About Sensei Sheryn Gung
"I cannot think of a better role model for my teenage daughter." - H.K, Girl Instinct Mum
Sensei Sheryn Gung holds a third degree black belt (3rd Dan) in Goju Ryu Kakurin-Kan Karate-do. She is also one of only a handful of women in the world to be awarded Completion in the Art of Balintawak Arnis Cuentada (Filipino stick-fighting) under Grand Master Bobby Tabaoda's lineage. Sensei Sheryn also enjoys practising Nei Jia Chinese Internal Martial Arts: Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Ba Mu Zhang and Ba Gua Zhang.
Sensei Sheryn started her martial journey in 1994 after months of encouragement from her Dad. "Stop playing Street Fighter," he used to say to her, "and go to the dojo." Despite her initial reluctance, she never looked back once she joined Goju Kai with her siblings (both Dan ranks). Around the same time, Sensei Sheryn started to study personal development and became intrigued with Oriental philosophy and wisdom, which, over the years, evolved into spirituality.
After just two years of intense karate training, Sensei Sheryn began coaching children’s classes under the supervision of her instructor. In that year, she also took up Arnis Filipino stick-fighting, first with Modern Arnis before converting to Balintawak. Unlike her path in karate, Sensei Sheryn didn't take naturally to Balintawak - and it would be twenty years of training on and off before she would grade for Completion (equivalent to black belt).
Since 2006, Sensei Sheryn has had the privilege of training directly under Kyoshi James Sumarac in Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Ba Mu Zhang, Ba Gua Zhang and Traditional Goju Ryu Karate. Kyoshi James, 8th Dan, is a highly revered and consummate martial artist and martial arts instructor in Australia, Asia, Europe and the U.S. (His own instructor was the revolutionary Hanshi Ohtsuka Tadahiko, 9th Dan). With Sensei Sheryn's keen interest in philosophy and subtle energies, her understanding and practice of traditional martial arts has expanded considerably since training with Kyoshi James. Having trained with revered masters, Sensei Morita and Hanshi Noguchi (Japan), she was graded to 3rd Dan in 2014. A couple of years later, Sensei Sheryn finally graded for Completion in Balintawak under the tuition of her instructor (and husband), Sensei Ross McDonald, and overseen by the world-renowned and legendary Grandmaster Bobby Taboada (Fillipines, USA).
With Hanshi Noguchi and Kyoshi James
With Shihan Shou Mei Sumarac, Kyoshi's wife
With Sensei Ross and GM Bobby Tabaoda
Along with decades of experience in the martial arts, Sensei Sheryn is a qualified and highly experienced therapist of Shiatsu and Oriental Therapies, and Spiritual Coach. She draws international clients and is a former teacher at the Australian Shiatsu College. Sensei Sheryn is also a qualified personal trainer, and has a police check and Working With Children Check.
Sensei Sheryn is also a writer, TV presenter and engaging speaker. Her upcoming trilogy is Happiness is an Empty Teacup. With Toffee Studios, she is pitching heartfelt, thought-provoking documentaries centred on martial arts. Furthermore, Sensei Sheryn had the honour of editing and providing creative overview to The Living Bubishi, only the third English translation of the Bubishi, an ancient and sacred martial art text that is referred to as "The Bible of Karate". (The Living Bubishi is written by Kyoshi James Sumarac and Sensei Richard Kay, and is both a tribute to and translation of Hanshi Ohtsuka's Bubishi).
With Master Tseng of Taiwan, Master of White Crane Kung Fu
When Blitz martial arts magazine was still in publication, Sensei Sheryn edited Kyoshi James' articles before they were published. Her own martial art articles were also featured in Blitz, where she delighted in synthesizing principles, techniques and ideologies across her disciplines.
Sensei Sheryn has spoken and presented at schools, Rotary events, natural health associations and International Women’s Day. In her downtime, she enjoys creating raw desserts, vegan and vegetarian cooking, painting, yoga, and most of all, going on adventures with her family: Ross and their daughter, baby Alaya.
