How do you say YOUR kiai? 🥋FREE Trial for the Online Group Lessons🥋 Program Details: karateintokyo.com/ Any questions or concerns? → Email me at ynkaratedojo@gmail.com
The best thing to shout is 'HADOKEN!' It usually makes your sparring partner laugh which gives you an opening to score a hit. You can only use it once though!
The hystorical part is fascinating, sensei, thank you! ^^ Side note: in Portuguese, "ei" means "hey", "ai" is the sound we make when we get hurt (like your "ittai!") and "oi" means "hi", so I always thought that the kiai was "hai" ( はい ) 😆😆😆
Technically... We could speak about kiai for hours since kiai and breathing is a very complex topic related to martial arts, one needs to be relaxed, focused and tense at the same time, kiai is not an scream, is basically air coming out trough the throat that helps connect all the forces involved in the respective move, it certainly gets to a point where is hard to explain and it gets more about feeling it, which could take several months or even years to simply understand the concept and some of the things involved in it.
YES! Thank you for mentioning that it is not a scream; way too many martial artists think of it as a scream (sorry, but especially the ladies, it seems to me) The way I've always thought of it, is as a short, powerful burst of air that could blow out a candle (without actually blowing)
In kendō we use kiai different as you said. But even in a different context and with a slightly different purpose, the feeling is the same. You are great, keep up the good work.
There are also shouts in Wrestling and Judo, maybe not as common as in arts like Karate or Kendo but I think sharing the same purpose. Thanks for your contribution with this channel.
Well, I've found it quite challenging to explain to children that they are not supposed to use "kiai" that directly :-) Also, when we do five-steps drills and counting the steps in Japanese, the children tend to use "go" as the "kiai" sound if you know what I mean :-) (Central Europe here)
It's probably a teacher-class effect. He is aware that most of his audience does not speak japanese, so he makes sure that every word is well pronounced and that is very satisfying for non-native speakers. Scientifically speaking, babies enjoy being talked to like this too, probably because this way we have bigger chances of retaining information
I never did martial arts, but I did traditional Japanese dance, and one thing my teacher always talked about was breathing. “こきゅう、こきゅう” that the movement of the body came from the breath first and then from your core. It really made me understand how important the breath is for the body. In dance it was sometimes longer breaths but sometimes shorter depending on the movement. I totally get how important the breath can be to the martial art too!!
A few yrs ago I remember someone talking about " bad gym etiquette " ; how yelling when lifting heavy weights was rude & unnecessary . I knew he didn't understand the benefits that a controlled type of " kiai " in a bench press had for performance as well as in other sports aside from martial arts . I guess it's instinctive . Thank you for this video .
It indeed is instinctive, but there's also the fact that, if you scream in the gym, you spend more energy in the exercise *_and_* break other people's concentration, which can lead to injuries
@@gomesbandrey A little off topic but yrs ago I was at Gold's Gym in Wichita . A guy brought his girlfriend in for a workout . She heard the other guys grunting & groaning so she thought she had to loudly do the same . Unfortunately for her it sounded as if she was having an orgasm .The whole place just fell out ! Memorable ...
Thanks for the information. This actually helps better then some of the other explanation I have seen especially the part about the syllables. Going to test some of this out tonight with some of my katas.
@Antonio Nero "[...] useless and pointless brcause there are no scientific proofs..." Well - Gravitons have been found just a few years ago; - Scientists were ridiculed for believing that the Earth was round; - Acupunture used to be seen as pseudo-science. If you said "it has been scientifically proven that they do not have any effect" you'd have a good point, but still couldn't deny that there can be a placebo effect. So, I stand up for Science, it's awesome, but unless you say "it has been proven to be inefective", your argument is weak, sir.
@Antonio Nero Huh... must be why powerlifters all shout when lifting weights. Oh well, they might be practicing BS! PS Shaolin Kung Fu does shout while attacking.
@Antonio Nero it may not improve body's efficence and whatever you want, but a good scream does help you get your shit together and keep going when exhausted
As a kid, back when I first started studying Shotokan, I was taught that "kiai" was used to put your energy into your tsiki or geri. I was also taught that you needed to shout it to a)hit harder and b)scare your opponent. Also, never to shout "kiai", but to deform the sound into something like it, so I'd alway scream "ae" or "ai"
I do kendo, my kiai endures through my zanshin until I retake kamae outside of sword distance. I believe that deliberately exhaling prevents one from inhaling while in danger and reminds one to inhale once safe. It also makes my footwork more stable.
