GKR Karate

07/10/2026

The belt only covers two inches of your waist—what you put under it is what counts. 👊✨

​Huge congratulations to everyone who stepped up for grading at Quedgeley on Sunday 4th October. Seeing everyone's dedication translate into technical growth and sharper focus is what it's all about.

​Every class, every pad drill, and every rep builds the foundation. Keep showing up, keep pushing your limits, and let's keep raising the standard together!

​check out the grading results, and let's flood the comments with support for our karateka! 🥳

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08/09/2026

What a fantastic Sunday grading! 🥋🔥

​Huge congratulations to every single student who stepped onto the mats, pushed past their limits, and earned their new grade. From our newest yellow belts taking their very first grading steps to our advanced ranks progressing further down the path, the hard work and dedication on display were incredible.

​Grading day is always a proud moment for our dojo family, and seeing the focus, spirit, and support across all age groups made this one extra special.

​Swipe through to see the highlights, action shots, and official results! 📸

​Be sure to drop a congratulations in the comments for all of our successful candidates! 👇👏

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30/08/2026

Sensei Trev doing Sensei Trev things - enjoying being a crash test dummy at black belt camp this afternoon with Senior Zone Instructor Sensei Leke

30/08/2026

Catching up with social media after a hectic summer of getting FTD operational, the World Cup, and BB Camp! 🥋✈️

​What an absolute WEEKEND! We want to send a massive congratulations to all the students from Region 34 who traveled to Telford to compete in the GKR 2026 World Cup from July 24–26. You completely blew us away with your sportsmanship, hard work, and camaraderie!

​As a region, we came away with an incredible 23 medals in total, giving it our absolute best in the ring:

​🥇 9 Gold
​🥈 10 Silver
​🥉 4 Bronze

​A special shoutout to our students who took home massive, shiny trophies in the fiercely contested Black Belt Open divisions:

​🏆 Ava Neno – World Champion!
​🏆 James Yarker – World Champion!
​🥈 Tom Huggins – Silver!
🥉 Ollie O'Shaughnessy - Bronze!
🥉 James Yarker (2nd trophy) - Bronze

​Whether you stepped onto the podium or fought your heart out on the mats, the instructor group are beyond proud of every single one of you.

​📸 Were you there? Drop your highlights, photos, or videos in the comments below—we’d love to see them!

25/08/2026

🔥 WEEKLY LEADERBOARD REVEAL! 🔥

​A massive shoutout to our Gloucester students who absolutely smashed their training last week (week ending 23.08.2026)! 🥋💪

​The dedication lately has been unreal. Leading the charge with an incredible 8 classes is Ayla Handley-Nazarali! 🏆

​Incredible effort from everyone else on this list too—hitting 6 to 8 classes in a single week takes massive commitment! 🥊

​Who is aiming to make the leaderboard this week? Let us know in the comments below, and let’s keep that momentum going. See you all soon! 👇🥋

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24/08/2026

Yvonne started karate with her son to give him the confidence she missed as a child. 21 years later and in the midst of cancer treatment, the thought of returning to karate keeps her on track.
Read Yvonne’s GKR Story here: https://www.gkrkarate.com/articles/gkr-stories-yvonne-cooke/

04/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who made the 2026 World Cup an unforgettable tournament. We can't wait to see you at the next one!

Just a reminder:
📸 Photos from the event are now available to purchase from our official event photographers Quick Pics: https://www.quickpics.co.uk/site/gkrwc2026

🏆 Head to our website to view the full tournament results: https://www.gkrkarate.com/tournaments/2026-world-cup/

30/07/2026

What an incredible weekend!
The very best of GKR Karate competitors came together in Telford UK to showcase their skill, determination and spirit at the 2026 GKR Karate World Cup.

Every student who stepped onto the mat represented themselves, their dojo and GKR Karate with pride. Their sportsmanship and outstanding performances made their families, friends and Sensei incredibly proud. A huge congratulations to every competitor, official, volunteer and supporter who helped make this event such a memorable success.
Thank you to everyone who made the 2026 World Cup an unforgettable tournament. We can't wait to see you at the next one!

📸 Photos from the event are now available to purchase from our official event photographers Quick Pics: https://www.quickpics.co.uk/site/gkrwc2026

🏆 Head to our website to view the full tournament results: https://www.gkrkarate.com/tournaments/2026-world-cup/

26/07/2026

🏆 Championship Sunday is here!

