Question about kiai.

[Phorest]

Heres a question to get the board moving.

When first starting Kendo you are told to shout "MEN!", "KOTE!", and "DO!" when you attack those areas. But higher ranked/more experienced kendoka seem to just...well....yell whatever they want to when attacking.

Why is this? Are begginers told to call out those areas just so that they have something to say, to practice their kiai? I'm a little lost on this.

[aru-ma]

Keep in mind however a kiai is not just a yell it is an act to concentrate your spirit. For begginers and even higher grade kendoka kiai-ing men when striking men allows them to focus on each strike. In performing a kiai the feeling should be different, it should not come from your throat rather the feeling should come from your stomach. I have to admit though the kiai is not an easy concept for me to understand.

[iwatekenshi]

They are saying it but it just gets personalized.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Originally posted by iwatekenshi
They are saying it but it just gets personalized.

What he said. Sometimes they get pretty distorted but the person is calling out the correct thing. Also, bear in mind the difference between the kiai when the shinai strikes and just the normal kiai when fighting. The former must be the point name, the latter is just whatever gutteral sound works for you.

[Kingu]

Originally posted by aru-ma
it should not come from your throat rather the feeling should come from your stomach.

I've always been told that kiai should come from the hara-tanden (under the navel).

I also heard that kiai could be silent, then called kensei, is this type of kiai met in kendo??

[alch]

Originally posted by iwatekenshi
They are saying it but it just gets personalized.

I wonder: wouldn't this be an issue in shiai then? If everyone uses a different / personalized kiai, how do the shinpan distinguish between them?

[Neil Gendzwill]

It's just not really an issue. Mostly you can tell if the hit was legitimate and intended even if the kiai is garbled.

[Old Warrior]

As a beginner, I think this is just intended to confuse me. Now I'm not only worried if my footwork is right, my swing on center, my wrists not broken too soon, whether the cut should follow through or be brought back crisply, etc. Now, I have to make sure that when I kiai I remember that head is "mori", not waist which is "heuri"; which must never be confused with "son mok". The real hard part is when we practice and one side is doing mori; while the other is supposed to do heuri and we get confused. All in all it makes for some "interesting" moments.

[Phorest]

Hmm. When I watch my sempai/sensei do kiri-kaeshi...it is just one long continous "AUUUUUUOOOOOOOYYY" sound that he makes every couple times he strikes. Is he really saying "men" in some obscure way? In videos I've watched its just pretty much a guttural shout that kendoka make when they attack.

So you're saying that shimpan just dont discriminate as to what you say, but that you said something in general?

[stinkyKote]

when I do kiai, whether it be in drill or keiko or shiai, I probably just sort of indiscriminately yell something more than half the time- no one seems to complain- ... I also have a friend who's kiai sounds like 'kote!' no matter what point he hits ... it's kinda funny actually-

[Confound]

In the end, it doesn't matter what you say. I've always thought it was ridiculous to announce your strike to the world. As long as the kiai is there, to demonstrate zansshin, that's the important point. You could, theoretically, be running around screaming about mint flavoured dental floss or oreos.

As for kiai centering your energy, or other such metaphysical nonsense, we all know what I think about that.

c

[Kingu]

Originally posted by Confound
As for kiai centering your energy, or other such metaphysical nonsense, we all know what I think about that.

c

So, according to you, what is the purpose of kiai?????????

[James]

Don't worry about Confound, Kingu, I love your squeaky kiai - er..oh... sorry I was thinking of Pingu...

[kendo_chick]

I believe Kiai is just a release of your spirit and a way for you to "explode" when doing your strikes. I don't really think it matters a whole lot what it sounds like as even my own kiai doesn't really sound like the target half the time.

[Kingu]

Originally posted by James
Don't worry about Confound, Kingu, I love your squeaky kiai - er..oh... sorry I was thinking of Pingu...

lol, second time I'm told that


I know nothing about kendo but I'd say your kiai should NOT sound like the target you're aiming. Imagine a karateka screaming: "I'm gonna crush your head". Thanks for the information....