This week in GKR Stories, Michelle shares how starting karate at 10 years of age has had a lasting impact on her life.

GKR Stories – Michelle Seth

Michelle Seth, Australia

This week in GKR Stories, Michelle shares how starting karate at 10 years of age has had a lasting impact on her life.

I first discovered GKR in 1999 at age 10 in Region 2, Blacktown, when two members knocked on our door and offered my older brother and me the chance to join an after-school sport. While my memories from those early days are few, one moment has stayed with me—breaking a board with an open-hand strike. I trained for just over a year and then stopped, but karate never truly left me.

Growing up, I didn’t have many friends, yet karate gave me something powerful: confidence, empowerment, and a sense of control. Karate taught me discipline, teamwork, and self-belief long before I fully understood their importance.

That pull brought me back to karate at age 19, this time in Wollongong, Region 17. Training in school halls, I was deeply impacted by my Sensei—firm, strict, and incredibly inspiring. Even today, she still leaves me in awe when I see her.

I graded to red belt and won gold medals and National Tournaments, before life paused my training again with the arrival of my first child. Another decade passed, but GKR remained part of who I was at heart.

At 34, I returned for a third time, knowing this was something I could never truly walk away from. While it has taken 26 years to reach 2nd kyu, my karate journey has followed me through every major milestone of my life, made possible by GKR’s “Karate for Everyone” philosophy.

In the past year, my commitment has deepened significantly. I now train multiple times a week, I became an instructor myself, and two of my children train alongside me. With my black belt goal firmly in sight, the greatest gift karate has given me is resilience, confidence, and belonging. I now strive to be the instructor who inspires others, just as I was inspired as a child.

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.

Why GKR Karate?

GKR creates the right environment for our members to train in. Although we promote self defence and fitness, our style also fosters positive values, confidence, discipline, focus and well being. GKR teaches you not only how to punch and kick, it teaches you to be a better person.

We encourage students of all ages, from all walks of life to join our club and be part of the supportive ‘family’ that is GKR Karate.

Self Defence

Synonymous with martial arts, self defence and inner self confidence are one of the key takeaways from regular training. From the age of 5 GKR teaches basic self defence and extraction moves, continuing right through to our senior grades.
Weight Loss

Karate is a great way to lose or maintain a healthy weight, with most classes consisting of aerobic, stretching and toning activities. For those who may not have exercised in some time, GKR provides a supportive environment where students can train at their own pace and physical ability. Our classes are a mixture of men, women and children of all ages.
Focus

Many parents are keen to see their children develop greater focus and discipline through their martial arts training, and GKR’s classes provide the perfect environment. Instructors teach in a respectful and supportive atmosphere through karate inspired games, activities and drills.

Family

GKR promotes a family environment, encouraging kids, parents and relatives to all train in the same class. Staying a few karate grades behind your children, will encourage them to continue a regular training program.
Respect

As a traditional Japanese martial arts, karate promotes respect to our instructors, our club, each other and most importantly ourselves. This is a key part of your learnings as a student of GKR karate.
Friendships

Although karate is considered a solo sport, it is still the foundation for many life long friendships. Classes include games and partner work where children and adults alike take the opportunity to learn about and bond with their fellow class mates.