The final day of the 2026 GKR Karate World Cup is about to get underway, with our World Champions set to be crowned.

🕘 Need the timetable or event information?
Head to GKRWorldCup.com for the latest schedule, venue information and other event FAQs.

🎥 Livestreams

* Roaming livestream will be available commencing at 10:30am, bringing you action from around the venue.

* Fixed ring livestreams available this afternoon, featuring the Female and Male Opens finals.

Watch all livestreams when operating will be available here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com//streams

Good luck to all competitors - we can't wait to see an incredible final day of competition! 🥋🏅

25/07/2026

🏆 The 2026 GKR Karate World Cup is officially underway in Telford, UK!

Over 1,000 competitors from around the world are coming together across three action packed days to compete, connect and celebrate the spirit of karate.

📅 For live schedules, event information and answers to frequently asked questions, head to GKRWorldCup.com.

📸 Don’t forget to share your favourite moments using for the chance to have your photos featured in our official event album!

24/07/2026

We are excited to announce that we will be streaming the 2026 GKR Karate World Cup LIVE and FREE on our YouTube channel!

This allows our global community to join in and witness the premiere event on the GKR Karate International calendar.

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OFFICIAL STREAMING DETAILS

There will be 3 streams to choose from over the weekend – 2 streams covering the open female and male divisions, and a 3rd stream capturing action from around the arena.

WHERE?
Via our official YouTube channel. Subscribe to our channel via the link below to be notified when streams go live.

COST?
Absolutely FREE!

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IMPORTANT NOTICE

Protect Yourself from Fake Accounts and Streams

While we celebrate this exciting event, we want to ensure your safety and security online. Recently, we have identified numerous fake accounts, groups, and profiles on Facebook that are attempting to impersonate GKR Karate and promote fraudulent streams, or sell fake spectator tickets.

Key Points to Remember:

No Friend Requests from GKR:
GKR Karate will never send friend requests on Facebook. If you receive a request from an account claiming to be us, please block/report it immediately & inform any fellow GKR members you see interacting with these profiles for their safety.

Official Streams:
The only legitimate streams of the World Cup will via our YouTube channel. Any promotion asking for payment to view the streams is fraudulent.

Stay Informed:
Head to our official World Cup website https://gkrworldcup.com/ - for all event information including a live timetable, competitor information and other FAQ’s

We look forward to making this event accessible to everyone. If you can’t be at the event, we look forward to seeing you online!

https://www.youtube.com/live/DQZ-Bqz4Rqs?si=EDPfU8pI8piIAAQr

Roaming action from the 2026 World Cup. This stream will cover act...

22/07/2026

We often see many ‘different’ ways of bowing during Karate.
Are you guilty of any of these?...

14/07/2026

Sensei David Mogford was recently featured on WIN News Canberra. Watch below as he shares the importance of self-defence education for young girls and how it helps build confidence, awareness and practical skills.

09/07/2026

In mid-June, several of our Queensland, New South Wales and Victorian senior group volunteered to complete a Homes set-up with our charity partner, RizeUp Australia.

RizeUp provides all the practical items needed for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence to make a fresh start, including furniture and other household items that help transform empty houses into homes.

When each of our GKR teams arrived at their location, they were greeted by a RizeUp driver, an empty house and a truck filled with flatpacks and homewares. The teams set about unloading the truck, assembling the flatpacks, making beds, filling pantries and carefully decorating the space. This included fitting out children’s bedrooms and providing them with the materials needed to start at a new school.

After 4+ hours of work at each location, the transformation from house to home left a lasting memory for all involved. With the knowledge that a family would be entering their newly furnished home in the coming days, each team member took comfort in knowing that they had helped create a new beginning for someone in need.

We are incredibly grateful to RizeUp for the work they do and for the opportunity to be involved in their Homes program. We also appreciate the amazing support shown by all of our students and instructors who participate in the Stop Domestic & Family Violence Purple Belt Campaign. Your involvement means a lot, not only to RizeUp and the families they help, but also to GKR Karate as a whole.

If you would like to volunteer with RizeUp to help setting up Homes, information can be found here https://www.rizeup.com.au/volunteer

05/07/2026

WORLD CUP ENTRIES CLOSE TODAY!
This is your opportunity to become a World Champion – Don’t miss out!

