Yells in forms

[TigerWoman]

Okay, my instructor and I are having a discussion about yells. We used to do a kiap that sounded like a sharp aihhh. He started teaching everyone to say pow. Yup, it sounds to be like the Pow! Bang! Bap! in days of Batman cartoons. He says this is a Korean word. But I have put in all variations in a Korean-English database and come up "not a word". Anybody know this and what it means? What do you yell--the sound?

Also, he said Pow means victory. We say Pil Sung in our opening for class. I learned it as "second to none". Now, I learn from the internet, it means victory. I found multiple references to that. So if any one knows the spelling of pow and what it means, I would appreciate knowing. TW

 

[shesulsa]

have you tried different spellings? Like 'peo', 'pao' and such? My link to an online Korean to English dictionary is not available right now.

 

[TigerWoman]

Thanks Shesulsa. Yes, I've tried pau, pal, pah, peo, pao, paoh, pao in different translators. It must be a sound not a word. Just wondered if anybody else did it. Feel like saying pow, bam, kapow, crash, bang. I still prefer aihhh!!! Or even the longer aih-yah! TW

 

[shesulsa]

Yeah, sounds like the old Batman TV series! :boing1:

 

[TigerWoman]

I can't help but listen to another woman do it. (She will do anything the master wants her to do however). It sounds really funny to me her yelling pow, pow, pow, pow, every strike, but I don't say anything (or laugh). Until he told me I should do pow pow pow. Like a little kid would do, power rangers, batman whatever. I'll stick to aihh. TW

 

[bignick]

in our school there's no standard yells...you kinda develop your own...after a while you have no problem identify who's doing something by hearing thier yell...

 

[Mark Weiser]

Please no Capes or Mask allowed in the Dojo lol!

Anyway once you reach a level of training you only need the exhale of air. You may only hear the hissing sound from the air passing thur your teeth.

 

[Blindside]

The biggest concern I would have about sayin "pow" is how if forces your mouth to open. Keep your jaw closed unless you want a KO and expensive dental work in your future.

But yes, saying "pow" does sound silly to me.

Lamont

 

[TigerWoman]

Please no Capes or Mask allowed in the Dojo lol!

Anyway once you reach a level of training you only need the exhale of air. You may only hear the hissing sound from the air passing thur your teeth.

I was told that hissing gets counted down in TKD tournaments. And I've seen that happen. Apparently alot of seniors don't like it for TKD. I've heard karate competitors doing it though. (didn't help them in our tourny)

We are taught the expellation of air from the lungs but not hissing. I really can't stand it when someone does a yell weak, just a "word sound" instead of the air being passed. So if someone has a weak yell, we have yelling practice until that is completely out their system and the correct method is used. It's also an amazing transformation in the power of their strikes when everything goes together at the same time. TW

 

[Rob Broad]

Your Kiai or spirit yell should be representative of you. Too many schools try to create automatons we are human being not robots, and no two of us are the same, so neither should be our Kiais. I have seen entire schools use aihhh when doing forms and then do something pow. pi-ow, ahow or whatever when sparring. None of these rounded out sounds have any effect in the ring, you need something that makes the opponent jump back something is sharp.

Hissing is a restrictive movement. It is usually seen at tournaments by schools that specialize in tounaments. All I can say is atleast they are letting out some of the air that should be released.

 

[Mark Weiser]

Well I guess it depends on which form of MA that you study. When I was in the softer arts back in the Marines. We were taught to expell air that way you are being quiet in attacking.

I was in a Unit that trained in Long Range Recon so we had to be very quiet. So I quess that is from my background. There are schools that absoultely will not allow you to develop your own spirit yell.

I for one would think that part of your development as a MA. Part of your form would to be making a yell that is unique to your personal form in Kenpo.

 

[Sarah]

We use the word KIAP which is Korean for Ki Yell (I think KIAI is Japanese, with the same meaning.)

Students can use whatever noise they like as long as it is a 'Ki Yell'. I shout the word Kiap because I seem to be able to shout louder with that word than I do with Ahhh type noises.

 

[Raewyn]

When yelling in forms it needs to come from the pit of your stomach, so in theory it should'nt really matter what you are yelling. The ideal is to take your opponent off guard.

 

[Han-Mi]

I have a thousand different kias. I breath the most effective way for whatever I happen to be doing at the time. i.e. It requires a different breath to do a round kick than it does to do a straight punch.

Anyway, POW is funny. As for why he's doin it, I think he is just seein how many people he can get to do it.

 

[terryl965]

Kiap should be a fresh and an indiviual sound no two people should sound alike, mine is a sharp sound and is short but it gets everybody attention my son is 10 and he's is also sharpe but long to add to the effect in a tournament really gets everybody attention, in closing each there own that is what makes people different in the square ring... GOD BLESS AMERICA

 

[Lisa]

I can't help but listen to another woman do it. (She will do anything the master wants her to do however). It sounds really funny to me her yelling pow, pow, pow, pow, every strike, but I don't say anything (or laugh). Until he told me I should do pow pow pow. Like a little kid would do, power rangers, batman whatever. I'll stick to aihh. TW

I give you credit TW, cause I think I would be on the floor laughing after hearing a full grown person repeating pow, pow pow, over and over again. I would be looking for those caped crusaders to come running in to save the day!

But on a serious side, have you asked his reasons besides the meaning of the sound as to why he has changed the kiap? (sp?) It seems strange to me to be taught one way and then all of a sudden be told to do it another. Was it wrong before? Will he be enforcing this new sound in class?

Strange situation and if it becomes a problem, it is worth inquiring about further.

 

[Gary Crawford]

I don't mean any disrespect,but that's really funny!How did he present that to the school?Did he say where he got the idea?Some schools do have a school kiap,my original school made us use "UTZ'.I still ocassionally do it,but not on purpose.I only kiap when I ocasionally train at a local kempo school,and only so I don't do anything different than that instructor wants his students to dtherwise,the only sound out of my mouth when I strike might be a hiss.

 

[TigerWoman]

Hey, I said all I can do is to keep from laughing while I'm doing form. No, I do not say pow. But as I just went back to class this week, I am trying to be good, not start WWIII again, at least, so soon...over a yell. But he is completely serious that this is a Korean word, that he has heard it or if its not Korean he would be an excellent straight man in a comedy routine.
So if any Korean's read this, please help me out and suggest what word pow could possibly be in Korean. Maybe its like the English version, PAH!
TW

 

[OC Kid]

The way I was taught and teach is that the kiai or spirit yell comes directly from your Ki center approximately around the belly button area. It has a eeee like sound it does 3 things

1) It will tighten your stomach muscles in order to take a punch or kick there(make a loud eee type sound with your hand placed there and you will feel the muscles tighten)
2) It increases the power of the strike kinda like the grunting sound someone does when they pick up a heavy object.
3) It startles and scares your opponent (that is my #1 reason for doing it) If you ever have to take some out out and use the kiai with your initial strike and finishing strike it will definately scare the person at first and any on-lookers/buddies of your enemy at the end.
JMO

 

[Zepp]

"Kiya", "kyup", "utz", "die", it's all the same. I tell new students who ask about yelling that they can shout "yabba-dabba-doo!" if they really want. (Haven't heard anyone try it though.)