Annabelle Bridger,

This week in GKR Stories, we hear from Annabelle and her Mum about why she started karate and the benefits of training with GKR.  Read Annabelle’s story here…

My daughter Annabelle started Karate in October 2022,

We wanted to find an activity for her where she would learn a life skill, and something that would help her confidence and strength.  Annabelle found it very hard to meet new people and stick to activities as our family moved around a lot due to work.

The difference that GKR karate has made for Annabelle and the whole family has been fantastic. We chose GKR Karate as it is supportive of people of all abilities, and families training together.

Annabelle has learnt so much in her time and now she has achieved her 3rd Kyu. It’s been great for her focus, strength and concentration, with her biggest achievement so far attending the World Cup 2024 in Australia. She has a passion for karate and doesn’t miss any events or seminars.

My son has also started karate now. Before he began, he had difficulty with learning, but we’ve seen a remarkable improvement since then. It’s wonderful to see both kids learning together and sharing a common goal.

Annabelle’s Story:

GKR Karate has changed my life and made me more confident.

I started with GKR when I was 11 years old and had just moved to a new area. My dad tried many different clubs to help me, but once I started with GKR I knew that this was the right place for me.

I didn’t have a lot of confidence, but with help from my instructors and making new friends at class, I have come out of my shell over the last few years, and achieved many things.

Once I started, I wanted to try everything that GKR had to offer such as seminars, tournaments and special events. I never thought I was good enough but my instructors, who I look at as role models, encouraged me to go along and give everything a go.

I have now achieved my brown belt, competed in my 3rd UK Nationals where I received a Gold Medal, and the highlight of my GKR Karate journey so far – attending the World Cup in Australia which was a fantastic opportunity not to mention a life changing event.

We want to hear your story

We’re inviting members to reach out to us and share how joining GKR Karate has been instrumental in crafting their personal tales of inspiration, transformation, or courage.

If you wish to share your story or that of a friend or family member, please click here.

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Ravi Ratnam, Australia

This week in GKR Stories, we hear from Ravi Ratnam from Australia.  Ravi lives with a disability and highlights the many benefits consistent karate training has given him. Read Ravi’s story here…

I joined GKR Karate in May 2023, when I was living in Guildford West. I saw students training in the church hall across the road from me, so I decided to give Karate a go.

I live with a disability and Karate has helped me stay healthy and fit while keeping me busy, I do swimming as well. My mind feels fresh and clean and I have developed a good routine by attending classes twice a week and occasionally on the weekend. Like most people, I wish I had started karate earlier.

I have made many friends at GKR and it’s become like a family to me. I believe, and am proof, that a disability can’t stop you in achieving something you want to do.

I have learned Karate moves and Kata’s along my journey and am now a Red Belt. I have a better relationship with family members and friends too. Karate has taught me respect and peace and it has also assisted me in managing my behavioural problems. I am more mature and understanding now than I was before I started with GKR.

I would like to thank my Sensei, Sensei David, for his guidance, willingness, patience and understanding while teaching me and helping me on my journey.

GKR is a great club to join, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn Karate.

We want to hear your story

We’re inviting members to reach out to us and share how joining GKR Karate has been instrumental in crafting their personal tales of inspiration, transformation, or courage.

If you wish to share your story or that of a friend or family member, please click here.

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Jane, United Kingdom

After leaving a violent relationship, Jane from the UK found her confidence grow since starting with GKR Karate.

**Content Warning – this story describes details of Jane’s personal experience with domestic violence**

I was mentally and physically abused by my first husband for 5 years from 1993-1998. My son and I suffered in silence from his bullying, belittling and physical violence. He isolated me from my friends and family and the only people we could socialize with were his friends.

Thankfully, I had good neighbours who would call the police on the bad days, but I wasn’t strong enough to stand up and admit to the police what was happening. I was lonely and not in a good space.

I then found support in a new neighbour who helped me to see my worth and build my confidence. Within 6-12 months I was able to change the locks and kick him out but then the phone calls started at all hours of the night threatening me and my family.

I made it through that period in my life with support from my friends, but it wasn’t until I very reluctantly joined GKR Karate that I found my confidence grow exponentially.

With the support of my peers, I worked hard and progressed through the early grade levels and am now a Brown Belt! I never imagined I’d have the self-confidence to face sparring/kumite and potentially get hit again (although I do still struggle with this at times but I’m getting there). I have competed in tournaments and won a Gold medal in kumite which is something I am proud to have achieved after overcoming my fears.

There are so many things that I never thought would be possible without the support from my Sensei’s and friendships that I continue to enjoy today.

Thank you GKR and everyone I have met along the way. Your support has been greatly appreciated.

