Kiai

[Kusotare]

the simplest thing to learn on the floor, minus bowing.

Just a very quick story regarding bowing...

In the west I think we have a tendency to consider bowing rather insignificant (apart from the intended display of respect and humility) and easy.

I remember a course held by a senior Japanese instructor I used to train with where, after starting with a bow in he preceded to spend about 30 minutes explaining how to bow (tachi-rei, and za-rei) - as he was appalled by the fact that, as he said - 'no one knows how to bow properly'.

The course was attended by many 6th,7th and 8th dans from all over Europe - many of whom hadn't a clue they weren't bowing properly and more importantly why!

Disappointingly however - most didn't seem to care.

K.

[sensei8]

the simplest thing to learn on the floor, minus bowing.

Just a very quick story regarding bowing...

In the west I think we have a tendency to consider bowing rather insignificant (apart from the intended display of respect and humility) and easy.

I remember a course held by a senior Japanese instructor I used to train with where, after starting with a bow in he preceded to spend about 30 minutes explaining how to bow (tachi-rei, and za-rei) - as he was appalled by the fact that, as he said - 'no one knows how to bow properly'.

The course was attended by many 6th,7th and 8th dans from all over Europe - many of whom hadn't a clue they weren't bowing properly and more importantly why!

Disappointingly however - most didn't seem to care.

K.

Solid post!!

To the bold type above...

That is sad, but not surprising. They missed a great opportunity to increase their MA, as well as their personal, betterment.

Whilst I say that kiai and bowing are about the easiest thing to learn for a beginner, there's more that meets the eye with either of them.

Do both right sincerely, or just get off the floor!!

[singularity6]

I'm fairly certain that we don't bow properly in our school. Not much emphasis was put on bowing. Essentially, if someone needs to be excused, any attempt at bowing is accepted (and not necessarily expected.) We bow at the end of class, but again, it's pretty much learned by sight, not by instruction.

[RobertAslin2]

Also on the topic of bowing, I've always been torn between either keeping my head down or facing whomever I'm bowing to.

I've been told by some to keep my head facing whomever I'm bowing to, similar to how Bruce Lee taught to never take your eyes off your opponent, however I've also been told to keep my head facing the ground out of respect.

My school also taught the Bao Quan after a bow, but we mostly just use it for an informal bow.

[bushido_man96]

the simplest thing to learn on the floor, minus bowing.

Just a very quick story regarding bowing...

In the west I think we have a tendency to consider bowing rather insignificant (apart from the intended display of respect and humility) and easy.

I remember a course held by a senior Japanese instructor I used to train with where, after starting with a bow in he preceded to spend about 30 minutes explaining how to bow (tachi-rei, and za-rei) - as he was appalled by the fact that, as he said - 'no one knows how to bow properly'.

The course was attended by many 6th,7th and 8th dans from all over Europe - many of whom hadn't a clue they weren't bowing properly and more importantly why!

Disappointingly however - most didn't seem to care.

K.

I can see both sides of this. Its cultural. In the west, we tend to the handshake as a form of greeting. In the east, they bow a lot more, and for a lot more things. Its natural that they are going to understand it more than westerners.

In doing Karate or some other Martial Art, we really only get a very small sample of the culture where it came from. So, we just won't be as adept at it unless we decide to really immerse ourselves in it, and spend some time living in the culture.

Now, as for the Kihap or Kiai. I hear it vocalized more now in a word form or a vocal yell than I used to. I hear a lot of people yell without bringing the air up from their abdomen, and that really defeats the purpose of it; at that point, your just trying to be loud. It should be a short, forceful exhalation of air from the abdomen that causes the trunk muscles to tighten, and ideally, the yell should peak at the completion of the technique.