I used to teach my students that using kiai meant to bring together your's and your opponent's energy then dominate it. Generally there are two kiai to use loudly - short and sharp for a fast strike and more drawn out for a penetrating strike. It can also momentarily freeze an opponent giving that all important window of opportunity.
Kiai evokes the strength of one's spirit, often with the intent of provoking one's opponent. Considering that the strongest opponent lies within each us, it can be seen as the spirit overcoming adversity to demonstrate the merit of one's karate.
Really helpful video. It's somewhat intimidating and confusing when you go to class and get told "just kiai" and have no idea how/why/what noise to make. Thank you
I like to 'hurryanh' when I do something that requires strenght but other than that I was always discouraged of screaming during form executions ...like 'dont yell! Breath!'
Would you be able to post the Kanij for the following please: 1560 honpokuji Diary priest temple diary name and author? The kanji for 五度も 十度も Godo mo judo mo sono kiai no hito wo mote wa wo irete kyokun shoro ni arubeshi
The same thing happens in Korean schools in America. I tell my students that you don't Yell the word Yell or scream the word scream these are sounds not words.
i used YA~B where the B is where you stop making the sound. worked for me and it was basically the latter half of KI-AP (korean work for KI-AI). they teach you first with IYA~B(not a P when doing it) and as you get better, YA~B. then, it becomes YA~ and eventually A~. none of these actually matters until you realize that you don't actually need to make the sound. it's just teaching you how to breath and move with that breathing. i stopped at YA~B but it still works fine lol
This helped me to understand where I want to make the sound. While practicing years ago I remember that I got sore troth and I was aware that I'm not doing things rights, just didn't know how to corrects.
Fascinating & thanks for sharing this. Especially given how people here in the USA overdo their kiais especially in competitions & sadly in some cases being rewarded for it.
I don't know this teacher personally. But i much prefer to think of karate and related martial arts as beneficial for individual development and character building. His approach seems to be going that way. Thank you.
My understanding of kiai comes from receiving strikes. When someone hits you it's a natural response to expel air and vocalize. Oof! Ow! and Ooooh! are all great examples. The idea is that the pressure of the strike is relieved by the release of your breath. In fact, if there was a way to cover a person's mouth and nose when you struck them it would probably cause considerably more harm. So lets keep this observation in mind when we examine the other side of this equation, striking. When examining the action of a strike, it becomes evident that to strike another is to receive a blow of equal strength. Hopefully the part of you that's striking is somewhat hardened and is well supported to both deliver and receive the force of your blow. So, if striking is similar to receiving a hit and if exhaling helps one receive strikes, then it only reasons to be true that exhaling will help one deliver blows as well. I think the reason is a little different for striking, however. Sure, it's good to not have the pressure of your breath used against you in your attack. However, I believe it's also good to make sure the muscles of your torso are more tightly pulling against each other when trying to project force. Think of it like, if you were using a stone spear and you were thrusting with it, would it be more effective if the bindings of the head of the spear were lose or tight? I think it's generally obvious that, as the bindings get tighter, the transfer of force becomes more efficient. To me, this is much of why kiai is useful is when striking. On a more subtle note, I also fine the the pitch and volume of one's kiai can be telling of their condition and effort.
Very good. In our art which is Okinawan Kenpo (from Seikichi Odo) we have 3 sounds we use. The first, phonetically is "ahi" almost exactly the same as you show in this video. It's used for upper body, explosive attacks projecting outward. We also have another for lower body, leg or kicking attacks that is "tae". And we have one more which is really two consecutive shouts for lifting throws. It goes "eii" for the lifting part then "ahi" exactly the same as our first, for the actual finishing throw. All involve a relaxed throat and voice box, diaphragm breathing, and cutting the sound off just as you mentioned. Thanks for sharing.
May I ask who you study under? I study under a Rokudan of Hanshi Larry Isaac, and I am currently studying for shodan, but I have never heard of this at all I mean, the three different types of and all that.
@@ripx5848 Hello. I've been studying under Dean Stevens, who was a student of Seikichi Odo. Sensei Stevens (more commonly known as Sensei Dean) did a few things based on his own research and experiences on Okinawa. I'm not sure that he learned the different shouts from Odo or not. I know that Odo's shouts were certainly expressive but I'm not sure if he used the same 3 inflections my sensei taught. I should ask him sometime where he learned them.