‘Smiling not Crying’

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence and needs to talk with someone call 1800-RESPECT (1800 737 732) in Australia, 0508 744 633 Shine Helpline in New Zealand or 0808 2000 247 for the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline in the United Kingdom.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger call 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand or 999 in the United Kingdom.

We want to hear your story

We’re inviting members to reach out to us and share how joining GKR Karate has been instrumental in crafting their personal tales of inspiration, transformation, or courage.

If you wish to share your story or that of a friend or family member, please click here.

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Ashlyn Hunt, Australia

Ashlyn Hunt tells how training with GKR gave her purpose and a supportive community to keep her going through her hardest days.

For most of my school years, I was bullied, mainly for my weight, but also just for being different. It crushed my confidence. I avoided speaking up, never saw myself as strong, and honestly didn’t believe I had much to offer.

I started GKR Karate to get moving and feel healthier, but it quickly became so much more than that. In the middle of my karate journey, I was diagnosed with a medical condition called a prolactinoma, which is a type of pituitary tumour. The medication I was put on made me feel terrible, constantly tired, foggy, and emotionally drained. It would have been easy to give up, but karate kept me grounded. It gave me a routine, a purpose, and a supportive community to keep me going through the hardest days.

Training helped me gain physical strength, but even more importantly, it gave me back my confidence, and the bullies became nothing. Their words no longer had power over me. I realised how far I’d come, mentally and physically.

Now I can lead classes with over 30 students and deliver speeches in front of crowds, something the old me would have never imagined. I’ve become stronger, healthier, and proud of who I am.

To anyone struggling: get angry, be frustrated, be upset, it’s okay to feel that way. But channel those emotions into your training. The progress will be better than you can imagine, and you’ll feel better after every session. Yes, it’s hard right now, but it does get better. Don’t give up. Believe in yourself and your instructors—GKR has your back.

We want to hear your story

We’re inviting members to reach out to us and share how joining GKR Karate has been instrumental in crafting their personal tales of inspiration, transformation, or courage.

If you wish to share your story or that of a friend or family member, please click here.

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Mike Minshall, United Kingdom

Living with chronic health conditions and mobility issues, Mike decided to give karate a go and hasn’t looked back. Read Mike’s GKR Story here.

After watching my son Tyler for 2 or 3 karate classes I was encouraged to give it a try by Sensei Carol and even though I had some mobility issues I thought “Why not?”

I saw karate as possibly another form of physiotherapy to help me to stretch and move more but was concerned about the impact it would have on my long term conditions. I live with hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, anxiety and depression and used a walking stick to provide support and stability around the house and outside.

Since starting my karate journey almost 3 years ago, I have reduced my reliance on walking aids and improved my mobility, strength and endurance while gaining the confidence to join the Senior Class.

The friends that I have made and the discipline required in my karate has really enabled me to tackle issues with a more positive state of mind and of course, with better physical health to help fight the ongoing chronic conditions that I live with.

Thank you to my Sensei’s for their words of encouragement and support and the whole of Region 22 who have contributed to my improvement both physically and mentally.

We want to hear your story

We’re inviting members to reach out to us and share how joining GKR Karate has been instrumental in crafting their personal tales of inspiration, transformation, or courage.

If you wish to share your story or that of a friend or family member, please click here.

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Online Academy – Philippines

The GKR Online Karate and Fitness Academy allows students from across the globe to learn karate. This week in GKR Stories we hear about a dedicated group of students from the Philippines who are achieving great things training with the Online Academy.

It’s just before 5pm on a Thursday afternoon in Alfonso, Cavite in the Philippines, and a small group of dedicated students are warming up in their local church in preparation for their weekly online GKR Karate class.

These students have been turning up for months to be taught Karate by Sensei Edwin Delos Reyes who lives in Australia and takes the GKR Online Karate and Fitness Academy Thursday online class.

“I’m excited to teach every Thursday because of the kids I’m training…..they are focused and willing to learn new things,” Edwin says of the students in the Philippines.

In casual clothes, the kids bow-in and start their warm-up, their location may be remote but just like the many thousands of other GKR students around the world, they are helping Kancho Robert Sullivan realise his dream of ‘Karate for everyone’.

It all started in October 2023, Renshi Jan Lopez and his family visited the Philippines for a holiday. Jan’s Aunty is the Pastor of a church there, so Renshi Jan and his family organised a free class for the church kids and adults. Since then, there has been continued interest in the community and a real hunger to learn karate.

Just like students that attend in-person classes, our students in the Philippines learn the basics of karate and can progress to their next grade level. With online gradings recently taking place, this group of students in the Philippines were the first to train and grade exclusively online with the Online Academy.

