I can't hear you!!!!

[Akaratechick]

Something I have noticed in the last year or so regarding kiaps. I know some people spell it differently, but we are told we must do it with our techniques and why we must do it and then when I watch Instructors sparr I don't hear a thing. Is it because they forget? I have asked my husband and he just trys to sidestep the question, kind of the instructor is always right thing. But seriously I have caught myself not doing it now when I point sparr and the judge in class will say " I would have called that shot but you didn't kiap" Has anyone ever experienced the same thing?

[bushido_man96]

It is ok to kihap, but you don't want to do it too much. Just to emphasize a technique. I know a lot of sport TKDers like to kihap on everything. It gets old after a while, and I would just prefer to save my breath.

[Akaratechick]

It is ok to kihap, but you don't want to do it too much. Just to emphasize a technique. I know a lot of sport TKDers like to kihap on everything. It gets old after a while, and I would just prefer to save my breath.

that is very funny, It does get old, and I know what you mean about saving your breath, I feel the same way about crescent kicks in sparring when I get winded.

[Brandon Fisher]

Its like anything it should become habit to do it correctly and in the right places.

[parkerlineage]

Proper breathing is more important, in my opinion, but I have noticed that my instructor and I are always all over the kids saying, "Kiai!", and then he and I fight one another for five minutes, and the loudest sounds you get are impacts and the occasional loud exhale while striking. Do as I say, not as I do?

[bushido_man96]

Proper breathing is more important, in my opinion, but I have noticed that my instructor and I are always all over the kids saying, "Kiai!", and then he and I fight one another for five minutes, and the loudest sounds you get are impacts and the occasional loud exhale while striking. Do as I say, not as I do?

I understand what you are saying here. We are told to use it to emphasize a technique. I would rather emphasize the technique by knocking the guy over, or knocking the wind out of him, but that is just me. Not that I want to hurt the opponent, but in my style, we can win by knockout. Sure beats dancing around for two minutes!

[alsey]

i don't really kiai when doing point sparring. kiai is like a huge release when you deliver a technique with all your strength, you should feel like you could knock a house down when you do it. this isn't really a good idea in point sparring because you don't want to really hit people.

my advice to beginners has always been to concentrate on breathing correctly and executing the technique correctly. with practice kiai will come by itself. i don't actually like the way its often taught, 9 out of 10 kiais i hear in a dojo are forced and artificial.

to answer your question, i would guess you're taught to kiai all the time because that's what your school or style teaches. its on the syllabus or whatever. the instructors understand kiai quite well now so they don't need to be told when and when not to do it.

[bushido_man96]

When we were weapons fighting last week, I let out some yells in the heat of attack, and when I had some good 'finishes.' They weren't really kihaps in the sense that they were flat yells in stead of coming from the gut, but you could call them war yells or spirit yells. I usually only let one out when it is a finishing strike.

[P.A.L]

when I watch Instructors sparr I don't hear a thing. Is it because they forget? I have asked my husband and he just trys to sidestep the question, kind of the instructor is always right thing.

have you started to plan a coup against your husband from 2-3 weeks ago? i can feel it in the air.

[Sohan]

The only yelling I care for when sparring is that done by my opponent when I connect. But rather than a kiai, it is usually a "groan".

With respect,

Sohan