Breathing with every techniques.

[David Miller]

Hello everyone. So basically in my dojo, we are taught that we should breathe with every technique like doing kata. Punches in kata, strikes in kata and everything else. But yesterday i saw this video of Yoshimi Sensei explaining that breathing during kata is wrong. Well, not that natural breathing, but the breathing you intentionally do. So im a bit confused that is it wrong to breathe during kata or is it correct, or does it depend on something? Thanks.

[sensei8]

Proper breathing is a vital important to the practitioner. Proper breathing oxygenates the body, revitalizing organs, cells, and tissues.

Follow the methodologies as well as the ideologies of your CI!! If confused, speak with you CI about it so that you're right on track.

What others do, can be important, but at your present level of knowledge and experience, I'd not take what others do so seriously. Be curious...ask questions!! Yet, in the end of the day, it's what your CI says, and for now, your CI's opinion is the only important opinion. Your CI will point out to you any mistakes you're making, but only as they arise.

[ashworth]

An interesting point, I wouldnt recommend stopping breathing altogether, like sensei8 said proper breathing is very important in kata.

Reminds me of something my Iaido sensei said about breathing in the seitei forms, the whole from should be done on one breath. (the seitei forms are short forms that may only consist of a couple of cuts, unlike kata in karate) but was still very hard to do in one breath...

[Kusotare]

An interesting point, I wouldnt recommend stopping breathing altogether, like sensei8 said proper breathing is very important in kata.

Reminds me of something my Iaido sensei said about breathing in the seitei forms, the whole from should be done on one breath. (the seitei forms are short forms that may only consist of a couple of cuts, unlike kata in karate) but was still very hard to do in one breath...

Sword based arts, tend not to emphasise breathing.

Of course you need to breathe, but it is very much disguised and 'played down'.

Certain points of breathing are 'suki' - or an opportunity to attack your opponent when they are vulnerable.

Wado-ryu Karate for example is closer to Japanese swordsmanship than it is Okinawan karate.

Breathing is always taught as natural rather than forced.

If a kata is performed properly, you will instinctively inhale and exhale at the correct points.

K.

[JR 137]

Some schools will breathe loudly on every important strike, while others won't. There's pros and cons to both ways of thinking. The first tournament I competed in, there were a few schools who'd breathe loudly on every count of kata, not a kiai, but a loud forceful breath. My sensei at the time's explanation made a lot of sense to me...

Breathing loudly like that helps with maximum power. Timing your breathing with your strikes, like a weight lifter exhaling on the lift.

Loud breathing can be heard by your opponent. If he/she is good enough, he/she can time their strike at the end of your exhalation, basically knocking the wind out of you.

Neither school I've attended breathed loudly (except ibuki breathing at appropriate times during various kata like Sanchin). To be honest, in a real fight, I'd probably breath loudly rather than try to conceal it. Real fighting isn't like dojo sparring/tournament fighting where someone has the time to pick up on it. The opponent could if they're very highly skilled, but if they're that much more skilled than I am where they could use my breathing against me, they're going to beat me up no matter what I do.

All in my own opinion.