Yo, this is incredible. I didn't know there was so much robust history around Kiai. I was just researching it for a rap song I'm writing so it's in the right respects, and I don't look like a nonce when I use it.
2:00 so true, my Sensei tells me all the time I need to kiai because I come from a background in boxing and kickboxing, so I tend to just exhale when I need to release the strike instead of a shout
Hara_ solar plexus-sound. Karate & Zen as one . Breath- energy into movements Best sound is TOHHH As taught by real original teachers .Nagamine sensei.and Zenko Heshiki
I'm just a very beginner but I totally understand what you are saying, Yusuke, maybe because I've been singing for more than 27 years and we use the same technique for singing. Your explanation is very good!
I never do it, and the teachers almost never cared, but some douche students wld accuse me of being disrespectful, in boxing and kung fu it comes out more like a hiss or just a strong out breathe, those two being a part of the first styles I took most instructors respected that
yeah, they were students after all. lol what do they know anyways right? i learned tkd and never during an actual confrontation(about 3 in total), did i ever use the YA~B(korean kiai? lol). it was more of a controlled breathing like you said. the kiai will allow you to recognize how to breath and how to move accordingly, that's all it does really lol
@@maxkim7937 yeah in the street i just used aikido in all but three but when i punched it was at the end of the day just an exhale same with grapping, like u said its just an exercise to breathe from the center, its prob not a good idea to yell everytime u punch somebody but on the mat if it helps then go for it plus it was suppose to be an internal art at some point
Jesse said the "kiai" and point system in sport Karate came from Savate but these things are also in Kendo. And it sounds like the phrase WELL predates the French coming to the mainland.
My teacher's kiai sometimes sounded like a dog barking. I always thought it was funny, but I would never, ever say anything. I am nervous even typing in here, even though my teacher is now in his 60s. My kiai sounds like a lifetime of pain and regret, tempered by bullying and racism, honed by an unrequited longing to solve problems with violence.
Sounds like a "Rallying Cry" or battle cry conceptually. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_cry Which makes sense since miyamoto musashi mentions shouting before the battle commences and after to signal the battle is won
My kiai was 'A yeaaah'(English) / 'E yaaaah'(Asian) 🙈 I believe the last kiai that you sounded is similar to what is use in military when running obstacles : 'at , at , at , at . . ' .
Hi I understand the word kiai. there is a lot of Dojo that's still do not pronounce the word properly as a martial artist you never stop learning it's a journey for life a lot of people do not find the time to do research and understand the Japanese way to pronounce words people read it how it sounds like Judo the kiai is pronounce ai and oi is that right or wrong whenever you eat to a strike we say ai and when we do it poke its oi I am may be wrong. I would love to hear you talk about different martial art and how is your they pronounce kiai can you talk about iaido 👍🏾👌🏾🙏🏾
My favorite part of watching kata tournaments are the hilarious kiai though. :3 My teacher's kiai was absolutely deafening. It took me 10 years to even get close.
That's funny you should say that. The last two or three tournaments I went to is usually around the green belt area, the judges always give a big speech before they start, and the last judge literally said hey I don't want it to sound like there's a murder going on in here, don't be screaming. It's a lot easier deal with when the kids are not screaming like they're being abducted
@@ripx5848 Haha!! A loud kiai that is clear and represents a sudden exhale is impressive. Just screaming on stage is so comical I just lose it every time. Lol Props to that judge for saying it!
Kiaido is an interesting kind of martial art, I put some of the principles they use into my karate. Also I tell my female students your kiai could even save your life, a good kiai straight into an attackers ear can cause them severe pain. Also good kiai can get the attention of someone else to help you out
There are so many martial arts schools over in Australia that i have walked into and walked out of just as fast because they shout out the word Kiai. not Kiai as a practice.
@@KarateDojowaKu yes. but some characters from other kids cartoons(like spongebob, simpsons, fairly odd parents, family guy, power puff girls. etc) would say *Hi-ya* . including power ranger(the western/american version of super sentai)
@@gomesbandrey : He is on point, but not quite getting to a full explanation. Kiai is at least as much about holding air in and exerting greater intra-abdominal pressure for your technique, as it is for expelling air right after that. He only spoke about the exhalation part (and he did that well, don’t get me wrong). To be fair, if done in the way he described and with proper training, one may eventually be able to make full use of kiai.
@@gomesbandrey : Yes, just like a hydraulic drive system. If you leak air too early - i.e., before impact - you lose the pressure that could help you increase your technique’s effectiveness.
