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.

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

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.

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.

As we enter 2024,  you may find yourself reflecting on past New Year’s Resolutions. Were you able to meet, or even exceed your goals last year? If so, fantastic! If not, don’t despair because you’re far from alone.

According to U.S. News & World Report, 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February, with less than 10% of people ever achieving their annual goals.

Why do New Year’s Resolutions fail?

The main reasons people abandon their resolutions are:

• Goals aren’t specific enough
• Unrealistic or unachievable expectations
• Poor planning
• Impatience
• Not ready to change

How can you make lasting resolutions?

In a blog post for Harvard Health, Marcelo Campos, MD explained that answering five specific questions can help you get on the right track to achieve your goals:

1. Why do you want to make the change?
2. Is your goal concrete and measurable?
3. What is your plan?
4. Who can support you as you work toward change?
5. How will you celebrate your victories?

We’ll explore these questions in more detail below.

Why do you want to make the change?

Explore your true motivation for making the resolution. Are you doing it “just because”, or do you have a compelling reason to keep yourself on the right track?

Sure, your goal might be to get fit but focusing on the reasons why might help you actually get there. Do you want to trek across the Himalayas? Keep up with the grandchildren? Be beach ready by next summer? Imagining what your life would be like after you’ve made the change can be a strong motivator for making new habits stick.

Is your goal concrete and measurable?

Make sure you’re setting SMART goals for yourself. SMART goals are:

Specific: What will your resolution achieve? What outcome are you hoping for?
Measurable: What does success look like to you? How will you measure your progress, and how will you know when you’ve accomplished your goal?
Achievable: Is your goal actually within your reach? What resources do you need to get there?
Relevant: Why are you doing this? Is your resolution relevant to your life purpose, and is it a priority in your life right now?
Timely: What is your ideal target date? How will you know if you’re on the right track?

Examples of SMART Goal Setting:

Goal: I want to learn Italian
SMART Goal: I will listen to my Italian lessons for 30 minutes after dinner on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to improve my Italian

Goal: I want to lose weight
SMART Goal: I’m going to replace fizzy drinks with water from Monday to Friday to reduce my calorie intake

Goal: I want to get rich
SMART Goal: I’m going to invest 5% of my monthly salary in a high interest account to save money

Goal: I want to run a marathon
SMART Goal: I’m going to follow the C25K running program for three months to increase my stamina

What is your plan?

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin

Be realistic with your resolutions. If you’re trying to introduce a new habit, make sure you define how much time you’ll need to dedicate to the change, and what time of the day/week/month you’re going to do it.

Perhaps there things you can prepare before you even begin your resolution. Are you trying to lose weight? Make sure all snacks are replaced with healthy options before 1 January. Trying to quit or cut down on drinking? Remove or reduce the amount of alcohol in your house.

Write your goals down on a calendar, or on a post-it note stuck in a highly visible location.

Maybe there’s an app that can easily help you track your progress? Check out the 5 best habit tracking apps of 2019 as listed by Time Magazine.

Who can support you as you work toward change?

A 2015 study on procrastination by Dr Gail Matthews from the Dominican University of California showed that participants who shared their goals were more likely to achieve them.

Matthews found that more than 70 percent of the participants who sent weekly updates to a friend reported successful goal achievement (completely accomplished their goal or were more than half way there), compared to 35 percent of those who kept their goals to themselves, without writing them down.

Depending on your resolution, it may be helpful to enlist the help of a friend, family member or colleague. Letting other people know about your goals can help keep you accountable, and therefore more likely to achieve them.

There are also many Facebook groups filled with like-minded people who can support you on your journey.

How will you celebrate your victories?

If you’re constantly focused on the end goal, it can be easy to feel discouraged if your progress plateaus.

Define your milestones, and celebrate them by treating yourself to something you enjoy that won’t contradict your resolution. For example, if your ultimate goal is to lose 15kg, reward yourself with new workout clothes when you hit the 20% mark. Trying to quit smoking? Treat yourself to a teeth whitening session when you’ve been nicotine-free for 2 months.

Enjoy the journey

Keeping a New Year’s resolution is a marathon, not a sprint. You may not see much, if any, progress in the early days but with persistence and perseverance you can achieve your goals.

