities@gkrkarate.com.

To learn more about our ‘Stop Domestic & Family Violence’ – Purple Belt Campaigns in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, please click here.

To support our ‘Stop Domestic & Family Violence’ Campaign and purchase a Purple Belt, please click here.

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Have you heard….?

There’s certainly a lot happening in the GKR world this year as we celebrate our 40^th Birthday as a club and prepare for the fast approaching GKR Karate World Cup. In the last month alone, there’s also been a number of new initiatives launched, announcements made and achievements recognised, so we thought we’d take a minute to catch you up in case you missed some of it.

World Cup Entries

With the World Cup 2024 only five weeks away, the excitement is building in dojos across Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.  We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Netball Central in the Sydney Olympic Park Precinct in August, but don’t forget…entries and merch orders close this Sunday 7^th July.

Click here to enter & purchase your merch

World Cup After Party and GKR 40^th Anniversary Event

At the end of the World Cup on Sunday evening, we will be holding a celebratory after party open to all GKR students and families. The event runs from 5pm to 10pm and will be held at the World Cup venue. Due to catering requirements, all tickets must be pre-booked and the deadline for RSVP is Sunday 28^th July.

Click here for more information

World Cup Photographers – Expressions of Interest

Are you passionate about karate and photography, and have access to a digital SLR camera? Will you be attending the GKR World Cup in Sydney in August?

We are seeking expressions of interest from photography enthusiasts attending the World Cup this year who would like to use their skills to photograph competitors and upload them to our event image platform. We have a limited number of positions available for event photographers with income opportunities available for those photographers selected.

If this sounds like something for you, or, someone you know, please click the link below.

World Cup photography information

Stop Domestic Violence Campaign

In June, we launched our ‘Stop Domestic & Family Violence – Purple Belt Campaign’ and announced our support for the following domestic violence charities; RizeUp in Australia, Shine in New Zealand and Refuge in the United Kingdom.  The support from the GKR community towards this very worthwhile cause has been heartwarming and we look forward to seeing a sea of purple belts in all classes in October.  To read more about our chosen charities and how to order your purple belt, click the button below

Stop Domestic Violence Campaign Information

GKR Stories

We also premiered our first chapter of ‘GKR Stories’ hearing from Josh Nixon and then soon after from Jenni.  Josh and Jenni’s courageous stories have inspired countless people in and out of the dojo, and we are grateful for their willingness to share with us.  If you haven’t seen ‘GKR Stories’ yet, or, if you have your own story you would like to tell, click here.

GKR Stories

TikTok

GKR is now on TikTok!  You may not see your favourite instructor taking on the latest ‘TikTok challenge’ but you will see all the latest GKR content @gkrkarateofficial

GKR Karate on TikTok

Acknowledgements

Lastly, we would like to acknowledge and thank the following sponsors who are supporting the GKR Karate World Cup 2024:

GOLD SPONSORS

The post GKR News – July 2024 appeared first on GKR Karate.

Getting Out Of Your Karate Comfort Zone – It’s A Great Big GKR World Out There

As most students know, GKR is a worldwide organisation, with over 2500 classes weekly across three countries. Yet, with so many training options available, many of us don’t venture further afield than our region, or even our regular dojo. With so much to offer, why do so many of us limit what we experience and why is that an opportunity missed?

The Comfort Zone

A comfort zone sounds like a nice place to be, like a cosy bed or comfy sofa, so, it’s no surprise that we may want to stay in it. Moving out of your comfort zone can create feelings of anxiety and stress, making it challenging to take that first uncomfortable step into the unknown. There’s a certainty about what you’re used to, you can control it and it’s unlikely to surprise you. From a karate perspective, attending the same dojos and training with the same people is much easier and less stressful than trying something new.

If the comfort zone feels so good, why leave?

If it might cause you to feel stressed anxious and a little bit scared, why would you push yourself to do something new and different with your karate? Well, there’s a number of reasons why, which could benefit your karate and other aspects of your life.

• You might find something you like! – In simple terms, we do karate because we like it. Yet, if we’d not stepped out of our comfort zone and attended our first class, we wouldn’t be involved now. The same applies to other experiences. Maybe tournaments, or national seminars seem scary to you, but what if you find that you absolutely love them and can’t believe you waited this long to attend?
• Extend your learning – However great your main instructor or instructors are, there’s always something new to learn. A new instructor may tell you something you didn’t previously know, they may show you a new way to train, or a new way to think about your training. Similarly, training alongside people you aren’t familiar with will help you develop, as you observe their approach to karate and work with them in pairs or groups. It’s also useful to remember that even the most experienced instructors don’t know everything. All teachers, at all levels, have something different to offer.
• You are capable of more! – Pushing yourself to experience things outside your comfort zone is great for your mindset. Taking a leap into something new is an achievement in itself and will give you confidence and improve your self-esteem. In most cases, you will also find that it wasn’t anywhere near as scary as you thought. These experiences also make you better prepared for times when you can’t avoid the nervous situation, such as your karate gradings, or, possibly something more general, such as a presentation at school or work. By taking difficult steps when it is your choice, you are building your resilience muscle.
• Achieve your potential – Maybe you could be a National or World Cup champion, but you’ll never know if you don’t enter your first tournament. You could be an incredible instructor, if only you agree to get involved. Similarly, our lives outside the dojo are full of these potential opportunities that you might miss if you don’t take that first step. Maybe you try and it doesn’t work out, but now you know more about who you are and won’t have the regret that comes with never finding out.

Sounds great, so what can I do?

