I can't hear you!!!!

[Akaratechick]

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.

man, I was hoping nobody would notice I think as you are preparing to teach and you watch instructors and listen to them, just as kids watch their parents you think"hmm, they fight with their hands down and seldom ever kiap

[elbows_and_knees]

akaratechick, you state that you also train jkd and kali - you don't kiai in those. the kiai is by no means necessary in sparring. All that matters is that you breathe. exhale as you get hit and exhale as you strike. the kiai is optional, but has its benefits:

-ensures that you are forcefully exhaling.

-draws attention to your attack. I have seen cases where a judge will give someone a point just because of the kiai, even though the technique didn't actually score. When you are close to hitting an opponent and kiai loudly, there are instances where the judge misses the fact that you didn't hit him or assumes that had you tried to hit him with full power, you would have scored, resulting in the judges awarding points.

[Akaratechick]

akaratechick, you state that you also train jkd and kali - you don't kiai in those. the kiai is by no means necessary in sparring. All that matters is that you breathe. exhale as you get hit and exhale as you strike. the kiai is optional, but has its benefits:

-no we don't kiap in jkd or kali, although i have seen people do it in weapons kata, but I'm sorry most of my training is TKD and there is a large emphasis on the kiap. It is strange when you are taught to do it all through the ranks and then we you get to brown, black you really just don't see (hear) it much anymore.

[Jiffy]

It just becomes the norm.

I agree though. I don't think it is a necessary part of combat, but I do think it's one of those "Nice to Have's"

[parkerlineage]

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".

they fight with their hands down

Now that I don't do. Fight with your hands down?! Isn't that asking for it?

[Jiffy]

I think so!

[Akaratechick]

You guys are funny

[Zorbasan]

if its getting old to the people watching, imagine the person that is being yelled at (the opponent)

its gonna bug them and put them off their game.

[parkerlineage]

When I was a junior black, I fought this hardcore shotokan guy who would scream his head off every time he moved. The guy was good - he won 3-0 the first two fights - mostly from intimidation. However, he fought in a left foot forward stance with his hands down.

I got up there, hit him as soon as they said go with a flying 360 heel hook to the head (2 points), and then imitated his kiai (I knew this guy and we were tourney buddies, so it wasn't like I was being really mean).

I'm always good for an amusing fight, at least.

[New Beginner]

I've been to a few all-styles tournaments over the years where banzai billies make all kinds of peculiar noises, whilst habitating a world of their own much to the amusement of those of us that are able to ignore it and pick them off!

However, I've also seen variations of kiai used with disturbing effect in knockdown and have experienced it too, as a true intimidation tool but it doesn't resemble the screeching and posturing that I think is being discussed here. If you compare it to the verbal, adrenaline fuelled onslaught that often accompanies a real confrontation in the street (usually to the detriment of the person on the receiving end) then I think it's clear that the voice can be used effectively to intimidate and training in kiai shouldn't be discounted per se.