If you stumble, don’t give up or be hard on yourself. Relapses are learning opportunities. Reflect on what went wrong and how can you can prevent it from happening again.

January 1st is just another date in the calendar, and tomorrow – whenever that may be – is a new chance to start afresh.

Related articles:

• Goal Setting by Kancho Robert Sullivan
• New Years Resolutions and the Power of Change
• Procrastination a Problem

The post Tips For Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions appeared first on GKR Karate.

Returning to karate training after an absence of any length can feel intimidating.

Life can throw a lot of curveballs, and sometimes it’s difficult to find the motivation to get back into training after facing personal challenges, illness, injuries or other setbacks.

Finding the motivation to return to the dojo after a break, especially when you have other commitments and responsibilities competing for your time and energy, is challenging.

Read on for tips to help you get back on the mat and rediscover the benefits of karate.

Start slowly

Getting back into the habit of training can be tough, especially if you haven’t been active for a while. Gradually increase the intensity of your training sessions as you build more strength and stamina.

You may find it helpful to go back to basics and review the fundamental techniques (kihon) to regain muscle memory and refresh your knowledge.

Remember to be patient and give yourself time as you ease back into your karate training routine.

It’s important to listen to your body. Don’t be afraid to take short breaks or scale back your training if you’re injured or unwell.

Seek additional support

Have realistic goals and ask for guidance from your Sensei or Sempai to ensure you are training safely and effectively. They can help you review techniques and concepts you may have forgotten and offer encouragement and support to assist in your return to training.

Our Online Dojo also contains an on-demand library of Kata videos that can complement your in-class training.

Set achievable goals

Setting achievable goals is important when returning to karate training after a break.

Consider your current fitness level and any physical limitations you may have.

Set short-term goals that are attainable within a reasonable amount of time, such as mastering a specific technique or increasing the number of push-ups you can do without a rest.

Starting with small, achievable goals can help you stay motivated and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. Progress may not always be linear – modify your goals to suit your current abilities and needs.

It can also be helpful to set long-term goals, such as earning a particular belt or participating in a tournament.

Celebrate your victories

As you return to training, celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how big or small. Recognising your achievements and reflecting on your progress helps maintain your motivation and a positive outlook towards your karate training.

Acknowledging your growth can give you confidence to continue working towards your goals.

Focus on the present

It’s natural to compare yourself to your previous performance levels, but try to stay focused on your current progress – what you can do today. It’s okay if you’re not at the same level as you were before your break. The most important thing is that you keep moving forward.

If you’ve been away from training for an extended period of time, you might find that you’ve forgotten some techniques and concepts. You may feel frustrated by this, but your instructors are committed to helping you reach your full potential, so don’t be afraid to reach out to them for support.

Train with a friend or family member

Training with others can be a great way to stay motivated and accountable. You’ll have someone to encourage you and push you to keep training, even when you don’t feel like it.

Karate is different from many other sports and activities, because families can train together if they wish to. Karate training as a family is a fun and enjoyable way to share a common interest, learn new skills and build stronger family bonds. Our classes offer a great workout and teach practical self-defence skills to people of all ages and abilities.

Change it up

If you’re feeling burnt out or discouraged, try starting a new training program or switching up your routine. Sometimes a change of scenery or a new challenge can be just what you need to get back into training. Try out a new GKR Karate dojo near you, or train on a different day.

Returning to karate training after an absence can be a challenge. But with the right mindset and approach can also be incredibly rewarding.

If you’re considering getting back into karate, don’t hesitate. Find your nearest dojo, attend your next class, and continue your karate journey today!

If you recently received an email from us, make sure you use the links provided in the email to reactivate your membership and continue your karate journey. We look forward to welcoming you back to the dojo soon!

The post Overcoming Challenges of Returning to Karate Training appeared first on GKR Karate.

International Day of People With Disability (IDPWD) is a United Nations-observed day celebrated annually on the 3rd of December. 

IDPWD aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities, and celebrate their achievements and contributions.

Approximately 18% of Australians, 24% of New Zealanders and 21% of the UK population are living with a disability.

