Thank you for visiting our web site. We appreciate that you have taken the time and made the effort to find out more about us. Hershey Karate is a private academy (not taxpayer or corporate supported or funded) which provides instruction in traditional Okinawa Isshin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo for adults and youth 11 years of age or older. We are located 1 ˝ mile East of the Hershey town square at 1132 East Chocolate Avenue (US-422).
Our training academy [Jp, dojo] has been in continuous existence for about 40 years. Its roots go back to 1956 Okinawa and 1960’s America, when the earliest pioneers planted the first seeds of karate in the continental United States.
Our goal is to preserve and promote the fighting traditions of Okinawa. Classes are operated in a relaxed manner with an emphasis on mutual respect, safety and enjoying the process of learning an authentic martial art. We do not participate in tournaments or other competitive events, and in general we do not spar. Our training environment is non-competitive, with each member working not only to improve personally, but to help the other members improve as well. What we teach is not a sport, but a method of fusing the mind and body together to better ourselves in daily life, and to achieve peace of mind.
Okinawa is the birthplace of Karate. According to Okinawan sources, Karate is now in more than 150 countries and includes 50 million participants. Although sports Karate is popular, there is a difference between traditional and competitive Karate. Okinawa traditional Karate is a way of old style Karate, including traditional form practice methods, weapon skills, and hand combat skills training.
The program offered at Hershey Karate is based on the Okinawan traditional Karate style of Isshin-Ryu, which translates in English to “One Heart Way.” Isshin-Ryu is a comprehensive close combat martial art which includes strikes, throwing and joint techniques.
Isshin-Ryu as a martial art provides self-defense skills for the real world. Isshin-Ryu is grounded in solid basics, fundamental motions and stances that are more profound than elaborate, more practical than theoretical. Every knowledgeable self-defense instructor will explain that elaborate or highly specialized techniques are the first thing abandoned in a fight. Isshin-Ryu's development of technique and strategy empowers a smaller person to equalize circumstances on the street, while capitalizing on the bulk of larger students. Isshin-Ryu concentrates on the effective, not the "sport" aspect of karate. Techniques for close in fighting and striking vulnerable areas translate into the common sense of self-defense: survival first… “Rather than worrying about winning, think about not losing.” Karate Master Gichen Funakoshi’s 12th Principle of Karate-Do.
In 1964, Isshin-Ryu founder Tatsuo Shimabuku visited the American residence of Jack Sipe and promoted him to Black belt. Shimabuku personally signed the certificate which was the first Black belt promotion that he made in the United States. Mr. Sipe’s teacher was Richard Keith, who had been trained by Shimabuku in his Okinawa Dojo.
Robert J. Hanula is the teacher [Jp, sensei] of the Hershey Karate Dojo. He is a direct student of Sipe, having trained directly under Sipe’s tutelage in Sipe’s Dojo. He is a third generation practitioner of Isshin-Ryu Karate with 39 years of experience. His direct lineage is Jack Sipe, Richard Keith, and Tatsuo Shimabuku.
Classes meet on Monday and Thursday evenings:
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Adult & Family |
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm |
An optional class is available on Wednesday evenings:
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Adult & Family |
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm |
Please contact us at 717-469-0881 or by email at RJHanula@aol.com to make an appointment to observe a class