It's so funny. We should all collectively use the word "yell" or "scream" in our respective language as our _kiai_. Imagine the look on your opponents face when doing it
Yusuke Sensei, how do you get the meaning of 機合? I can't find 機 meaning "emotion" or something alike anywhere. Not in Japanese or Chinese dictionaries, not even in Old Chinese dictionaries. Is this a special meaning in Old Japanese, or does it in fact mean "comming together at a crucial moment"? Therefore その機合の人をもて和を入て,教訓正路にあるべし could be translated to: "By meeting [someone] at a crucial moment your ethics will be guided in the right direction."
Great Video! I have some questions, there is a Sword School called Katori Shinto ryu, and their Students practices "Kiai" a Lot according to the School's tradition, Katori Shinto ryu was created in 1447... so, more than 100 years before the term Kiai was invented, right? so, in the past they didn't use Kiai in their training? And Kung fu students also use Kiai, right?.... their scream are a different thing?
Shouting over and over very close to ears is very bad for long term audition. Maybe one day karate will address this. Some teach you have to shout as loud as you can ... some are so used to shouting they cannot even control it any more.
How do you say YOUR kiai?
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You promise to react to Filipino martial arts
“Shoryuken”!!! 😬
@@efaisha Love it!
when i did tkd, it was YA~B or IYA~B. but it's just one way to do it. the other way, you basically covered it here lol
I don't
The best thing to shout is 'HADOKEN!' It usually makes your sparring partner laugh which gives you an opening to score a hit. You can only use it once though!
Lol!
HADOKEN- THE SURGE WAVE FIST?
Ok, i laughed 😄
Lol...nice!
😂😂
Saying "kiai!" Is like shouting "cheer" when watching your team score. Or saying "applause" while clapping.
No, it's exhaling really hard to add power to your strike. What you say sounds cuddly and fun and all, but... this is fighting
@@juicicles5881 He's talking about literally shouting "kiai"
it is similar to shouting "SHOUT"
I had a new student at my dojo shout "KIAIIIIIIII" at me while striking. I lol'd abit tbh.
There is a legendary video clip with franc ribery (soccer player) when fc bayern won the championship. He did this haha… 😄
THANK YOU!
shouting KIAI is one of the cringiest things I've seen anyone do.
Haha yes!
Tell me about it man, sounds so ridiculous and stupid
Good thing you didn't learn at my dojo it was mandatory. cringe on
I missed Karate so much!! The last time I did karate was in 2016. I think I will do practice with your videos!
Please go ahead!
The hystorical part is fascinating, sensei, thank you! ^^
Side note: in Portuguese, "ei" means "hey", "ai" is the sound we make when we get hurt (like your "ittai!") and "oi" means "hi", so I always thought that the kiai was "hai" ( はい ) 😆😆😆
Cool, thanks!
Same as in Italian
Technically... We could speak about kiai for hours since kiai and breathing is a very complex topic related to martial arts, one needs to be relaxed, focused and tense at the same time, kiai is not an scream, is basically air coming out trough the throat that helps connect all the forces involved in the respective move, it certainly gets to a point where is hard to explain and it gets more about feeling it, which could take several months or even years to simply understand the concept and some of the things involved in it.
Thanks for sharing your insight!
YES! Thank you for mentioning that it is not a scream; way too many martial artists think of it as a scream (sorry, but especially the ladies, it seems to me) The way I've always thought of it, is as a short, powerful burst of air that could blow out a candle (without actually blowing)
In kendō we use kiai different as you said. But even in a different context and with a slightly different purpose, the feeling is the same. You are great, keep up the good work.
Thanks for sharing!
So yelling "KIAI" is like screaming a description of what you should do while doing it wrong.
There are also shouts in Wrestling and Judo, maybe not as common as in arts like Karate or Kendo but I think sharing the same purpose. Thanks for your contribution with this channel.
Good point!
Well, I've found it quite challenging to explain to children that they are not supposed to use "kiai" that directly :-) Also, when we do five-steps drills and counting the steps in Japanese, the children tend to use "go" as the "kiai" sound if you know what I mean :-) (Central Europe here)
Haha well they will get used to it eventually
0:49 Am I the only one who loves it, when Yusuke speaks Japanese. I mean ik he came from Japan but his accent.......👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Haha thanks!