GKR Karate classes are non-contact, safe and fun, focusing on the physical and emotional development of each individual student, making it the perfect activity for people with disabilities!

Benefits of Karate

Balance, coordination, strength and motor skills

From a fitness perspective, the techniques practised in karate involve the use of every available muscle and bone in the body. This helps to develop balance, agility and coordination.

By learning moves through repetition, reflexes will improve and reaction times will increase. Stability and coordination will also develop over time. 

Concentration and self-control

Attention is key in karate. A single kata can have dozens of different movements, but these are taught gradually – repeating and adding steps. 

Students must stay focused on the kata in order to learn and retain the patterns. Over time, students learn how to pay attention to small details such as knuckle position, or the angle of the feet. 

Learning how to pay attention to these details improves mental and spatial awareness, keeping students more sharp, focused and improving your attention span. 

Self Defence

Single karate techniques which allow for quick and flexible movement can be effective in real life situations. Karate training sets out to develop instinctive habits that can be used in real-life confrontations. 

Confidence & character development

As karate is an individual activity, students can develop at their own pace with no pressure of letting others down. When students see themselves becoming more skilled, coordinated and fitter week after week, their self-confidence grows. 

Earning a new belt every time a student reaches the next grade helps to boost self-esteem and motivation. 

By constantly breaking preconceived mental and physical barriers, students learn the power of persistence. 

Social skills

Our classes foster an environment where friendships are easily formed through shared goals and interests. Whilst karate is an individual activity, the team environment of classes is social and interaction is constant, providing students with a sense of belonging.

With increased exposure to social interactions in a small group of like-minded people in class, students can become more comfortable in social settings outside of the dojo.

Why GKR Karate?

GKR Karate is an inclusive club that caters for people of all abilities, backgrounds and ages – hence our slogan “Karate for Everyone”. You can read the stories of some of our students and instructors who are living with some form of disability in previous issues of Shimbun magazine:

Brain Haupt – Master of the Dark Arts

Brisbane-based black belt Brian talks of his experience in learning karate after losing his eyesight during early adulthood. 

“When I am hearing, I don’t just use my ears, I use my feet as well. Depending on the flooring in the dojo I can sometimes feel their movements through the floor and if they are breathing heavily it helps me to work out where they are.” – Brain Haupt

Harry Simms – Confidence Kick

Dyslexia is a learning disability which affects approximately 10% of the population. Harry, who is now 16, joined GKR at 6 years of age and immediately took to the sport. 

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

Bill Terry – Back from the Brink

Despite only having one fully functioning lung and a “leaky” heart valve, GKR Karate Instructor and black belt Bill successfully graded to Shodan-Ho in 2020. 

“If you have nothing to focus on then nothing will happen and you will stagnate. I figured I’d never be going back to karate but I had to imagine that one day I might so I could aim my recovery towards it – whether or not I fell short didn’t matter, I just had something to aim for.”

If you’re not already a GKR Karate member, head over to our Locations page to find your nearest dojo!

The post Benefits of Karate for People With Disabilities appeared first on GKR Karate.

We all want to live a more energised, healthy existence. And while I observe so many people work hard and apply self-discipline to their training and diet, there is often one simple yet fundamental area holding them back – breathing. I write this article hoping to inspire in you an appreciation of the importance of correct breathing.

Breath-taking For Granted

As with most things freely available to us, we tend to take the important business of breathing for granted. After all, it’s a simple process of inhale; exhale. It costs nothing, the supply is seemingly endless and it requires little to no effort. In fact, we even do it in our sleep! Sadly, only when it’s impaired by pollution, unwelcome odors, age or ill health do we start to show concern.

We can survive weeks without food and days without water, but life is only possible for a few minutes without air. The connection between life and breath is very close and breathing is our most important biological function.

I imagine some of you are saying, “But I already know how to breathe, I’m alive aren’t I?” True, but few realise that we don’t just breathe to stay alive; it also plays a significant role in the quality of our life.

Habitual Breathing

If you only ever breathe habitually (let your body do it without any extra thought), studies suggest that you’re only ever filling your lungs to about one-third of their capacity. Habitual breathing is very shallow. Permanently operating with a one third lung capacity means that oxygen is not transported effectively through our body.

