Exhalation in Forms

[dancingalone]

In my area of Texas, most of the taekwondo and karate schools teach students either to exhale or kihap on every single block, punch, or kick. I don't like the approach myself, as it tends to reinforce students' perceptions that a kata or hyung is metronomic and executed on a one,two count always. I prefer more fluid performances, and honestly if you practice energy chaining when running your pattern, breath exhalation on every movement will actually be counterproductive to your efforts.

Anyone want to speak up on the advantages of this type of training?

 

[firerex]

the reason we do this at my academy in texas is because when ur standing at testing before four judges doing ur form its easy to forget about breathing (especially as a white belt) and ur techniqe actually looks sloppier when u dont breathe, second it could make u rush if u dont breathe so u can get to the end and breathe, i dont really breathe at every move in my form but im also almost a bb so no need to

 

[dancingalone]

i dont really breathe at every move in my form but im also almost a bb so no need to

And that's part of what I am referencing with my post... Various implied movements within the patterns such as hooking/grabbing generally are more efficient when you INHALE during their execution rather than exhaling. When you teach an outward breath on every movement, you're doing away with much of the subtleties in body movement, like coiling, uncoiling, sinking, and vectoring. You teach your students to move like a robot, rather than organically and on multiple axes.

 

[firerex]

exhaling and kihaps also tighten ur muscles but since i dont really know much about the bb forms i cant say much

 

[clfsean]

Yes breathing is good... much more than that & it gets silly unless its a dynamic tension form like Sanchin or Tensho from Okinawa.

If you're supposed to kihap at a given spot because that's what's supposed to happen, do it.

Otherwise you can save energy by just relaxing through movement & tensing at the point of impact while breathing normally. It's much more natural & how you tend to breath anyway.

 

[garrisons2]

One of my masters taught me that when a person audibly exhales it is easier for the others to stay in synch. it seems to work.

 

[mozzandherb]

And the louder you breathe the stronger the technique..haha...no, but really some instructors emphasize the kihaps and some dont and in training I believe it's important to do, but in some classes when you are training patterns after a tough class, sometimes I'm too tired to breathe the correct way during my patterns, so for me it depends when, where and with who, that's what dictates whether I breathe or not

 

[bluekey88]

We are taught to exhale wiht each strike in our forms. However, it shoudln't be a forced or unatural kind of thing. I sometimes see people hissing, or pseudo-spitting out the breaths to make them audible and "seem" strong. this, imo, is incorrect. Instead, one should do the form with such intesnity that the power of the moves makes the breathing audible. Not the audible breath makes the move powerful.

Peace,
Erik

 

[seasoned]

Breath movement balance and power. Synchronizing the breathe is very important for harmony in MA. The kata are a means of practicing this.

 

[firerex]

one of my instructors once said "if your lifting weights are u gonna breathe in or out when pushing upwards?" this actually makes since. plus if ur exhausted open your mouth a little tighten your muscles and see if you make a sound, sure you can control it when ur rested and energetic but many of our forms are done after 10 sparring rounds

 

[KELLYG]

I had a problem forgetting to breath while doing forms. The end of the form was always rushed and recovery times between forms was longer than other students. Then I was taught to inhale at chamber for technique and exhale while doing technique. This is not done to make a lot of noise but it helped me to remember to breath. I found by doing this I had more energy from beginning to end and blocks/kicks were done with more force and recovery time between forms was lessened. For the first little bit it felt robotic but once I got used to it, it made a noticeable difference in my forms.

 

[Marginal]

In my area of Texas, most of the taekwondo and karate schools teach students either to exhale or kihap on every single block, punch, or kick. I don't like the approach myself, as it tends to reinforce students' perceptions that a kata or hyung is metronomic and executed on a one,two count always. I prefer more fluid performances, and honestly if you practice energy chaining when running your pattern, breath exhalation on every movement will actually be counterproductive to your efforts.

Anyone want to speak up on the advantages of this type of training?

The way I've been taught, breathing depends on the cadence of the move within the pattern. Some motions should be done with one breath, others you breath with each motion etc. It's fairly context heavy breathing as far as it goes.

Though I gotta say, I've never found holding my breath during sparring to be beneficial.

 

[dancingalone]

Though I gotta say, I've never found holding my breath during sparring to be beneficial.

No, that's certainly not what I was advocating.

The responses I've read above have been very interesting. It would seem that breathing as is taught in TKD is fairly basic... not much exploration of how the inhalation of breath in conjunction with certain martial movements and body tension (or lack of) can actually create more structure and therefore more power and stability.

 

[Marginal]

No, that's certainly not what I was advocating.

Just as well since I was kidding.

Really though, I don't know anyone that breathes the same in patterns compared to other activities like sparring. (Usually it's more of a regular rhythm.) I also don't see them using the same breathing techniques in ho sin sul.

The responses I've read above have been very interesting. It would seem that breathing as is taught in TKD is fairly basic... not much exploration of how the inhalation of breath in conjunction with certain martial movements and body tension (or lack of) can actually create more structure and therefore more power and stability.

It would help if you weren't so vague about it/using terms that mean something only to you. (Energy chaining? Loose references to movements... Might have a similar concepts at work, but any common ground's lost in jargonese and vagueries.)

 

[dancingalone]

It would help if you weren't so vague about it/using terms that mean something only to you. (Energy chaining? Loose references to movements... Might have a similar concepts at work, but any common ground's lost in jargonese and vagueries.)

Writing is not my strong suit, but I thought I was clear enough when I stated above that "Various implied movements within the patterns such as hooking/grabbing generally are more efficient when you INHALE during their execution rather than exhaling." Thus far, no one has argued against this premise.

As for my use of jargon... yes, I suppose two must have a common frame of reference to have a reasonable discussion. These concepts aren't easy to explain via the written word solely - one really needs to be in person and be shown. I have no intent to offend anyone. My first dan rank was achieved in TKD after all.