Starting to developt kiai

[utsutsu]

Hi, i'm new in Kendo (about 2 months) and when i started to practice, i've been watching every kendoka in the dojo does a big screen before do an excersice... some new kendokas like me doesn't screen cause they have shame?, even, most of them do it very silently.

I think mi sensei said "more kiai" so i generate a big sound that exhales air from the stomach like i've heard, it becomes sour instantly at my throat :S

Another question, do i need to say someting, or can i just generate a sound...

sorry but I just don't know too much...

[LNGUYEN]

Let me the first to start, Kiai is to generate power within your body and to dominate your opponent spirit. When you hit the target, you kiai your target name like Men, Kote, Do, or Tsuki but if you are not hitting anything, you can just kiai some sound which is up to your comfortable. Some people like Yaaaaa, some one else just scream unmeaning words, some other do something like roaring. Or you can just say "whoa, look behind you" when your opponent turns his head, you can go for Men.

[mystic_kendoka]

wat do u mean ""it becomes sour instantly at my throat ""

maybe u used ur abs too much, and ur stomach acids came up..?

first get confident with using kiai, loudly, then stop using ur throat, and use ur abs, you'll know when u are doing it properly when ur stomach starts hurting...

[not-I]

I have a loud, deep voice and i used to sing in a rock band, so kiai is naturally one of my favorite kendo things.

I can only agree with what the others said, but i can't help adding the following:A lot of people are shy about using loud kiai, but part of its importance, especially for beginners, is to overcome that shyness. When you get into bogu, any sort of shyness or holding back will be detrimental to your practice, go it's imperative that you get used to "letting it all out," i.e. opening yourself up, now.

The "men," "kote" and "do" kiai when striking targets should be clear to you already. What you yell in kamae before striking is up to you, but if nothing comes of itself, try imitating a sempai's kiai at first. The more you get into it, the more your kiai will become your own.

Now, what you mentioned about your kiai "turning sour in your throat" seems to indicate to me that you are either 1.) still holding back, or 2.) still using your throat too much to generate the sound. Once you start getting it right, your stomach muscles will probably be sore after practice (along with the rest of your muscles), but your throat won't be. Also, if you know someone who sings professionally, ask them to show you how they produce pure tones, and get them to help you make the sound with a minimum of throat.
KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

[mystic_kendoka]

i find that it annoying when they copy someone's kiai, my sempai had an unordinary kiai, (ah eeeee) and all the newbies were copying it... o well, at least they're confident about kiai now..

[Hai_hai]

1. Because everyone is yelling, don't be "ashamed".
2. If you are not used to yelling because you are a major wussy without balls, you need to change that.
3. You need to yell using your stomach muscles to get volume, but don't "sing" the kiai like an opera singer.
4. What to say? There are a variety of things you probably have heard but cannot make out any actual words. "Yaa", "Yo", "Yi", "Yup" and then there are various screeches "Ii", "Eh" or low grunts ""Ha", Hu". If you use any of these, no one will give you a weird look. You can actually use "Kiai" as your kiai. Making it a one syllable yell, it kind of sounds like "Kyai". Pitch is important. The high-pitched, "wicked witch of the West" kiai is a popular one.

[Old Warrior]

I'm a big guy and I never give some grunt/kiai as posturing (just about everyone who faces me does). Of course, I call out the target as I hit and try to show good spirit. But, every rare once in a while, I let out a blood curdling sound with the express purpose of alarming my opponent. Believe it or not, it frequently causes them to raise their hands to protect their head. Then I attempt a quick kote to the raised wrist or a do cut. So, don't worry about it, but good startling yell, can serve a tactical purpose.

[mystic_kendoka]

i know someone, who does a high pitched kiai "pas op(but sounds like p'sop)" for those of you that don't speak dutch, this means, "watch out"

[not-I]

3. You need to yell using your stomach muscles to get volume, but don't "sing" the kiai like an opera singer.
4. [...] Pitch is important. The high-pitched, "wicked witch of the West" kiai is a popular one.

I agree that you don't "sing" a kiai, but you'd be suprised how long an opera singer can hold a tone through breath technique. Many kendoka would envy them during cross-dojo kirikaeshi. The important thing in the long term is to have a minimum inhalation time and maximal exhalation. Try doing the first part of kirikaeshi in one breath, then try doing the whole thing in one breath.

High-pitched screeches can be nice once in a while (one of our female kendoka sounds like a real Valkyrie and she's even blonde to boot), but they tend to be "throaty" and i find that the deeper tones require a lot more ab action as you have to summon them from the depths of your bowels (hara).
Anyway, this is all just theory. The only way anyone can learn how to kiai is by kiai-ing.

Btw, OW, if you consider kamae kiai to just be "posturing" i think you may be missing the point. Of course it has tactical uses, but it often serves the one issuing the kiai even more by simply clearing his/her mind.

P.S. i just thought of another goofy kiai i might try out next time: "tiinkfasssss" as in "think fast."

[Old Warrior]

"often serves the one issuing the kiai even more by simply clearing his/her mind."

I never considered that possibility. Somehow, a guy standing in front of me with a 4' club who wants to rap me in the head - ALWAYS gets my undivided attention. That's why I do Kendo and not golf. There is no time to worry about the rest of life. I am too busy paying attention to the activity in which I am engaged.

[Hai_hai]

I agree that you don't "sing" a kiai, but you'd be suprised how long an opera singer can hold a tone through breath technique.

Actually, I'm not surprised. I am a musician but a bad singer. I am classically trained in piano but currently play other instruments in rock/jazz style.

[Yann]

I am pretty new to kendo, but as I started in Ju-jitsu, I am ok with kiaing.
However, I have trouble kiaing BEFORE the strike...

Any advice ? Do you think it's important to kiai before striking ?
Tell your experiences please

[Neil Gendzwill]

The important thing in the long term is to have a minimum inhalation time and maximal exhalation.

It's better if you exhale minimally - try not to let much air out as you kiai.

[not-I]

It's better if you exhale minimally - try not to let much air out as you kiai.

Ok, but isn't this so that, by regulating your exhalation, you have more air to exhale over a longer period of time?
I was told in an aside by a Japanese sempai that the inhalation should be sharp, quick and silent through the nose and the exhalation should be gradual and regulated (which, yes, would imply not "over-kiai-ing").

[Neil Gendzwill]

Ok, but isn't this so that, by regulating your exhalation, you have more air to exhale over a longer period of time?

Partly. Also, you are trying to tense your abdomen and generate the kiai from there, which you can't do if a lot of air is being expelled - then it just becomes a yell.