GKR has so many opportunities to expand your karate horizons and it depends on what you are used to as to what would be your next step. So, let’s start with cross training:

• Find an additional dojo – The simplest and easiest way to push your karate boundaries is to train with different instructors and in different locations. Most regions will have additional classes you can attend with new instructors and students to work with. Visiting a new dojo for the first time can feel a bit like when you attended your first karate class, but just like that, it will be no time at all until it feels comfortable.
• Seminars – You will probably have seminars in your region, focused on kata, tournaments, or self-defence. These are a good place to start. However, GKR also runs seminars in your zone, or nationally. These are a chance to train with GKR’s finest and most experienced instructors, including Kancho, Kyoshi Gavin and Kyoshi Anthony. Seminars provide an amazing opportunity to expand your horizons, with so much on offer and opportunities to learn. Finally, if you are brown belt or above, there’s black belt camp which includes multiple seminars over one weekend and is a great way to meet and train with karateka from multiple different regions.
• Competitions – When it comes to competitions, we all have different views. However, they are an incredible learning experience and if you’ve never done one before, you should definitely try it, at least once. Few things push your kata or sparring forward faster than knowing you will be performing at a tournament. It focuses your mind on analysing and improving your own karate by a certain date. Furthermore, doing your kata and sparring with an audience is excellent training for future gradings.
• Instruct – As a GKR student, you’ve probably passed on your knowledge to others in the dojo at some point. Often this is during kata practise, or partner work. However, helping out formally, as a Sempai or a Sensei, is a great way of reinforcing your karate understanding. There are few things that test your kata knowledge better than teaching it to a room full of students. There will almost always be a question that you hadn’t thought of before, that will require further investigation. In addition, instructing has a host of benefits beyond your own karate, including the pleasure of seeing students improve their own karate.
• Online Academy – Did you know GKR launched an Online Karate & Fitness Academy this year? This gives existing students a perfect opportunity to try a new class with a new Sensei, from the comfort of their home. Eliminating any issues that may arise with extra travel to an additional dojo. There are scheduled live streamed classes available as well as on-demand content which can be viewed at any time. You can join the Online Academy for as little as $5 a week or £10 per month! For more information or to upgrade your existing membership – Click Here

Expanding your karate horizons will improve not just your karate, but also your confidence, mindset and resilience. If you want to push your boundaries, then make a plan now. Don’t wait until the last minute to get involved in a seminar or a competition. Save the date in your diary and get it booked in advance. There’s a great big GKR world out there to experience.

Mike Norton – Senior Instructor, Region 26 UK

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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.

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If your children have been doing Karate for any length of time, you should hopefully have seen the benefits that it brings.

Increased confidence, better listening and improved coordination and concentration are just a few of the positive aspects of training in Karate. And that is without discussing physical improvements such as fitness and balance. 

For many of you, karate may be something that your kids do, along with football, gymnastics, ballet or any number of other pastimes, but it really shouldn’t be. Karate has a lot to offer to parents, and all adults!

Firstly, what other activity do you get to train at the same class as your kids? It’s a fantastic opportunity to have a joint interest, to learn together and to spend time together. 

Sensei Mike Norton and his daughter

Maybe your child has already been doing karate a while. Even better! Let them teach you something for once. Get them to explain how to do First Kata – I’m sure they’d enjoy knowing something that you don’t. And the best bit about training at the same class as your kids…you are going there anyway, so why not stay and train?

So, as adults, what else do we get out of Karate?

The obvious stuff surrounds your fitness, which will improve. So will your balance, coordination and many other physical attributes. 

Many people also find themselves motivated to make improvements outside the dojo, such as improving eating behaviours, reducing drinking, or quitting smoking. All because you know it will lead to improvements in your Karate. That might seem a little unlikely now, but once you’ve got the Karate bug, it is surprising what you will do to progress.

That’s the physical stuff, but what about mental benefits?

For some people, these can be even more significant than the physical ones. Life can be really tough and it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier. We have so many worries and distractions that it is sometimes impossible to switch our brains off. If this is you, then Karate may be your saviour. 

When you train, you focus fully on what you are doing. You give everything to it, both mentally and physically and there is no space to worry about what you’ve got to do tomorrow, or next week or next year, because your only focus is your Karate. 

These breaks from the stresses of everyday life can be vital, and can help with conditions such as depression and anxiety. Also, as an adult, when do we actually learn a new skill, or get to improve or achieve and make ourselves proud? Similarly, how often do we do something that makes us nervous, or pushes our boundaries? 

Yes, there are achievements and special moments in life. Maybe you get a promotion at work, pass your driving test, or knock a few seconds off your best parkrun time – but achieving your next grade, or winning a medal at a tournament is something unique. Particularly when you know how much time and effort you’ve put in. 

Maybe you’ve got some concerns?

You may not be as fit as you would like to be, or maybe you’ve never been good at sport. Lots of people don’t enjoy traditional sporting activities because the focus is on competition, and you worry about letting down teammates. Yet here’s the thing about Karate. It isn’t a sport, it’s a martial art. You don’t have to compete with other people and no one is keeping score. You can’t ever let anyone down, because your only competition is with yourself, to be better than you were last lesson, or last week, or last year. You’re running your own race. 

But what if you do want to compete? Well, that’s covered too as there are regular regional and national tournaments, but it doesn’t have to be the only focus of your training.

Maybe your concerns are different. You might think you are too old or overweight, you might struggle to learn new things, or have disabilities or limitations, but there really is no ‘wrong’ body or mind for Karate. Yes, some may find it easier than others, but classes feature all ages, shapes and sizes. Karate is accessible to every one of them.

The truth is that until you try it, you will never know for sure whether it’s the right thing for you. Maybe you won’t enjoy it, and that’s fine, but maybe you’ll think that it’s great and like the rest of us, wonder why it took you so long to get started.

Sensei Mike Norton, Region 26 United Kingdom

Related articles:

• How Karate Helps Children Build Self Confidence
• Panic Attacked

The post Your kids do Karate – what about you? 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.