being vocal in class

[sweeper]

Think of it as an outward expression of your (fighting) spirit. It's not just a noise. It's YOU

I guess mine would be silent than.. I would be the knife you didn't see comming

 

[Yari]

Originally posted by sweeper
I guess mine would be silent

Ahh, the quite silent type ....

Well some like it with noise others dont

/Yari

 

[James Kovacich]

Originally posted by Chronuss
I've been around a lot of people that actually say the word...and it really starts to get annoying... it's sopposed to be a large exhalation of air using the diaphragm to expel the air out of the lungs along with all the toxins in the body and to release endorphines...saying the word just doesn't do that for me.

That is was what I was saying. I think for a new student, its OK to teach them to yell. But its the instructors job to guide the student and to not let the "saying the word Kiai" get out of hand. Unless that is just how they do it in their school.

But I would expect that most instructors know by what level they expect certain things out of their students and the kiai would be one of them.

 

[Chuck]

It's a "spirit shout" to some, in our school the instructor asked me why we shout during a technique. That's what I answered and he said "Yeah, but it also tells me that you're still breathing".

We don't practice any specific word, just a loud, sharp exhale.

 

[KenpoGirl]

Originally posted by Kirk
Also, the louder you kiai, the less a punch to the stomach or
chest will hurt.

Kirk, I'd have to differ with you on this a bit. It's not the loudness of the kiai that help absorb the punch but the process of tightening the abs when you kiai that does. (I know this is pretty obvious)

The point I am making is that I've seen Gou and Roland and others submit to punches and strikes with the stick in Systema seminars, and they make very little noise. They do though expell air at ever strike. So you can still be silent and condition yourself against strikes.

just my 2 cents.

:asian:

 

[Kirk]

Originally posted by KenpoGirl
Kirk, I'd have to differ with you on this a bit. It's not the loudness of the kiai that help absorb the punch but the process of tightening the abs when you kiai that does. (I know this is pretty obvious)

The point I am making is that I've seen Gou and Roland and others submit to punches and strikes with the stick in Systema seminars, and they make very little noise. They do though expell air at ever strike. So you can still be silent and condition yourself against strikes.

just my 2 cents.

:asian:

No argument there ... that's what I do too. But it was that bit
of advice that taught me how to tighten my abs without making
much noise.

 

[KenpoGirl]

Originally posted by Kirk
No argument there ... that's what I do too. But it was that bit
of advice that taught me how to tighten my abs without making
much noise.

I agree. :asian:

 

[karatekid1975]

Originally posted by KenpoGirl
Kirk, I'd have to differ with you on this a bit. It's not the loudness of the kiai that help absorb the punch but the process of tightening the abs when you kiai that does. (I know this is pretty obvious)

I agree. I don't kihap either. I get yelled at for not doing it, but what's the point? I can get the same effect without a kihap. I got kicked in the stomach by a red belt during a drill last week. I tightened my stomache real quick, and it didn't hurt. He was suprised, because I didn't kihap. We ended up having about the same strength (I'm female, by the way ). We like partnering up together because we can go hard and not hurt each other. He uses a kihap to get the same effect, but I can do it without it.

 

[Nightingale]

personally, I tend to only kiai when it's natural...

If I'm going all out on a technique, I kiai without thinking about it. However, in class when throwing punches from a horse, that seems kinda silly.

We don't say kiai... we say "ice" or "oos" or "hih" and its a short, sharp burst that comes from a quick exhalation based on clenching muscles found in the diaphraghm.

what that actually means is that when you kiai, you need to abruptly tighten the muscles directly below your ribcage. Make an L shape with your thumb and the rest of your hand... (put your four fingers together, flat, and your thumb sticking out at a right angle) and then put the end of your thumb right over the zyphoid process (the little bone where the two sides of your ribcage meet at the bottem of your solar plexus) so your thumb is vertical and the rest of your hand is flat on your abdomen. your palm is now over your diaphraghm. clench these muscles abruptly. that's what a kiai should feel like.

eventually kiais will come naturally since they serve to add power to your technique. However, everyone, especially females, tend to feel silly for the first year or so, until you realize that everyone else looks just as silly as you do, so you just laugh it off and join the club, and then kiai starts to work for you, and then it doesn't feel silly anymore.

 

[Cruentus]

It has to be natural. Unfortunatily, it is hard for it to be natural when one is self-conscience. That is why I suggested getting used to the sound of your own loud voice in privacy, to help strip away some of the self-conscienceness. Then it'll be easier to be natural, and for one to start to really understand the purpose of the Kiai.

 

[rachel]

Thank you for all your responses. It's a help to know why we do it. For added strength in our punches. We don't have to kiai all the time. He likes to hear breathe and power in our movements. I'll practice at home and try to be more vocal in class and tighten those abs too.

 

[rachel]

My regular teacher is on vacation and one of thr black belts is doing his class. She is great! she's very helpful. She put music on tonight to work out to. That's something my teacher has never done. It really helped me yell out during the kicks and punches.If she keeps that up then when my teacher comes back and does the class with no music I should have no problem breathing loud oor yelling.

 

[MartialArtist]

Originally posted by rachel
I just can't seem to get loud in class. Yelling kiai, etc. I have a problem letting it out. any suggestions? I had to do the 1 pinion for my test and I was making the sounds because I had to but not too loud. Hearing myself alone was very distracting knowing all could hear and were watching.

I don't make those kiai sounds. I might let out a grunt or some other noise that's instinctive... Concentrating on suppressing it hurts your performance and takes your mind off what you're doing.