Glen started karate in Queensland before moving to remote South Australia and switching from in-person to online classes.

GKR Stories – Shaun Jewell

Shaun Jewell, Australia

Shaun Jewell from Queensland shares with GKR Stories this week how he started karate with his son following a serious car accident. Read Shaun’s story here.

I have been a fitness professional for over 3 decades. What people don’t realise though is that I was involved in a major car crash in 2007 which put me in intensive care. I was in the ICU for just under a week with a fractured neck, bleeding on my brain and many other injuries which took me more than 12 months to recover from.

I had to give away competitive rugby and touch rugby which was a huge part of my life. Within seconds, the sports that I loved had been taken away.

My neurosurgeon told me that if I hadn’t been so fit and healthy at the time of the accident, there was a high chance that I would not have survived the bleeding on my brain.

It took a few years to get back on my feet and the pain from my accident will never go away, but my mind is stronger than ever. The hardest part in my recovery has been learning to live with chronic pain and fatigue on a regular basis. My approach to a healthy mind and healthy body has certainly helped with my recovery though.

A few years after the accident, my wife and I saw a GKR Karate demo in a shopping centre and our son Jackson decided to give it a go. Jackson started karate first, and 12 weeks later I decided to join in too, and the rest as they say is history. Jackson is now 8 years old and a blue belt and I am a green belt. I’ve found a new sport, a love of learning new skills and an activity that I can do with my son and my wife comes along and supports us at all of the tournaments and some of the training sessions too.

We have both competed in tournaments in Queensland and have won gold medals for kumite, creating memories that we both will treasure forever.

I live with pain daily but am so happy that I am moving more and my son and I are having fun at karate. We really enjoyed classes and competing in tournaments and participating in an activity we both enjoy doing together. We love GKR Karate and we are just starting our journey.

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.