To give you a crash course in the importance of oxygen, it does not just enter and leave the lungs (known as external respiration). Oxygen is also transported throughout the body via the bloodstream, unlocking the doors of energy cells. This is known as internal respiration or tissue breathing.

The more our lung capacity is used, the more oxygen enters and moves throughout our bloodstream. This equates to clearer thinking, less stress, minimised chance of acquiring illness or disease, greater energy and overall better health.

For habitual breathers, good news comes your way if you exercise. During exercise our lungs fill to about two-thirds capacity so for those brief periods, you’re unlocking more doors to energy cells. It doesn’t require a brain surgeon to realise that optimal health comes from filling your lungs to their full capacity. So, how do we do this?

The Conscious Breath Of Life

There is only one-way to fill your lungs to full capacity and gain the numerous health benefits: by engaging in conscious, deep breathing.

The process is quite simple; take a deep breath in through the nose (your stomach should expand, not contract when breathing in). Hold your breath for three seconds, then exhale through the mouth as slowly and as silently as you can. Again, count to three before taking the next breath.

You obviously can’t do this all day. Begin practicing conscious, deep breathing whenever and wherever it occurs to you – in the shower, driving the car, at work, at home, just whenever you remember to.

Start by taking 10 deep breaths three times a day, and aim to improve the length of each breath. Only when we have learned to fill and empty our lungs in the way nature intended, will we find improved health in our life.

When beginning to breathe correctly, you may find the inhalation a little short and unsatisfactory and the exhalation hard to control. You may even experience brief dizziness. This is because your body is unaccustomed to having oxygen in rich supply.

Yes, when you’ve been deprived for so long you can have too much of a good thing! But don’t worry, like anything, you will get more accustomed to practise.

The Importance of Breath Control

Humans have known about the importance of breath control for thousands of years.

The great Yogis and Sadhus of India, the Lamas of Tibet, the Holy men and great Sages of China would take to the mountainous regions for meditation and self-development. It is no coincidence that all of their physical and spiritual achievements began and ended with the harnessing of the air around them.

Unfortunately, not everyone has access to mountaintops or the ocean. However, there are truly amazing benefits to draw from the air around you, whatever your location or circumstances. Breathing costs nothing and requires no equipment or training partner.

So now that you have the knowledge, the question is: “What are you going to do with it?” It’s something so easy to do, yet equally, something easy to neglect or shrug off. I pray I’ve inspired you enough to start a new habit of conscious, deep breathing each day from today onwards.

By Sensei Peter Durrant

See also:

• Breathing to Reduce Stress at Better Health Channel
• Breath Control Helps Quell Errant Stress Response – Harvard Health

The post The Art of Breathing appeared first on GKR Karate.

Shimbun, GKR Karate’s official club magazine, meets the miracle man who fought to return to the dojo having stood at death’s door.

With fewer than one percent of every 1,000 people who start out in karate going on to grade to Shodan-Ho, the statistics have always been stacked against Bill Terry becoming a black belt.

However, betting against the Brisbane-based karateka achieving his dream would be unwise, given the 52-year-old’s remarkable track record of defying the odds. Bill’s history of confounding the medical profession is particularly impressive, given doctors were convinced death was more likely than a return to the dojo for the then-3rd Kyu in 2010.

Having already been forced to hang up his gi a couple of years earlier as a consequence of coughing up blood every time he exerted himself, Bill believed he was finally on the road to recovery when he went under the surgeon’s knife to investigate the cause of his alarming symptoms.

The operation revealed that a severe infection had spread through the brown belt’s right lung and into his chest wall, causing the two to tear whenever he exercised. With cancer ruled out, part of one lung removed and the infection supposedly banished from his chest, Bill was sent home to convalesce – but soon found himself back in hospital and fighting for his life.

Unbeknownst to Bill and his family, the infection had returned with a vengeance and a coughing fit tore the pulmonary artery from his heart, resulting in massive internal bleeding.

“I remember sitting on the edge of the bed and feeling a warm gush of blood in my chest and thinking ‘something has gone wrong’, which of course turned out to be a huge understatement,” the father of three told Shimbun.

