Kiai

[AngelaG]

random said:

Kiai ia a very underrated and misunderstood technique. The funniest thing is listening to new students trying to pluck up courage to scram like a banshee.

I have noticed my kiai changes depending on what I am doing and to whom. It even changes from Kata to Kata, I even, like others do, add extra ones to some kata.

I am told that my kiai sometimes sounds like ‘die’ although I have to admit this is purely subliminal and may or may not reflect my mood, psychological or emotional state at any given time. ;D

Freaky! This part of the post could have been written by me. I totally concur

[kenshiro]

miffersy said:

Hi,
I remember not so long ago watching a program on Discovery or the like about a Japanese guy who actually used his Kiai and knocked his opponents to the floor, without any contact other than Sound Waves. So yes the Kiai is a technique in its own right.

Oh, you picked up a tremendous example! In my opinion, it should be separated from Kiai itself.

As far as I know, this technique is called "toate" which means striking at a distance. I have never seen the technique and honestly it is too mysterious for me to understand. Most of the people would not believe it either.
However, I also hear that Master Egami in Shotokai had ever researched it and Master Aoki, a disciple of Egami, has mastered this technique. The technique is said to be something like hypnotism rather than the power of sound waves. Master Aoki is now a founder of his new style - Shintaido. Again this style sounds too mysterious to me, but someone says the style is preserving a lot of ancient techniques.

Anyway, you can find some descriptions about toate in the following Shotokai web page.
www.shotokai.com/ingles/gallery/tokitsu/toate7.html

[Aefibird]

random said:

I have noticed my kiai changes depending on what I am doing and to whom.

I really noticed that at training last night - we were performing different kick techniques and combos on the pads and my kiai varied between each type of kick/combo. I'd noticed the phenomenon before, but it really stuck out to me last night.

(sorry if that is all in incorrect English and doesn't make sense! I've been having an "Ug" day at work today.)

[jack]

I noticed similar, I put it down to a combination of different body positions, amount of air left in my lungs and the tenseness of abdominal muscles. I think any of these could affect the flow of air.

[dojo]

I don't consider it a technique. I do deliver techniques without it too.

[Aefibird]

I kiai on 'non-karate' techniques now...

I was trying to get a door to shut earlier and found myself kiai-ing as I closed it.

[trevor35]

Do you think that it takes long to develop your own Kiai? When I first started, we were told to do a Kiai. Looking back they were very pathetic ones, but once I got my own sound, my Kiai grew strength. Did you blurt your first natural Kiai out?? Do you think that this should be another thread? Do you think that I should stop asking stupid questions? Can I go to the toilet now? Please stop me???

[AngelaG]

I notice with most the children we have to stop them shouting "KIAI!"

I also have a bugbear in that if they only do a half-hearted Kiai I would have prefered them not to bother in the first place. What's the point of a kiai that sounds like "meh!"?

[Aefibird]

angelag said:

I also have a bugbear in that if they only do a half-hearted Kiai I would have prefered them not to bother in the first place. What's the point of a kiai that sounds like "meh!"?

That really annoys me too.

I Kiai pretty loudly (yeah, I have a big gob) but I can understand that some people just don't want to Kiai.

However, I'd rather that they just didn't bother, than to do some half-hearted pathetic little thing that isn't a proper Kiai and isn't even an attempt at a proper Kiai.

Whenever I hear the kids in my dojo come out with some pathetic strangled noise as a so-called Kiai, it just makes me want to give them a good shake, especially since Sensei drills in the importance of Kiai and correct Kiai from Day One.

[AngelaG]

dojo said:

I don't consider it a technique. I do deliver techniques without it too.

Sure, but then a gedan barai is a technique and I don't deliver every technqiue with a gedan barai either

[random]

Imagine how noisy training would be if we did a kiai with every technique. IMO by definition, if we kiai then it is a technique and should be developed as any other technique we might use.

[jadedragon]

I have trouble kiaing sometimes, I'm a very quiet person. So I tend to not kiai even though I know I am supposed too.

[Sionnagh]

Do we all start off learning about the kiai as "just yell at this part of kata"?


Mick

[Aefibird]

random said:

Imagine how noisy training would be if we did a kiai with every technique.

It gets noisy enough in my dojo anyway because some people's kiai's are very loud. *whistles innocently*

Some people have big gobs!

[bob]

kiai is not a technique. not because we do techniques without it but because we dont do kiais without techniques ( unless you are the guy that was on mind body and kick ass moves, i also noticed he was the only practitioner not to demonstrate on the presenter lol ) i am not saying this to diminish their importance, they are extremely important to the correct execution of techniques. the reason is that correct focus is easier for a learner to achieve with a kiai. for an expert a kiai becomes less about a stronger punch ( there is maximum force with or without ) and more of a natural yell when its needed. one qustion angela, in a self defense situation you have no time for worrying about looking stupid. if a kiai happens, it happens.