It's probably a teacher-class effect. He is aware that most of his audience does not speak japanese, so he makes sure that every word is well pronounced and that is very satisfying for non-native speakers. Scientifically speaking, babies enjoy being talked to like this too, probably because this way we have bigger chances of retaining information
He still sounds like speaking English with japanese intonation, but with very much clear pronunciations. That's a great way.
@@gomesbandrey yesyes
The educational videos you do, with the short history, and translations, are fantastic.
I never did martial arts, but I did traditional Japanese dance, and one thing my teacher always talked about was breathing. “こきゅう、こきゅう” that the movement of the body came from the breath first and then from your core. It really made me understand how important the breath is for the body. In dance it was sometimes longer breaths but sometimes shorter depending on the movement. I totally get how important the breath can be to the martial art too!!
Love to see yusuke say "KIAAIIIIII!!!!!!"
loudly!😎
HAha!
As a former boxer, we use "TSHI!" very quickly when punching. The sound is almost like you are sharply "shushing" someone.
A few yrs ago I remember someone talking about " bad gym etiquette " ; how yelling when lifting heavy weights was rude & unnecessary . I knew he didn't understand the benefits that a controlled type of " kiai " in a bench press had for performance as well as in other sports aside from martial arts . I guess it's instinctive . Thank you for this video .
It indeed is instinctive, but there's also the fact that, if you scream in the gym, you spend more energy in the exercise *_and_* break other people's concentration, which can lead to injuries
@@gomesbandrey Screaming is bad & counterproductive but I'm talking about a controlled kiai type of sound , not necessarily being overly loud .
@@robingalyardt1573 Oh, I see your point
@@gomesbandrey A little off topic but yrs ago I was at Gold's Gym in Wichita . A guy brought his girlfriend in for a workout . She heard the other guys grunting & groaning so she thought she had to loudly do the same . Unfortunately for her it sounded as if she was having an orgasm .The whole place just fell out ! Memorable ...
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the information. This actually helps better then some of the other explanation I have seen especially the part about the syllables. Going to test some of this out tonight with some of my katas.
You're very welcome!
best kiai tutorial ive seen
Thanks!
Many boxers say "hagh" or "hn" when they punch, both ending sounds are made by tensing the abs
I notice that I am a lot braver, more aggressive, and have a higher pain tolerance when using kiai. I also tire out slower.
That's true!
@@KarateDojowaKu Is that because it's a breathing technique, sensei? 👀
@Antonio Nero "[...] useless and pointless brcause there are no scientific proofs..."
Well
- Gravitons have been found just a few years ago;
- Scientists were ridiculed for believing that the Earth was round;
- Acupunture used to be seen as pseudo-science.
If you said "it has been scientifically proven that they do not have any effect" you'd have a good point, but still couldn't deny that there can be a placebo effect. So, I stand up for Science, it's awesome, but unless you say "it has been proven to be inefective", your argument is weak, sir.
@Antonio Nero Huh... must be why powerlifters all shout when lifting weights. Oh well, they might be practicing BS!
PS Shaolin Kung Fu does shout while attacking.
@Antonio Nero it may not improve body's efficence and whatever you want, but a good scream does help you get your shit together and keep going when exhausted
In my First Gym the "master" use to Scream "kiai"
haha
That would be to encourage his students to kiai
I mentioned the definition of kiai to my students once, and now they joke around and yell "energy-joining" when doing techniques :-P
As a kid, back when I first started studying Shotokan, I was taught that "kiai" was used to put your energy into your tsiki or geri. I was also taught that you needed to shout it to a)hit harder and b)scare your opponent. Also, never to shout "kiai", but to deform the sound into something like it, so I'd alway scream "ae" or "ai"
I do kendo, my kiai endures through my zanshin until I retake kamae outside of sword distance. I believe that deliberately exhaling prevents one from inhaling while in danger and reminds one to inhale once safe. It also makes my footwork more stable.
I used to teach my students that using kiai meant to bring together your's and your opponent's energy then dominate it. Generally there are two kiai to use loudly - short and sharp for a fast strike and more drawn out for a penetrating strike.
It can also momentarily freeze an opponent giving that all important window of opportunity.
What your saying is true, Vowel sounds are open while consonants comes from the through.
Thank you for explaining the historical background. Thumbs up!
Thanks for the information 😀
No problem!
Kiai evokes the strength of one's spirit, often with the intent of provoking one's opponent. Considering that the strongest opponent lies within each us, it can be seen as the spirit overcoming adversity to demonstrate the merit of one's karate.