Every week, the students enjoy learning new skills and the benefit of increased strength, agility and focus that karate offers.

International Senior Instructor for the Online Academy, Renshi Jan Lopez, recently decided to donate some of his gently worn belts, uniforms and protective equipment to the students in the Philippines. In true karate fashion, when Jan’s students heard about this, they followed his lead and chipped in to help support their fellow karate-ka in another country.

“I was sending them a bunch of my old mitts, gloves and pads. At the same time, I thought there might be others in Region 4 in the same boat who’d want to donate their old karate gear too – we’re now sending two boxes of karate equipment over,” Renshi Jan said.

The students in the Philippines are a great example of how our online karate training options can break down traditional barriers to access, spreading the benefits of karate where it might otherwise be inaccessible, passing knowledge on, and building a truly global GKR community.

It’s also allowed our club to reach students in parts of the world where we don’t currently have physical classes.

We want to hear your story

We’re inviting members to reach out to us and share how joining GKR Karate has been instrumental in crafting their personal tales of inspiration, transformation, or courage.

If you wish to share your story or that of a friend or family member, please click here.

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Kancho Robert Sullivan recently travelled to New Zealand to host 4 seminars for GKR Karate students and instructors in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton.

Over 800 students in total attended the seminars, enjoying the opportunity to train with Kancho and gain insight and wisdom from the founder of our club.

While Kancho was in New Zealand he had the honour of being presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award, by Hanshi Dennis May, President of the International Goju Ryu Karate Association, at the conclusion of the Auckland seminar.

“I’ve known of Dennis May for many years as a top Karate person in New Zealand who is so very highly regarded, and it was an honour to be presented with the award in front of around 377 students in Auckland.

“There’s a sense of pride or appreciation on a personal level that comes with the (Lifetime Achievement) award,” Kancho Robert Sullivan said.

The award recognises Kancho’s outstanding contribution to Karate in Australia and worldwide over the past 60 years while also acknowledging his vision, leadership and teaching that has inspired countless people over the years. To remember the days as a 17-year-old kid, just starting off training, where to get a green belt was like ‘wow’. You then keep training and learning year after year, and before you know it, you’re a 1st Dan. When I think about this and then compare it to where GKR is today, it is quite surreal.” Kancho said.

“GKR has always been totally independent and has never been afraid to break down barriers and chart it’s own course. I also know that an organisation is nothing more than an extension of people and the attitude of people within that organisation. Every person is one brick in the building and adds strength to the building – including our students. Everybody gets to build this club which is in the spirit of what GKR is.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award highlights Kancho Sullivan’s commitment to Karate and his dream of ‘Karate for everyone’ which continues, to this day, to be a driving force behind the success of GKR Karate.

“Two sayings which I like and that I remember from early on are, ‘For things to change, you have to change’ and ‘You can give more than you’ve got because you could become more than you are’. I think these are good to remember and strive towards” Kancho said.

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Marg Jarvis, Australia

Marg Jarvis started with GKR at 64 years of age, 17 years and countless accomplishments later, Marg shares her story in this week’s GKR Stories here.

I started karate with GKR in 2008 without any prior martial arts experience. I had been living on 10 acres of bush with my husband doing a lot of manual labour, and when we moved into town all of the exercise stopped.

I’m not one for going to the gym, and one day there was a knock on the door. It was Sensei Naomi asking if anybody would be interested in learning karate. I thought learning self defence might be a good idea and it might give me some exercise at the same time. So that’s how I joined GKR Karate at the age of 64.

I have gained so many benefits from doing karate, physical strength being one. Although I have lost quite a bit of my strength in the last couple of years due to health problems, my strength gained through karate has allowed me to do many tasks I would not have previously been able to do.

I had a doctor say to me once, “Oh my goodness, they’re not the arms of a 70 year-old woman” – well, that’s karate for you.

Aside from the physical side of things, the mental stimulation and friendships have also been beneficial for me.

My first instructor Cindy introduced me to the State Team. A couple of us started going on a Sunday afternoon and kept it up for many years, and I always worked hard doing all of the activities. These days, I do push ups against the wall because I have so much trouble with my neck and legs. Cindy and I still catch up as she lives close by.

When I moved to Geelong two years ago, one of the things that made it easier was the fact that I was moving close to friends from my days of training in the State Team. I have stayed in touch with instructors from Ballarat too and still count them as very close friends.

There are many highlights from my journey. I won gold at a World Cup as an orange belt, participated in the Guiness Book or Records board breaking, and getting my black belt at age 74 and Shodan at 78 were all exciting. Another highlight was a young lad at class who struggled with joining in. I worked with him a lot, and when I left Ballarat to come to Geelong he gave me a lovely card and a keyring that he chose and bought himself. It just said ‘grateful’ – that makes me cry even now just thinking about it.

