Kiyap - Technique or Expression?

[skribs]

I've noticed that it seems some people treat the kiyap like a technique, and some treat it like an expression. What I mean is this: kiyaping as a technique means your kiyaps are generally the same every time you use them. It doesn't matter whether you're just practicing techniques, doing a form, or sparring, your kiyaps are consistent. On the other hand, you have the expressive version, where kiyaps are more like the grunts you hear when someone is benching more than they should be.

In movies, the expressive version seems to be more popular. Bruce Lee had his famous style of vocalizing during a fight, which has been parodied or copied by many different people over the years. Even in video games, the expressive version finds a home, where the different kiyaps provide varying sound effects for different abilities (I can still hear Link going hich-hich-HIYAAAHHH! from Ocarina of Time, and I played that over a decade ago).

On the other hand, kiyaping as a technique is something I've seen more in person. I think having it as a conditioned reflex helps you to remember to kiyap and to breathe, and gives your conscious brain a bit more room to think about what's going on.

Which do you prefer? If I recorded one kiyap of yours, would it be a good carbon copy of all your others, or are you more expressive? I find I'm very expressive. It helps me to bring out more energy when I need it, and I tend to copy the kiyaping style of whoever I am copying combinations (it helps me get into the mindset better).

 

[jezr74]

So if it's an expression, it's just noise and shouldn't be called a kiyap (no benefit) right?

If it's performed the correct way, than if it's termed expression or technique would be irrelevant since it would still be doing what it's meant to achieve.

 

[skribs]

I was asking about preferences. There is no right or wrong preference.

What I meant is that there are some people that kiyap pretty much the same way every time. There are others that change their tone, cadence, volume, etc. depending on what they're doing. Both have merit.

 

[RTKDCMB]

The kiyap is a tool, the sound you make is usually a personal thing, when students ask what sound they make I usually tell them to make whatever sound is the loudest and scariest. It has many uses; it is used to distract an opponent, in training it can be used to help train students not to freeze when attacked, it can be used to help develop breathing (it would be very difficult to hold your breath and kiyap at the same time), it can be used to increase the amount of power in your techniques (it is much harder to not put much effort into a strike when you kiyap as loud as you can) and it can be used to temporarily increase the confidence and decrease the fear in the student in a real life encounter.

 

[Chris Parker]

Hmm… I don't know that I agree that the sound itself doesn't matter… but that might come down to the system (and understanding of the concept of kiai/kiyap/kihap) itself…

From a much earlier answer to this question:

Hi,

Kiai can be a large or small part of the training, depending on your instructor, and system. In our schools, for instance, we sometimes get into the more indepth approach to the concept, so I'll give a little overview from our point of view here.

Kiai is often translated as "Spirit(ed) Shout", but the literal translation of the characters is "Energy" (ki) "Harmony" (ai). These are the same characters as in aiki(do or jutsu), just in the opposite order, so the idea is kind of the opposite from aikido. In aikido, as I understand it, the characters read "Harmony Energy", giving the inference of harmonizing with the energy of the situation, the attack, the opponent, or some other such concept. Kiai, on the other hand, reads "Energy Harmony", and that gives the idea of harmonizing your energy (or intention) together with your actions to create an effect on the outside environment, be it a person, situation, or something else entirely.

This kiai is more a concept of directed intention, rather than just a noise made for show. Of course, it is a very good way, as mentioned, to develop proper habits in breathing when striking as well, and to that end, there are a number of different physical (verbalised) kiai taught. In general terms, there are two main types of kiai, offensive (ending in a vowel - Yah, Doh, Ei etc), and defensive (ending in a constanent - Hut, Hup, Ei-Yush etc). The offensive kiai end in a vowel, as that allows the breath to leave the body, allowing the transferance of energy freely without the inhibition that comes form tensed muscles. The defensive kiai do the opposite, ending in a constanent specifically to hold the breath in and strengthen (re-inforce) the body to aid blocking and recieving manouvres. For the record, though, kiai can be used in a number of other ways, such as fakes, but I'm not adressing that here.

Specific traditional schools sometimes have associated kiai specific to them; for instance, Gyokko Ryu has Yah, and Doh (with the breath held in for defensive use), Takagi Yoshin Ryu has Ei and Ei-Yush, but it's not really focused on. We tend more to explore the concepts and allow students to express their spirit as they feel it... although this usually is an offer taken by the more experienced.

One last thing on kiai: the physical (verbal) aspect is just one expression. There are also silent kiai, and what are known as "shadow kiai". The important thing is your reason (intention) behind the kiai. But when verbalising, make sure the sound is generated from your diaphragm, not your throat. If you have a sore throat afterwards, look to how you're doing it.

And, just for a couple of favourite examples of kiai in various systems…

Ellis Amdur demonstrating his line of Araki Ryu.

(Nodachi) Jigen Ryu.

Tenshinsho Den Katori Shinto Ryu.

Hontai Yoshin Ryu.

Kiraku Ryu Jujutsu… but also note the extended kiai used by the gentleman with a jutte in the intro montage…

There are many other uses, this is just a small selection of how it can appear in Japanese arts… ranging from an almost primal scream (Araki Ryu and Jigen Ryu) through to specifically dictated emphasis' for certain actions (Katori Shinto Ryu), to elongated "bookends" for kata (Kiraku Ryu), and anywhere in-between. Personally, I feel that the Japanese arts have the greatest depth and range of teachings for this concept… in my TKD days, it was always just "you just make a shout here", rather than anything else.

 

[Danny T]

In agreement with Chris in that kiai is more of a concept of one's intent vs just a loud noise. In learning to express a kiai whether offensive or defensive we often have students express it as loud as possible but a kiai can be light sounding or even silent once the individual has gleaned the concept and developed the ability to use it.