This information is amazing! ありがとうございました
This helped me a lot! I just started practicing kendo and I needed a Kiai tutorial😂😂❤
Really helpful video. It's somewhat intimidating and confusing when you go to class and get told "just kiai" and have no idea how/why/what noise to make.
Thank you
Heh, remember my Shotokan Sensei making us shout this as a kid...
Yep, all tournament training I bet
I never knew the details,thank u for the information.
No problem!
Yesss, I was waiting for this video. Keep up the awesome work!
Thanks! Will do!
Nice explanation, eeiiii! Arigatougozaimashita!
no problem!
Came here for JudoMaster - PeaceMaker...
I always shout 'help!', 'fart!' or 'ass!' before striking. I think 'ass' (british pronounciation) works best with your breathing. ;-)
I was taught to use different pitches and tones soft to deeply resonant for different effects.
Some boxers do shout while punching. Take Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan.
I see! Same reason!
I like to 'hurryanh' when I do something that requires strenght but other than that I was always discouraged of screaming during form executions ...like 'dont yell! Breath!'
Ironic how modern combat sports get the principle better than common traditional schools.
Noice point out in Muay Thai our teacher teaches to breath out a oossshhhh in a control breathing .sound every time we kick and
Women tennis tournaments are a great example for proper shouting out kia or whatever you want to shout
Oh yeah!
Would you be able to post the Kanij for the following please:
1560 honpokuji Diary priest temple
diary name and author?
The kanji for 五度も 十度も
Godo mo judo mo sono kiai no hito wo mote wa wo irete
kyokun shoro ni arubeshi
The same thing happens in Korean schools in America. I tell my students that you don't Yell the word Yell or scream the word scream these are sounds not words.
i used YA~B where the B is where you stop making the sound. worked for me and it was basically the latter half of KI-AP (korean work for KI-AI). they teach you first with IYA~B(not a P when doing it) and as you get better, YA~B. then, it becomes YA~ and eventually A~. none of these actually matters until you realize that you don't actually need to make the sound. it's just teaching you how to breath and move with that breathing. i stopped at YA~B but it still works fine lol
Haha!
Merci beaucoup pour les conseils !
This helped me to understand where I want to make the sound. While practicing years ago I remember that I got sore troth and I was aware that I'm not doing things rights, just didn't know how to corrects.
Great tips :D
hAI!
I shout out , “ Take That And That “.
Fascinating & thanks for sharing this.
Especially given how people here in the USA overdo their kiais especially in competitions & sadly in some cases being rewarded for it.
Great point!
@@KarateDojowaKu Thanks, because I’ve seen it a lot & have lost in competitions because of it.
I don't know this teacher personally. But i much prefer to think of karate and related martial arts as beneficial for individual development and character building. His approach seems to be going that way. Thank you.
My understanding of kiai comes from receiving strikes. When someone hits you it's a natural response to expel air and vocalize. Oof! Ow! and Ooooh! are all great examples.
The idea is that the pressure of the strike is relieved by the release of your breath. In fact, if there was a way to cover a person's mouth and nose when you struck them it would probably cause considerably more harm.
So lets keep this observation in mind when we examine the other side of this equation, striking.
When examining the action of a strike, it becomes evident that to strike another is to receive a blow of equal strength. Hopefully the part of you that's striking is somewhat hardened and is well supported to both deliver and receive the force of your blow.
So, if striking is similar to receiving a hit and if exhaling helps one receive strikes, then it only reasons to be true that exhaling will help one deliver blows as well.
I think the reason is a little different for striking, however.
Sure, it's good to not have the pressure of your breath used against you in your attack. However, I believe it's also good to make sure the muscles of your torso are more tightly pulling against each other when trying to project force.
Think of it like, if you were using a stone spear and you were thrusting with it, would it be more effective if the bindings of the head of the spear were lose or tight?
I think it's generally obvious that, as the bindings get tighter, the transfer of force becomes more efficient.
To me, this is much of why kiai is useful is when striking.
On a more subtle note, I also fine the the pitch and volume of one's kiai can be telling of their condition and effort.
Very good. In our art which is Okinawan Kenpo (from Seikichi Odo) we have 3 sounds we use. The first, phonetically is "ahi" almost exactly the same as you show in this video. It's used for upper body, explosive attacks projecting outward. We also have another for lower body, leg or kicking attacks that is "tae". And we have one more which is really two consecutive shouts for lifting throws. It goes "eii" for the lifting part then "ahi" exactly the same as our first, for the actual finishing throw. All involve a relaxed throat and voice box, diaphragm breathing, and cutting the sound off just as you mentioned. Thanks for sharing.