I am not sure how much longer I will be able to keep up with classes as I have arthritis in my back that is pressing on nerves. I want to continue, not just for the exercise or the challenge but for the friendships, and to continue helping in the kids’ classes.

I’m nearly 82, so physically I can’t do what everyone else is doing all the time, yet they are all so understanding and accommodating. There’s been occasions over the years where I’ve attended class sitting on a chair doing punches.

My advice for others is to give it a go. Success doesn’t necessarily mean winning medals, I’m very proud of my medals, but that’s not what it’s about, and it’s not all about getting the next belt. Karate is about your personal development and your own sense of achievement.

We want to hear your story

We’re inviting members to reach out to us and share how joining GKR Karate has been instrumental in crafting their personal tales of inspiration, transformation, or courage.

If you wish to share your story or that of a friend or family member, please click here.

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Dear Students and Families,

Each year, we aim to cast our attention towards a specific community issue with a view to raising both funds and awareness for the cause. As strong advocates for non-violence and anti-bullying, we have developed a partnership with a major charity that assists people experiencing domestic violence.

Shine is a leading specialist family violence service provider dedicated to supporting those affected by domestic and family violence in New Zealand. Each year, Shine directly helps thousands of adults and children who experience abuse to become safer through frontline services and programmes.

Last year, we raised an astonishing $20,000 with our ‘Stop Domestic & Family Violence’ – Purple Belt Campaign and I am pleased to announce the second year of our partnership with Shine through our ‘Stop Domestic & Family Violence’ – Purple Belt Campaign for 2025.

Please join us and show your support for this campaign by pre-ordering online, a specially designed purple belt – a colour universally recognised as representing domestic violence awareness. We have also designed 2 different t-shirt options to help raise additional funds. The purple belt and/or t-shirts can be worn to class for the month of October to show your support!

ORDERS HAVE NOW CLOSED

All profits from the sale of our SDFV items will be donated directly to Shine to support families in emergency refuge and the community, promote the Shine Helpline, and provide resources for their KIDshine and non-violence programmes.

We are confident that continuing to align ourselves with such a worthy cause will help to reinforce GKR Karate’s core values whilst also doing our part to provide aid where it is desperately needed.

To read more about the amazing work Shine does go to www.2shine.org.nz  

Gavin Samin
Assistant Chief Instructor
GKR KARATE

Click Here to View NZ Support Services

Click Here to view our 2024 fundraising results

Click Here to donate directly to Shine

The post GKR Karate New Zealand – Stop Domestic & Family Violence Campaign appeared first on GKR Karate.

Dear Students and Families,

Each year, we aim to cast our attention towards a specific community issue with a view to raising both funds and awareness for the cause. As strong advocates for non-violence and anti-bullying, we have again chosen to support a major charity that assists people experiencing domestic violence.

Refuge is the largest specialist domestic abuse organisation in the UK which supports thousands of survivors to overcome the physical, emotional, financial and logistical impacts of abuse and rebuild their lives.

Each year, Refuge directly helps thousands of women and their children who experience abuse to become safer through their frontline services and programs. Refuge works hard to address all aspects of domestic and family violence issues, from safety and recovery to providing meaningful support and assistance to victim-survivors.

Last year, we raised £8,000 with our ‘Stop Domestic & Family Violence’ – Purple Belt Campaign and I am pleased to announce the second year of our fundraising in aid of Refuge through our ‘Stop Domestic & Family Violence’ – Purple Belt Campaign for 2025.

Please join us and show your support for this campaign by pre-ordering online, a specially designed purple belt – a colour universally recognised as representing domestic violence awareness. We have also designed 2 different t-shirt options to help raise additional funds. The purple belt and/or t-shirts can be worn to class for the month of October to show your support!

ORDERS HAVE NOW CLOSED

Profits from the sale of our Purple Belts and T-Shirts in the UK will be donated directly to Refuge to assist with their refuge accommodation, community outreach support, independent advocacy, culturally specific services and support for children.

We are confident that continuing to align ourselves with such a worthy cause will help to reinforce GKR Karate’s core values whilst also doing our part to provide aid where it is desperately needed.

To read more about the amazing work Refuge does go to www.refuge.org.uk

Gavin Samin
Assistant Chief Instructor
GKR KARATE

Click Here to View UK Support Services

Click Here to View Our 2024 Fundraising Results

Click Here to donate directly to refuge

The post GKR Karate UK – Stop Domestic & Family Violence Campaign appeared first on GKR Karate.