“I tried to keep myself relaxed as I knew that if I panicked, I’d be dead, whereas if I kept my heart rate slow, I would stand a better chance of surviving until an ambulance got to me. I just went into survival mode.”

Thanks to the efforts of his son, Jay, and partner, Zita, Bill was kept from slipping into unconsciousness. But the arriving paramedics struggled to find sign of a pulse and he was rushed to hospital under police escort.

With the right-hand side of his chest completely flooded with blood, the former member of the Queensland State karate squad conceded that what unfolded next was tougher on his loved ones than it was him.

“I recall passing out as I got to hospital and thinking that I’d reached my end,” he said. “It was horrible for my family because after an hour-or-so of me being in theatre they were told by the surgeon to prepare for the worst as it was highly unlikely I would make it off the operating table. The medics had already lost me a couple of times and I’d been clinically dead.”

Miraculously, 14 hours later Bill did leave theatre, but the prognosis shared with his family was still particularly bleak. Put into an induced coma, there remained doubts over whether he would wake up and concerns that, even if he did so, he could be in a vegetative state. And when he did regain consciousness it was clear that Bill still faced a long and difficult road to recovery.

“I could only remember certain people, I couldn’t speak and I had no hand-eye coordination,” he added. “I was pretty much a baby and had to learn everything all over again, including how to walk. I went into hospital weighing 105kg and relatively fit and came out three months later weighing just 52kg – I was a skeleton with a skin covering.”

Although physically unable to look after himself for the best part of four years, Bill’s thoughts often returned to karate. He decided to use the pain of missing out on his martial art as a means of motivation.

“My health was my prime concern but there was not a day that went by that I didn’t wish I was back in class,” he explained. “I really, really missed karate and the people who I trained with.

“When I reached 3rd Kyu, and not realising I would end up sick, I’d bought an embroidered black belt to give me something to focus on through the stages of brown belt. Three years into my recovery I remembered I had that belt and, although it sounds corny, I put it where I could see it every day.

“If you have nothing to focus on then nothing will happen and you will stagnate. I figured I’d never be going back to karate but I had to imagine that one day I might so I could aim my recovery towards it. Whether or not I fell short didn’t matter, I just had something to aim for.”

Seven years after putting one foot over the threshold of death’s door and with his health and strength returning, the prospect of pulling on a gi again became increasingly difficult for Bill to dismiss. Indeed, as soon as he was able to cast aside his walking stick, his mind was made up and he returned to train alongside old friends within Region 10 despite only having one fully functioning lung and a “leaky” heart valve.

“It was scary,” he added. “I consider myself a ‘pusher’ and like to see how far I can go, so decided to go back as a brown belt and sink or swim.

“It wasn’t easy – I thought I’d been through some tough times but returning as a 3rd Kyu and expecting my body to be able to do what it could before brought a new definition to pain. The first few months really hurt.”

Against his own expectations, Bill has continued to hone his karate. Thanks to the endeavours of Sensei Rowan Cassidy, Alex Plummer, Josh Nixon, Matt Plummer, Reagan Crowther, Nikki Arthur and Kelvin Trembath – he can once again contemplate the day he is able to tie his long-ago purchased black belt around his waist. Predictably for a man who refuses to be beaten, the 1st Kyu insists that grading to Shodan-Ho will not be the final chapter of his GKR Karate story.

“Far from it,” he said. “I am absolutely loving my karate, the people, and getting to train alongside my daughter Patience and partner Zita. It’s brilliant – we love our instructors and fellow students. I keep telling people that GKR Karate is less of a club and more of a family. You are not just a class of strangers. We have a ritual after training on a Wednesday night that most of the class will go to Hungry Jack’s and spend another couple of hours together having a gasbag, talking like idiots and having fun.”

Such simple pleasures are something Bill rightly savours.

“Even now waking up of a morning is not a guarantee, so I make sure I enjoy whatever I’m doing,” he said. “Some people may look at me and think that I don’t appear to be having much fun as I tend to be a bit reserved, but trust me, I am enjoying life to the absolute max on the inside because I don’t know if I’ll get to do things again.”

And Bill’s lust for life and determination to grade to black belt have the full blessing of his wife.

