Hanratty on Karate

Sensei Hanratty discusses the most common injuries suffered by practitioners of karate and other martial arts, including how to identify and treat them.

Sensei Hanratty begins this series of episodes about karate instruction by discussing the following:

-What belt to wear when joining or visiting a club

-How he started teaching in the UK and then Canada

-Origins of his instructors' course and Shotokan Instructor's Handbook

-Coaching training he’s done

Key quote: "You ease into instruction through necessity.”

Sensei Hanratty discusses the following:

-importance of looking at the weapon used in each kick

-stretches to help your kicks

-value of using kicking pads

-kicking drills, particularly for front kicks

-when to make kime during a front snapping kick

Sensei Hanratty offers some thoughts on his surprise 80th birthday celebration earlier this month, at which he was awarded his 9th Dan. He also discusses what’s kept him fit and interested in karate all these years, an upcoming trip that some of his students will be taking to Okinawa, a few thoughts on weapons training, and past karate camps he's enjoyed.

Sensei Hanratty, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday and also received his 9th Dan, discusses the following:

-The best way to handle a return to training after an extended break.

-Students who visit dojos other than their own.

-The importance of staying relaxed and fluid during kumite.

-Developing your full physical potential.

Key quote: “Classes are kind of like a living thing.”

Sensei Hanratty is joined by Angus Rogers, chief instructor of Heads of the Valleys Tang Soo Do, based in Wales, for a conversation about the similarities and differences between Tang Soo Do and Shotokan karate.

Recipes Do Not Make Delicious Meals: https://shorturl.at/tvc5K

Angus Rogers' YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HOVTangSooDo

Sensei Hanratty discusses the kata Unsu (cloud hands) – where it comes from, when it came into the Shotokan system, and what it means.

Sensei Hanratty concludes his four-part series on Japanese history by covering the Meiji period, a major period in the dissolution of the samurai class and the Shogunate.

Sensei Hanratty discusses the Edo period, sometimes informally referred to as the "samurai period" because it was dominated by the Tokugawa shogunate, a military government led by the shogun, with the samurai class at the top of the social hierarchy.

Sensei Hanratty also shares three famous revenge stories that illustrate the samurai code.

Sensei Hanratty discusses common misconceptions about karate and other martial arts, particularly as they're depicted in movies and TV shows.

Some questions answered by Sensei Hanratty:

-How long do real fights last?  

-Are high kicks and jumping kicks practical in a street fight?

-Can a 120-pound person defeat someone twice their size, if they have enough training?

-Is it realistic to disarm an attacker who has a knife or gun?

Sensei Hanratty continues his exploration of Japan's past, including an in-depth discussion of the Bushido Code.

Sensei Hanratty answers questions that new karate students, as well as those thinking of starting training, might have. The questions are posed by his former student (and producer of this podcast) Dan Kostka.

Some topics covered:

-The meaning and purpose of formality in the dojo

-Why traditional dojos use Japanese terminology

-Common fears new students might have

Sensei Hanratty goes deep into the past to discuss the pre-historical roots of the Japan that would later give rise to Samurai and eventually karate.

Sensei Hanratty discusses the role of timing and distance in fighting, whether at a competition or in a self-defense situation.

He also covers the following:

-What’s meant by “personal space”

-The difference between stances and footwork

-The different types of "kyo" – the interval when an opponent is vulnerable

Sensei Hanratty continues his discussion of using martial arts in the real world. Some points he covers:

-Adrenaline’s effect on fine motor skills

-What soccer hooliganism and skydiving can teach us about the addictive nature of adrenalin

-How to use the psychology of bullies to your advantage

Sensei Hanratty explains the differences between fighting in the dojo and fighting in the real world. He uses examples of real confrontations he's been in to illustrate his points.

Sensei Hanratty discusses the importance of a proper stretching routine. He covers the benefits and risks of various types of stretching, including static stretching, PNF stretching, ballistic stretching, and dynamic stretching.