Kiai

**Jklak** · 21st August 2002, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by David J
You mean like this: Kendõ
(Its Alt0245 if anyone can be bothered )
<rei>

Dave

Hei Dave!

Still it stays on a little dimly to me. So is õ for Kendõ like diphthong "ou" ? In Finnish language we have a lot of diphthongs, like: ae, ai, ao, au, ay, aä, aö, ia, ie, etc etc…. So it seems like a similar thing?

**AlexM** · 21st August 2002, 10:45 PM

An ex-member of our dojo used to have an unusual kiai (once you listened to it long enough). He seemed to be srceeming "Chips Ahoy!" (yes I realize that it's tough to imagine and you really had to want to hear it). He also had the "laughing syndrome": whereas it souns as if your opponent is actually laughing at you when doing kiai.
I've heard people who sound like they're barking (try saying "Miaou" as a reply).
Although I didn't witness it myself someone in Toronto apparently sounds like their screaming MARIA!
Maybe I'm just listening to kiai a little too intently.

**Ares2907** · 22nd August 2002, 03:55 PM

There was a guy I saw at a kendo seminar years ago who used to kiai screaming lines from basho haiku.
Nutjob.

Confound · 22nd August 2002, 09:59 PM

Ares, that's hilarious! what a weirdo.

Ronin2167 · 23rd August 2002, 08:29 AM

I went to my first kendo class...only as an observer...and the Kiai is the first thing I noticed. Now I have studied a bit of Judo, a bit of Tae Kwon Do, a bit of Ishyn Ryu Karate....and even a bit of Brazillian Ju Jutsu...until I finally settled with Aikido....I have never berfore in all of my brushes with other martial arts have I heard so much Kiai....it was almost scary at times....and at times it was even annoying. I asked the Sensei about it after the class since I am interested in starting....and what he said was that it is a requirement.....to show your budo spirit......My understanding is that you get graded on your Kiai when you rank test?

I am not sure if I could go a whole class without getting hoarse or laughing.

But I did however enjoy watching....I wanted to get out there and get hit in the head numerous times...just so I could say I study a sword art.

Peace and Joy

**kendokamax** · 23rd August 2002, 08:48 AM

hey....

If you want to try kendo try it, do it whatever!, don't waste too much time analysing it.

Doing kiai looks dumb but it's so relaxing!

"But I did however enjoy watching....I wanted to get out there and get hit in the head numerous times...just so I could say I study a sword art."

...no comments..

**Jklak** · 23rd August 2002, 04:01 PM

I have found that obi-belt helps me to keep long and powerful kiai. Perhaps it give’s some counterpressure to midriff muscle. So it is lightly to control own kiai oneself? What kind of experience you have obi-belt and kiai?

yours jklak

**saki_wooah** · 24th August 2002, 04:30 AM

I tried to practise some flute (i had courses a long time ago and i do that in my tiny spare time) before kendo, and that practice, i did a very weird kiai during shiai... it sounded like " IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIH". Something like a 10 tons mouse. lol... I have heard many kiai from my collegues and i''m so impressed by one of the girl... woaaa she has a kiai like " IIIOP" going from up to down. Mine is "TAIIIIII" starting down to up... So many great kiai to hear! Hmm. The point of my message is that I think that if you practise your respiration properly, you can do a longer shiai...

**gill** · 26th August 2002, 08:12 AM

I've been told my kiai hits a pitch that reverbarates round my opponents head.

The down side to this (at least from my point of view- others may disagree.....) is that I tend to loose my voice - but that then makes me kiai from my hara

**sjp** · 26th August 2002, 05:57 PM

I've been told my kiai hits a pitch that reverbarates round my opponents head.

It certainly does ... and you cant sing either

**saki_wooah** · 27th August 2002, 05:06 AM

woah... I liked my kiai from friday... it was nothing better to break kendokamax's ear... lol hehehe, i'll try to make it higher and louder (if possible) it looked like a whistle but a bit higher.

**KhawMengLee** · 27th August 2002, 05:12 AM

bring one of those horn blowers that ppl use at sports matches.

**gill** · 27th August 2002, 05:35 AM

Originally posted by sjp

It certainly does ... and you cant sing either

Steve, be assured you will be on the receiving end of the most painful pitch next time we meet

...... and I can sing - just not in tune!!!!

**S. Takamori** · 27th August 2002, 06:36 PM

Maybe an interesting item regarding "kiai" is my teachers' explanation about the three "levels" in kiai...

1st: Haruki (when at the beginning stage, people produce much loud voice)

2nd: Sumuki ( later, when people are more involved, looks like flat water on a lake, but inside the power remains strong)

3rd: Saeruki (inner kiai whithout production of sound. This is Tatsujin or Meijin level (Musashi for example)