“We’ve been given a second chance and not everyone gets that,” she concluded. “We could either sit back at home and feel sorry for ourselves or grab the bull by the horns and see what happens. And that’s what we’re doing.”

This article originally appeared in Issue 2 of Shimbun Magazine. Got some catching up to do? 

For individual back copies or for details on how to subscribe, email shimbun@gkrkarate.com

The post Back From The Brink appeared first on GKR Karate.

When you’re injured, it can be all too easy to gain weight because you can’t get your body moving properly. A broken foot, sore knees, torn hamstring or bad back are all things that might keep us from not only karate training, but other exercise.

Don’t despair! There are plenty of things you can do to prevent extra weight gain while you’re recovering from injury.

Cut the calories

Active people tend to have healthy appetites, which is not a concern as they are able to burn off their calorie intake with physical activity. If an active person is injured, they may face a challenge maintaining their weight because they don’t adjust their eating habits accordingly.

Consider decreasing your portion sizes and cutting down on your snacking for the duration of your injury. If you’re really struggling to cut out the snacks, look for healthy alternatives like seeds, fruit and nuts.

Avoid drinking empty calories like soda when you’re thirsty. Try hydrating with low calorie beverages such as water with fruit, or a cup of tea.

Get moving

The dojo (or the gym) isn’t the only place to burn calories. Depending on your type of injury, you may consider alternatives to your normal routine. Activities such as yoga, biking, weights, swimming or resistance training are all great replacements.

Park further away from your workplace so you walk more every day. Consider taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or do a lap of the block in your lunch break. All of the extra moving minutes add up, and every calorie you burn counts.

Performing karate techniques while sitting or lying down can also burn calories, as well as keep your technique in check!

Create a meal plan

It can be tough to make healthy choices after a long day at work. By creating a meal plan for the week ahead, you’ll remove the guesswork from your daily meals. This means you’ll also remove the temptation to stop for fast food on the way home, or to fill yourself up on cheese and crackers as soon as you walk in the door.

Prepare as much of your meal as you can in advance (or enlist help from family members) so that everything is ready to cook when you get home.

Standing is good for you

A 2013 study by Dr John Buckley from the Department of Clinical Sciences and Nutrition at the University of Chester showed that simply standing can burn around 50 calories (209kj) an hour.

Dr Buckley calculated that working at a standing desk for three hours a day will burn an extra 144 calories (602kj). In a year this will equate to more than 30,000 calories (125520kj), or eight pounds (3.6kg) of human fat.

Prolonged sitting is also linked to higher blood pressure, blood sugar problems, and an increased risk of heart disease, among other health issues.

If you are really too sore to do any exercise, simply try standing while you’re talking on the phone or watching TV. You could do ironing, dishes or other household chores while watching your favourite shows!

In conclusion

Clearly, the more active you can be during your daily life, the better. However, it’s important to also make sure you also use this time to heal and take care of your mind and body. You might even end up coming back stronger and fitter than before your injury!

Related articles:

• Learn about the benefits of stretching in Don’t Just Stretch for Kicks
• Tips on dealing with arthritis in Playing Through Arthritis
• Find out how you can increase your willpower in How to Conquer Cravings

Cover photo by Scott Broome on Unsplash
Secondary photo by Brandless on Unsplash

The post Preventing Weight Gain with Injuries appeared first on GKR Karate.

Issue 3 of your new-look magazine will hit homes and dojos from December 16th and is packed full of features on GKR Karate members from across the globe.

In addition to the regular rundown of gradings and training tips, Shimbun sheds some light on what it’s like to have your sister as your Sensei, meets the student with a hidden disability who refuses to hide in the dojo and discovers blindness is no barrier to getting your black belt.

The latest edition also includes exclusive interviews with best-selling children’s author Chris Bradford and film director Kenneth Mercken; family-friendly nutrition advice; and a report on the editor’s long-running battle with beetroot!

Pre-order issue 3 now to have a copy delivered direct to your door for £5 (UK) or $14.50 AUD.

Click the links below to order:

• Order Shimbun in the UK 
• Order Shimbun in Australia 

Readers in New Zealand and the USA should email shimbun@gkrkarate.com

The post Shimbun Issue #3 Out Now appeared first on GKR Karate.