Thank YOU for sharing as well!
May I ask who you study under? I study under a Rokudan of Hanshi Larry Isaac, and I am currently studying for shodan, but I have never heard of this at all I mean, the three different types of and all that.
@@ripx5848 Hello. I've been studying under Dean Stevens, who was a student of Seikichi Odo. Sensei Stevens (more commonly known as Sensei Dean) did a few things based on his own research and experiences on Okinawa. I'm not sure that he learned the different shouts from Odo or not. I know that Odo's shouts were certainly expressive but I'm not sure if he used the same 3 inflections my sensei taught. I should ask him sometime where he learned them.
Yo, this is incredible. I didn't know there was so much robust history around Kiai. I was just researching it for a rap song I'm writing so it's in the right respects, and I don't look like a nonce when I use it.
I wish you best of luck for the song!
This need to be played for all the Westerners in karate competition screaming at every technique in Kata like insane people.
2:00 so true, my Sensei tells me all the time I need to kiai because I come from a background in boxing and kickboxing, so I tend to just exhale when I need to release the strike instead of a shout
Reverse the letters of KIAI (outward projection of energy) and you get AIKI (inward projection of energy)....as in AIKI-do
if you reverse it, it's IAIK....
Hara_ solar plexus-sound.
Karate & Zen as one .
Breath- energy into movements
Best sound is TOHHH
As taught by real original teachers .Nagamine sensei.and Zenko Heshiki
Back when I practiced karate, my kiai were "EIII!' & "HAAA!"
I'm just a very beginner but I totally understand what you are saying, Yusuke, maybe because I've been singing for more than 27 years and we use the same technique for singing. Your explanation is very good!
Learning how to sing is like saying "kiai" properly
I never do it, and the teachers almost never cared, but some douche students wld accuse me of being disrespectful, in boxing and kung fu it comes out more like a hiss or just a strong out breathe, those two being a part of the first styles I took most instructors respected that
yeah, they were students after all. lol what do they know anyways right? i learned tkd and never during an actual confrontation(about 3 in total), did i ever use the YA~B(korean kiai? lol). it was more of a controlled breathing like you said. the kiai will allow you to recognize how to breath and how to move accordingly, that's all it does really lol
@@maxkim7937 yeah in the street i just used aikido in all but three but when i punched it was at the end of the day just an exhale same with grapping, like u said its just an exercise to breathe from the center, its prob not a good idea to yell everytime u punch somebody but on the mat if it helps then go for it plus it was suppose to be an internal art at some point
Surprisingly, the best kiai you will hear is not in a dojo but by professional female tennis players at an Open's final.
Wow ! Now I know 😃
Jesse said the "kiai" and point system in sport Karate came from Savate but these things are also in Kendo.
And it sounds like the phrase WELL predates the French coming to the mainland.
Interesting point!
👏👏👏👏 great man!!!!
Normal peoples Kiai: AAAIIIIII
My Kiai: *confused screaming*
Lol
Yayy I learned it correctly
In my dojo we used to scream "To!"
saludos desde colombia , sur america
I usualy use a haaaa when i punch or hai sound when i kick.
A somewhat misleading title but excellent explanation, well done and thank you.
My teacher's kiai sometimes sounded like a dog barking. I always thought it was funny, but I would never, ever say anything. I am nervous even typing in here, even though my teacher is now in his 60s.
My kiai sounds like a lifetime of pain and regret, tempered by bullying and racism, honed by an unrequited longing to solve problems with violence.
I learned from Judomaster
Sounds like a "Rallying Cry" or battle cry conceptually.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_cry
Which makes sense since miyamoto musashi mentions shouting before the battle commences and after to signal the battle is won
You are now officially a karate nerd 😎😋😋😋🤣🤣
lol
My kiai was 'A yeaaah'(English) / 'E yaaaah'(Asian) 🙈
I believe the last kiai that you sounded is similar to what is use in military when running obstacles : 'at , at , at , at . . ' .
1:54 I was about to say you was wrong but it is ok
I once accidentally shouted "OSS" when doing a punch 😭
Hi I understand the word kiai. there is a lot of Dojo that's still do not pronounce the word properly as a martial artist you never stop learning it's a journey for life a lot of people do not find the time to do research and understand the Japanese way to pronounce words people read it how it sounds like Judo the kiai is pronounce ai and oi is that right or wrong whenever you eat to a strike we say ai and when we do it poke its oi I am may be wrong. I would love to hear you talk about different martial art and how is your they pronounce kiai can you talk about iaido 👍🏾👌🏾🙏🏾
My favorite part of watching kata tournaments are the hilarious kiai though. :3
My teacher's kiai was absolutely deafening. It took me 10 years to even get close.
