Sensei Hanratty offers his thoughts on the recently published letter by Takeshi Oishi, chief instructor of the Japan Karate Association (JKA).

Key quotes by Sensei Hanratty:

“You can’t be proprietary about rules.”

“I don’t think it’s going to do anything for the unity of karate and I don’t think it’s going to do anything for the good of martial arts."

Senseis Hanratty and Otis discuss a wide variety of topics, including:

-Where karate as a whole is at, and where it’s going.
-The three key components of quality of technique, timing, and distance.
-How karate training gives you more options and helps you be more decisive in real-world confrontations.
-Frustrations with kata as performed in sport karate.
-How competition prepares you for situations where you don’t know the outcome.
-The central role of intensity in karate training and competition.

Key quote: “The basics are the most important thing because that’s what happens spontaneously.”

Sensei Otis discusses his tournament experiences and the role intensity plays in training and competition.

Key quotes:

“Normal kids aren’t supposed to make black belt. It’s supposed to be something deep that you ask of yourself."

“The goal is not to get your black belt, it’s to be a black belt.”

Edmond Otis sensei, chairman of the Shotokan International Alliance, discusses his long and storied karate career, which began at age 12 and is still going strong.

What is a karate master? How do we distinguish between the three branches of karate: karate-jitsu, karate-do, and sport karate? What does it mean to attack the intention? What's with all the McDojos out there? Sensei Hanratty discusses all this and more.

Sensei Hanratty discusses the difference between budo and sport karate with Robert Hargreaves, president of the Canadian Shotokan Karate Association (CSKA). They express their views on how karate, in some organizations, seems to be drifting away from traditional methods of training and competing.

Sensei Hanratty discusses the JKA's Funakoshi Gichin Cup tournament, his own experiences as a longtime (former) JKA member, and the issue of "refinement" of techniques. He also explains how everyone has their own way of doing karate and their own reasons for doing it.

Sensei Hanratty continues his conversation with Kevin Warner, 7th Dan, with the two of them reminiscing about past karate camps in the U.S. and Hungary. Sensei Warner describes his successful use of ura mawashi geri (hook kick) in competitions. Hanratty and Warner also discuss the importance of resilience in karate and life.

Sensei Hanratty interviews Kevin Warner, 7th Dan, in Riverside, California. Sensei Warner shares how he became introduced to karate and what it was like in his first years of competing in kata and kumite. This is Part 1 of a two-part interview.