Espina

I think it's pretty intuitive, don't you think? I mean... breathing is something we all do and feel bad if we stop doing it hehehehe.

Oh I see... I agree with you. Maybe it was the sum of all these things that made the ancient ones to start thinking that maybe something important happened every time you breath

So it's like an organ? like the diaphragm?

"Muchas Gracias" (Spanish for Thank you) it's pronounced like 'much as grass e as'

with the tandem? Sorry, english lesson again. Is tandem like how the pilot and copilot are placed on a fighter? like one below the other?

Thanks!

Yes, I think the only way to do that would be asking the one who invented it

Yes, I think the same. 'Mutations' sometimes bring better things. Heck, that's how Nature goes. But in someway, I think it's important to keep a 'pure' line intact, so you can always return to what was the original concept.

That's a excellent question. I was thinking the same and I was hoping someone here could answer it. My opinion is this: They found out that breathing was an essential part of the training process for it's different the body you build by performing aerobic excersises and anaerobic excercises. (just look how different a marathon athlete looks like and how does a world's strongest man competitor does) So, maybe by this simple observation they realized that something regarding air was the cause... But this is just my guess hehehehe

WNM: Do you know the meaning then of Kime? My guess is that Ki means energy, but what about the 'me' part? Does a kiai necessarily means that you are performing a good kime technique?

Hehehehe, yeah, me too

You also have a really nice point too, bushidoman. I really like your opinion, and I agree with what you say about not all MA have katas incorporated. What I'm thinking is this: if your style performs forms, you ought to do them, because that's the essence of your art, as much as probably kumite is. If your art doesn't have an intrinsic 'kata system' then it's perfectly fine, but you still need to practice everything your style says you should practice. And I think that's the main and most important thing: you have to practices whatever your style says you have to practice, otherwise it stops been the original art and becomes an adaptation of your own.

That's what I was trying to say! Thanks granitemiller

I'll have to respectfully disagree with you Bushidoman, because I think Katas are as important for a Martial Artist as kumite. They both are essential part of the art. If you want to be a complete martial artist (from my point of view) you need to practice kumite, kata, push ups, abs, etc as much as anything else. Of course you can always 'invent' your own style and pass over these things. A scalpel is a scalpel no matter in which hand it is. It could be use by a doctor to save someone's life in surgery or it could be used by a criminal to kill someone. Same thing with martial arts. Anyone can throw a punch to another person. You don't need to be a karateka to do this (I think you and me and everyone here will agree with this). You just need your fist. So, what's the difference between a person that practices the full spectrum of exercises and someone who doesn't? The person who is receiving the punch mentioned above will not note the difference (he most likely will be concentrated in staying alive rather than examining your technique hehehehe). I think the difference comes up with the road the martial artist took to get there. I'm just saying that the more you train and the wider your training experiences are, the more complete you become when it comes to a fight.

I once heard that this particular breathing is specific to Goju Ryu, but I'm not sure about this

Thanks Kuma. This confirms what I thought: Goju Ryu has a more forced exhalation than other styles.

So killer, do you think kiais should be used in competition kata?

I have only seen Mastar Kanazawa performing kata, and the Shotokan katas, never the goju ryu ones.

Yes, I've heard a lot about the kiais in katas... I don't really have a position on that. I personally don't like kiais, since I don't feel they are necessary, but that's just me

Were those master Goju Ryu practitioners? Because I've seen Master Higaona, Muramatsu, Veras and others... but all of them are Goju Ryu. Perhaps only Goju Ryu does this?

I haven't seen the video yet, but I've seen a lot of videos for the breathing technique...and my guess is that it's not exaggerated, because it's almost scary the way the masters breath hehehehe.

Well, have you heard about Goju Ryu's Saifa? If yes, just about the part where you move your hands up and down while standing on just one leg (before the mai geri) you head should be pointing left (for kata shitei) while on the normal kata you should be facing forward. Also, there is a difference with the kyais (there aren't in the normal kata)... I just realize how hard it is to describe it heheheh. I wish I could give you a demonstration. These aren't big changes, but still I think they are pretty significative.

Hehehehehe, yes, this happens a lot in Sanchin the first time you do it. Supposedly, by doing the correct breathing nothing hurts.

No, not at all hehehehehe

You are most welcome. If you want to learn anything else of spanish don´t hesitate to ask me