Something I noticed last night..

[kidswarrior]

I make no sound. It terrifies my opponents to get them thinking... is this guy even human?

And the answer to that, is...? :lfao:

Seriously, tho, I don't think about it. Just try ot make sure I'm breathing in deeply, and the exhale/noise is free to follow how I feel at the time.

On a slight digression, also, I'll use a loud, hard kiai (sounds just as spelled) as a first line of defense. My experience is the other guy will unfailingly close his eyes and sometimes momentarily pull back, creating a pretty good opening--or just a wakeup call to let him know what he's up against.

 

[tellner]

During self defense classes students sometimes ask my wife what sort of kiai they should use. She says...

"For those of you who haven't done Japanese or Korean martial arts, a kiai is a shout or yell that you use to raise your qi energy and focus your spirit. I prefer to use traditional vocalizations like Mother****er! I'm going to rip your ****ing balls off!"

 

[kidswarrior]

During self defense classes students sometimes ask my wife what sort of kiai they should use. She says...

"For those of you who haven't done Japanese or Korean martial arts, a kiai is a shout or yell that you use to raise your qi energy and focus your spirit. I prefer to use traditional vocalizations like Mother****er! I'm going to rip your ****ing balls off!"

For sheer effect, I like that one best.

 

[MantisStyle21]

During self defense classes students sometimes ask my wife what sort of kiai they should use. She says...

"For those of you who haven't done Japanese or Korean martial arts, a kiai is a shout or yell that you use to raise your qi energy and focus your spirit. I prefer to use traditional vocalizations like Mother****er! I'm going to rip your ****ing balls off!"

Lol I think I might be looked at a little funny for shouting that Kiai, however I LOVE that one lol.

 

[bw_ryukyukempo]

Ok, I'm going to be the guy who asks, but please don't flame me too badly.

Any one's art use "kiai-jutsu"? Different sounds for different strikes, different meridians, stuff like that?

I have been to a seminar where it was discussed, but definetely not a subject mattere expert.

Just curious if anybody knows anything about it.

-bw

 

[kaizasosei]

i use any sound i find fitting.
iieya-su. this would just keep coming out.


from aikido i have tried to perfect the yah-toh-ei!

also i sometimes make brucelee type noises or sounds like outof the animecomics or batman..bam-slam- hoi-poi- suuu- kiiin--
ho!
hah-is more when i'm im getting serious or freaked out.
ohh shiiiit! or 'a.aaah.hhh' is when i'm in an annoying hold having trouble escaping.

classic ma 'haiya- (accompanied with chop)jk

basicaly, anysound i feel like..
for magical skills, i am learning to implement onomatopeia as i think kiai and onomatopeia are somehow related. however, i am also learning to expad this to rely more on the mental and the sound rather than some kind of intelligent form of communication.

j

 

[Obliquity]

Depending on my opponent, sometimes it sounds like, "Nice shoes!" but only if they actually have nice shoes, otherwise it wouldn't make sense. Try it some time.

Otherwise, I usually make some sort of growling sound, unless I am being stealthy. Then I whisper something sweet in their ear just before I ruin their day.

 

[tellner]

My personal favorite - not Tiel's which we've already discussed - is either "Look! A naked bird!" or "Please don't hur..." punctuated by something painful when the other goes "huh" or starts filling in the last word :EG:

With luck he will utter The Words: "You can't do that, that's not fair!"

:asian: Thank you, sir. You say the nicest things. :asian:

 

[Nomad]

Radical view:

It doesn't matter. As long as you're breathing in when you're supposed to breath in and out when you're supposed to breath out, compressing on (and only on) extreme effort and staying oxygenated it's all good.

In fact, doing a kiai on every strike or step is bad and can get you killed. It limits the action to the speed of your breath and makes you easier to time and predict. The other guy will know exactly when you are weak and when you are strong.

Doing a kiai on every step or move is a great training technique for novices though because it will help force the breath to the right timing (in a simple drill). This is how we use it sometimes.

A kiai can helps narrow the focus or kime of a move; putting all of the energy into the moment of "impact".

It can also be useful if used to startle an opponent (must be practiced for this). A kiai done well can actually stun someone for a second and gain time to apply a technique (I have seen it used this way, rarely, in sparring).

BTW, I agree that it shouldn't be used on every move in a fight situation... you'd likely run out of breath much faster, though your opponent may think twice about attacking someone so obviously deranged

Personally, mine is a deep "HA"

 

[tellner]

Doing a kiai on every step or move is a great training technique for novices though because it will help force the breath to the right timing (in a simple drill). This is how we use it sometimes.

A kiai can helps narrow the focus or kime of a move; putting all of the energy into the moment of "impact".

In other words what I said earlier - make sure people are breathing and compress on extreme effort.

The problem is that you'll fight the way you train. I've sparred with plenty of people including black belts. When they'd been trained with the kiai on every strike method, just for training mind you, the habit carried on into application. It made them much easier to time and to fool and slowed them down.

It can also be useful if used to startle an opponent (must be practiced for this). A kiai done well can actually stun someone for a second and gain time to apply a technique (I have seen it used this way, rarely, in sparring).

In that case you'd use it once, not on multiple strikes. Besides, anyone who is a real threat or who has done martial arts for a while won't be thrown off any more than a fencer would be by an opponent who stomps on the advance.

BTW, I agree that it shouldn't be used on every move in a fight situation... you'd likely run out of breath much faster

Indeed. And be slower. But if you train them that way they'll fight that way.

 

[Brian S]

We were going over individual drills, kicking punching and the like, then we did katas.

I noticed something last night...The universal thought of the shouting in some martial arts is "HI-YA!" I noticed that really isn't the case, Everyone's Kiai is different from one anothers. So now comes a question, if your martial art uses Kiais. How does yours sound?

As for mine, it's a loud sound that sounds a lot a fast "HEIGHT".

If you can spell it, you're probably not doing it right. :whip1:

 

[Em MacIntosh]

"whooowrahhhhaeeeeeeeeea!"

 

[Brian S]

"whooowrahhhhaeeeeeeeeea!"

:uhyeah:

 

[fastfist1]

Radical view:

It doesn't matter. As long as you're breathing in when you're supposed to breath in and out when you're supposed to breath out, compressing on (and only on) extreme effort and staying oxygenated it's all good.

In fact, doing a kiai on every strike or step is bad and can get you killed. It limits the action to the speed of your breath and makes you easier to time and predict. The other guy will know exactly when you are weak and when you are strong.

As near as I can tell a lot of the "Yell on every strike and step" twaddle came from the social changes that accompanied Karate's adoption of a large group format. If you have sixty guys doing kata together you need to make sure they're all breathing. In a more traditional setting the teacher can see, hear and feel each student.

I totally agree. 26 years ago I was told to Kiai and I did. Somewhere along the line I realized I didn't need it. I don't Kiai at all (of course I don't "compete" in Kata anymore) I make sure I'm breathing correctly. If I'm breathing right I don't need a "spirited yell" or any other noise when I'm fighting. I don't pointfight anymore I kickbox, grapple or do kata based self defense (based on P.P.F.). So there are no judges to impress with the pitch or volume of a Kiai. If I'm going to hit you hard I don't need an added noise.

 

[Brian S]

There are many things a kiai can be used for. The least is to impress judges or a 'spirit shout'. That's just some made up garbage.

If someone grabs you, kiai loudly in their face while you strike them. See what happens. It can loosen their grip, make them blink or wince, while making your body tense up and get all of your air out. I don't buy into the adding power thing, but it may just feel like it.