To enter visit: www.gkrworldcup.com

19/05/2026

Sunday mornings done right at Stroud! 🥋☀️

​Our training weekend wrapped up with an absolute blast at Stratford Leisure Centre, led by the dynamic duo Sensei Topsy and Sensei Mark.

​Sensei Mark set a fun, high-energy tone for the first hour! The squad kicked things off with a fast-paced game of "catch the tail noodle" for a warm-up before moving into partner blocking drills—testing reactions at every speed. 🛡️⚡️

We also put in some solid repetitions on our core stances (Zen) moving forward and back, locked in some focus work with kick shields, and sharpened our Kata.

​For the second hour, Sensei Topsy took the reins! The video highlights show the culmination of the morning: moving into some brilliant Ju Kumite (free sparring) after building up our timing and confidence safely throughout the class. 🥊💥

​Fantastic control, focus, and spirit on display from all grades!

​Join the Sunday Squad:
📍 Where: Stratford Leisure Centre, Stroud
🗓 When: Sunday Mornings

​Who was your training partner for those partner drills or sparring sets? Tag them below and give them a shout-out for pushing you! 👇👊

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19/05/2026

Instructor Spotlight: Sensei Gareth Chambers ✨

​Bringing precision, power, and plenty of spirit to the dojo every single week. 👊🥋

​Catch him leading the charge:
📍 Tuesdays: Q-Club, Quedgeley
📍 Wednesdays: Stratford Leisure Centre, Stroud

​Can you sum up Sensei Gareth’s classes in just THREE words? Let’s see them in the comments! 👇

15/05/2026

Mid-week motivation at Stroud Leisure Centre! 🥋🔥

​Wednesday nights are always a powerhouse session with Sensei David Hughes and Sensei Gareth "G-Dawg" Chambers.

​Last night, the focus was top-tier! Our lower grades and brand-new white belts got stuck into reaction drills and mastering Mawate turns using noodles and pad work. 🛡️⚡️

Meanwhile, the higher grades shifted gears into advanced combinations and high-intensity Kumite prep.

​Whether you're just starting your journey or refining your tournament skills, there is a place for you here.

​Train with us in Stroud:

🗓 Wednesdays: Stroud Leisure Centre (Sensei David & Sensei Gareth)
🗓 Mondays: Stroud (Sensei Trevor)
🗓 Sundays: Stroud (Sensei Topsy & Sensei Mark)

​Excellent spirit from everyone involved! 👊✨

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11/05/2026

Commitment looks like this. 🥋⚡️

Check out some highlights from Saturday's Black Belt assessment seminar at Hednesford! A group of our dedicated Gloucester students and instructors spent the day refining their technique and proving their readiness for next month’s gradings.

Huge shoutout to those putting in the extra hours:

Sensei Claudiu & Vlad Beres
Sensei Trevor Smith
Sensei Mark & Tom Phillips
Sensei Damian Redwood
Sensei Nikki Boulton
Sensei Ava Neno
Sensei Adrian Thursfield
Jon Williams
Martin & Luke Anderson
Natalia Sadowska
Tom Huggins

It’s inspiring to see our senior grades leading by example and pushing themselves to the next level.

Next stop: Grading! 🥊💨

Drop a "🥋" in the comments to wish them luck!

11/05/2026

Success is a choice, and these 10 students chose to put in the work! 🥋📈

​A massive congratulations to our Gloucester Weekly Leaderboard toppers for the week ending 10th May. With an incredible 45 classes available every week across our region, there are endless opportunities to sharpen your skills.

​Whether you’re in Kingsway on a Monday, Cheltenham on a Friday, or Quedgeley on a Sunday, the mats are waiting for you.

​Our Full Weekly Schedule:

🗓 Mon: Kingsway, Linden, Bishops Cleeve & Stroud

🗓 Tue: Quedgeley, Churchdown & Cheltenham

🗓 Wed: Linden, Brockworth, Warden Hill, Stroud & Dursley

🗓 Thu: Brockworth

🗓 Fri: Kingsway, Hucclecote, Cheltenham & Dursley

🗓 Sat: Quedgeley & Cheltenham

🗓 Sun: Quedgeley, Churchdown & Stroud

​Who’s aiming for the Top 10 next week? 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️

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