The kata topic

[Traymond]

You obviously totally misunderstood what I was referring to. When I said there was only "one" way, I was referring to the context of an individual's interpretation of the meaning of the kata with the intent of correct bunkai of a real situation, and changing that interpretation for competition. Technique variation always has and always will have variations in the interpretation of a particular kata - which is fine.

- Killer -

There is only "one" kata and "one way" to do kata. If you are doing kata correctly, there is absolutely no difference between practise and competition. However, certain body actions may be over emphasized for competition - example, big draw are that the judges can see. But if you are doing kata correctly, this would not be an issue - but some will win a kata competition using this cheater's method. So for competition training, you may have to stress this point to lower levels to ensure they are competitive in competition.

- Killer -

As you are a shotokan practicioner you should know that all katas are not always done the same, Karate is not Iaido, kata cannot always be done the same. If you look at the two different videos of Funakoshi Sensei doing Tekki Shodan, you will see what I am talking about.

haha I feel like a fool...I just assumed when you wrote that their is only one way to do it, i thought you were one of those "over kill" japanese karateka...haha sorry.

[Killer Miller]

Kia is not an action, it is a by-product of an action. It is not, nor was it ever, designed to scare the opponent - however, a strong and proper kiai will scare the heck out of an opponent.

Kiai is simply the noise the body makes when "stopping" the rapid exhalation of air through the air pipe of your body. So if you kiai naturally and with kime, it means that you did the action correctly - which in kata and in real life, it would be the actual "killing" blow or technique.

- Killer -

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

I believe they are nessecary in kihongata and Yakusoke Kumite Only, Regular Kata and Kobudo, they are pointless...If a guys running at me with a pair of nichogama ima run...he doesn't need to kiai to scare me. in Kata for competition sure...but its not something I feel is required, I dont require any one that learns underneath me to use them.

[Espina]

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

[Kuma]

Something to keep in mind too: a kiai is not necessarily emitted as a shout. In many styles of swordsmanship, the practitioner actually focuses his kiai through the blade itself and not by vocalization.

[Traymond]

Kia is not an action, it is a by-product of an action. It is not, nor was it ever, designed to scare the opponent - however, a strong and proper kiai will scare the heck out of an opponent.

Kiai is simply the noise the body makes when "stopping" the rapid exhalation of air through the air pipe of your body. So if you kiai naturally and with kime, it means that you did the action correctly - which in kata and in real life, it would be the actual "killing" blow or technique.

- Killer -

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

I believe they are nessecary in kihongata and Yakusoke Kumite Only, Regular Kata and Kobudo, they are pointless...If a guys running at me with a pair of nichogama ima run...he doesn't need to kiai to scare me. in Kata for competition sure...but its not something I feel is required, I dont require any one that learns underneath me to use them.

thats why i believe they should be in kihongata and yakusoke kumite, sinde they are obviously done in quick repetition at most times no more than four movements.

[Wa-No-Michi]

Kia is not an action, it is a by-product of an action. It is not, nor was it ever, designed to scare the opponent - however, a strong and proper kiai will scare the heck out of an opponent.

Kiai is simply the noise the body makes when "stopping" the rapid exhalation of air through the air pipe of your body. So if you kiai naturally and with kime, it means that you did the action correctly - which in kata and in real life, it would be the actual "killing" blow or technique.

As far as I understand it "Kiai" is not so much the shout - that’s more the by-product maybe.

Kiai is of course a compound of two words

Ki-Energy

Ai- Harmony/harmonise

So it means summons your energy at specific point. This can be underlined with a shout, but you can also perform Kiai without a shout.

WNM

[Traymond]

Something to keep in mind too: a kiai is not necessarily emitted as a shout. In many styles of swordsmanship, the practitioner actually focuses his kiai through the blade itself and not by vocalization.

Yes I have heard about this also, especially in Iaido. IN terms of the Hi (bo hi if you prefer it?). That whistling would be the only Kiai a seasoned Iaidoka would need. Or even the look in the eyes of the iaidoka. In kendo they used the terms of "men" "do" "Ashi" "kote" and "Skee" As their kiai referring to where they were to strike their opponents, (On the kendo part im not sure all organizations go along that route of screaming their attacks destination would go).

[Espina]

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?

[Wa-No-Michi]

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?

Me=Eye

So Kime means to energy/eye or to focus energy into a given point perhaps.

Some would liken it to the "snap" or "tension point" at the end of a technique.

"Focus" in a nutshell and not quite the same as Kiai but equally part of the same process.

WNM

[Espina]

Thanks!