Kiai

[Ca & Me]

I know this has been Mentioned before, so bare with me or ignore my query all together.

I find it difficult in training to preform Kiai and am constantly encourged by my Sensai to use it.
Yet i still use the main Kiai MEN, DO, and KOTE.
But often confuse my self in the middle of practise - Men cut whilst shouting Do- etc

How do you find the Kiai within yourself
I am afraid i'll sound like an Idiot,
And don't want to come across like a Japanese Ganster whilst in Keiko.

Any tips would be much appreciated.

[tango]

hrmm... well.. i guess it'll come along the more you practice... eventually, it'll become second nature and you won't think about it...

if you have to practice (by yourself) hitting the air where kote would be.. and you do that everyday for a couple hundred times, and you picture what the kote looks like in your head, eventually, it'll start sinking in. same thing for men and do...

[Katana]

I know this has been Mentioned before, so bare with me or ignore my query all together.

I find it difficult in training to preform Kiai and am constantly encourged by my Sensai to use it.
Yet i still use the main Kiai MEN, DO, and KOTE.
But often confuse my self in the middle of practise - Men cut whilst shouting Do- etc

How do you find the Kiai within yourself
I am afraid i'll sound like an Idiot,
And don't want to come across like a Japanese Ganster whilst in Keiko.

Any tips would be much appreciated.
Kiai is nessesary. Later on, you will be penilized for not using it, so get comfortable soon. Everyone shouts a strange kiai sometimes (once I was so nervous I said MENNNNNN when it was KOTTTEEEEEEEE...), but no one will make fun of you for it. So, kiai strong, bring it up from your stomach and just let it go. It takes awhile to get used to (especially when friends/family are watching you) but eventually you'll kiai so loud you'll make em' fall down.

[Arnold Strong]

You may want to practice your kiai in your car with the windows rolled up so your neighbours don't call the police.

[nodachi]

It may just be me, but I can't practice kiai in the car because it feels very out of place. Maybe I am being too selfconscious about it, but it just feels funny, even with the windows rolled up. Does anyone else feel that way, or maybe it's just me... :)

[Ca & Me]

Well I have'nt a car so that suggestion has to go sorry,
I can't really try it in my house my housemates i'll have a fit.
:wink:

[mikes]

Kiai embodies much of Budo and is a vital skill. At practice kiai, kiai, kiai!! Kiai before striking, at the strike and after the strike to hold zanshin. At home do stomach prushes. First roll up a towel and place it on the floor. Lay face down on the floor with your hands over your head and the towel under your navel. Feel the pressure of the towel under your navel and take a deep breath. Then blow out of your mouth with your tongue pressing on the roof of your mouth. Feel the pressure of your push against the towel and try to lift your body off the ground with your stomach push. You can also do this exercise standing and leaning into a railing. When you've developed your abdominal strenght then add your voice with your face in a pillow in the lying position. Use sounds like yah, oh, a and saa then use do, men or kote. Also try to make your kiai long, strongly vocalizing the first sound then trailing off. As a example, DOHOOOooooooooooosaaa, MEENNUuunnnnnnsaaa.

I also would remember my Grandfather's story of my great, great grandfather who was samurai but no longer could carry swords in public. On the trail as they walked to school two large dogs, the size of German shepards, were in engaged in a fearsome fight. YAHH, the dog instantly stopped their fighting and ran away in opposite directions in yelping terror of the KIAI and the samurai. Kiai is also a fearsome weapon and many times is all you need. How to project KI in the kiai is another story. Tetsunosuke Mike Sone

[sminki]

Also try to make your kiai long, strongly vocalizing the first sound then trailing off. As a example, DOHOOOooooooooooosaaa, MEENNUuunnnnnnsaaa.

Lot of senseis will tell students that kiai should not trail off and end on a soft/weak note but rather keep getting louder until the end in a crecendo. I personally agree with this way.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Lot of senseis will tell students that kiai should not trail off and end on a soft/weak note but rather keep getting louder until the end in a crecendo. I personally agree with this way.
Yup, a trailing-off kiai is incorrect. The sound should be going up at the end.

[mikes]

Either way is okay as long as ki ken tai ichi is maintained with zanshin following. It is better to make sure that you are heard in a match, thus the louder note. But in the old style the cut timing was the point of importance and as well as your zanshin remaining. That is why there is loudness in the beginning or at the point of impact and the spirit remains as your voice trails down. Above all, listening to you sensei is the most important point!