That's funny you should say that. The last two or three tournaments I went to is usually around the green belt area, the judges always give a big speech before they start, and the last judge literally said hey I don't want it to sound like there's a murder going on in here, don't be screaming. It's a lot easier deal with when the kids are not screaming like they're being abducted
@@ripx5848 Haha!! A loud kiai that is clear and represents a sudden exhale is impressive. Just screaming on stage is so comical I just lose it every time. Lol
Props to that judge for saying it!
This was so helpful, thanks for the guidance!
Kiaido is an interesting kind of martial art, I put some of the principles they use into my karate. Also I tell my female students your kiai could even save your life, a good kiai straight into an attackers ear can cause them severe pain. Also good kiai can get the attention of someone else to help you out
Thanks for your insight!
We always breath out for every technique. Shouting while doing kata/ sparring/ fighting is very exhausting.
HAAA! KELLY CLARKSON!
Lol!
There are so many martial arts schools over in Australia that i have walked into and walked out of just as fast because they shout out the word Kiai. not Kiai as a practice.
It sounds funny when they do it 😆😆😆
.
*Interesting!*
Glad you think so!
@@KarateDojowaKu *Thanks you!*
You cannot shout in Japanese like "Hi-ya", "Kia", "Sore da" or the most overused and iconic Kiai Shout "Ora ora ora ora ora ORA"
Haha are those from anime!?
@@KarateDojowaKu yes. but some characters from other kids cartoons(like spongebob, simpsons, fairly odd parents, family guy, power puff girls. etc) would say *Hi-ya* . including power ranger(the western/american version of super sentai)
👁hav my students yell: "Scream" same thing 🤓
Thanks for including the detailed information! However, I was a bit surprised that there was not even a single mention of intra-abdominal pressure...
2:35 He is not as technical, but the idea is there
@@gomesbandrey : He is on point, but not quite getting to a full explanation. Kiai is at least as much about holding air in and exerting greater intra-abdominal pressure for your technique, as it is for expelling air right after that. He only spoke about the exhalation part (and he did that well, don’t get me wrong). To be fair, if done in the way he described and with proper training, one may eventually be able to make full use of kiai.
@@ThomasToPC I get it. The technique should allow the body to use the strength for the skill, not just breathe out quickly
@@gomesbandrey : Yes, just like a hydraulic drive system. If you leak air too early - i.e., before impact - you lose the pressure that could help you increase your technique’s effectiveness.
Thanks for your insight!
It's so funny. We should all collectively use the word "yell" or "scream" in our respective language as our _kiai_. Imagine the look on your opponents face when doing it
so ... Kiai is actually a war cry, instead of (releasing the beast energy from within)?
Kiaaaahahaha...now i got it...
So I could basically just shout “AI” every time I strike an opponent?
Yusuke Sensei, how do you get the meaning of 機合? I can't find 機 meaning "emotion" or something alike anywhere. Not in Japanese or Chinese dictionaries, not even in Old Chinese dictionaries. Is this a special meaning in Old Japanese, or does it in fact mean "comming together at a crucial moment"?
Therefore その機合の人をもて和を入て,教訓正路にあるべし could be translated to:
"By meeting [someone] at a crucial moment your ethics will be guided in the right direction."
Great Video!
I have some questions, there is a Sword School called Katori Shinto ryu, and their Students practices "Kiai" a Lot
according to the School's tradition, Katori Shinto ryu was created in 1447... so, more than 100 years before the term Kiai was invented, right? so, in the past they didn't use Kiai in their training?
And Kung fu students also use Kiai, right?.... their scream are a different thing?
I am not sure about that. They might've used a different word to describe it
Do you have karate terminology vidoes?
HIYAAA!
Oh, hello 👋
Lol
I tend to kiai similar to "HEY" or "EI"
Shouting over and over very close to ears is very bad for long term audition. Maybe one day karate will address this. Some teach you have to shout as loud as you can ... some are so used to shouting they cannot even control it any more.
Wow that happens in your dojo? I wouldn't like that as well
@@KarateDojowaKu Its not the way its taught in our dojo, but some been taught this way...