Effect of Kiai on Perception

Sinnett S, Kingstone A (2010) A Preliminary Investigation Regarding the Effect of Tennis Grunting: Does White Noise During a Tennis Shot Have a Negative Impact on Shot Perception? PLoS ONE 5(10): e13148. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013148

Tennis Players' Grunts May Slow Opponents' Reactions: Scientific American Podcast. A recent study shows the negative impact that noise can have when one is attempting to predict where a tennis ball will land.

Duh! Kiai effects people and animals.

Tanju Notes

Notes from Professor Lane's class on Tanju No Maki at the 2010 AJJF Black Belt Weekend, Sonora hosted by Mountain Storm Jujitsu.

• Use the one inch punch; fist, elbow and knee. Particularly useful for the Hibara Hazushi above the elbow.
  

• No intent. (Exercise: catch house flies with you hand, they sense your intent.)

• If someone is confronting you in this context they need a lesson, break something.
  

Falling on the sidewalk

Before we teach you a Danzan Ryu (DZR) technique, we teach the counter (so we can practice with you more than once.)

The ground is your friend, land softly.

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This video was made by a couple of my DZR buds, Sensei Atienza and Sensei Sweeny. They have a dojo down in San Diego, Ka Hale Na Ikaika Dojo.

Isshinryu Breathing

I learned the mechanics of Isshinryu breathing from Hanshi Willie Adams at his seminar down at the dojo today.

Attacks are done with the lungs almost empty.

Always keep at least 10% percent of your breath at all times, don't let the last bit go. You need this remaining air so that your body can continue to function.

Before initiating a move exhale 90% of your air then retain the breath during the move.

A kiai will use 10% of your breath therefore, if the move is going to be preceded by a kiai exhale 80% of the breath, kiai and then execute the move (10% of the vial capacity remains during the move).

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The Japanese word for breath or breathing is ibuki. Soft internal breathing is in ibuki. Hard internal breathing is yō ibuki.

Based what I have learned at the dojo and this article in Black Belt Magazine (1966), The Cat, I believe this philosophy of breathing comes primarily from Grand Master Shimabuku's Gojo Ryu lineage. Quoting the article...

There is another form of kata for which the school is famous and without which no explanation of the Goju style would be complete. That is the school's breathing kata. No one who has ever witnessed a Goju man practicing his breathing kata under a full head of steam will ever forget the experience. It is an awesome and, to those of a more timid turn, sometimes frightening experience. A good Goju man can be heard half a block away and more while engaged in breathing exercises.

There are two types of breathing practiced, the in-ibuki and the yo-ibuki. The in-ibuki is the soft but firm type of breathing which starts from deep within the abdomen. This is similar to the type of breathing which is practiced in Yoga and Zen meditation, and is usually directed towards spiritual and meditative matters when practiced. Goju adherents never tire of repeating that this is the normal way a baby breathes. It is only when we get older that we learn to breathe from our chest.

The yo-ibuki is the hard style of breathing. The sound effects are menacing. The breathing is loud and heavy and comes from deep within, producing something of the sound of a full-throated lion about to strike. The inhaling is done in quick intakes through the nose while the exhaling is a prolonged process of short breaths through the mouth. In exhaling the whole body is tensed, including the throat and esophagus. This tightens the air passage and the air is forced from the abdomen. This whole process is said to be combative or animal-like breathing.

The tensing that is carried out during the breathing exercises is similar to that carried on in dynamic tension and isometric exercises. Tensing is believed to build up physical strength. And that goes internally, too, where the breathing is said to strengthen the heart and other vital organs. The student is taught never to exhale all his breath at once but to ration it out in short breaths. One reason is to always save a little breath so that an opponent cannot strike when one is out of breath and at one's weakest just before inhaling. The idea is always to save a little breath to counter. A good Goju man who is really warmed up will stride across the floor rippling every muscle from head to foot while engaged in powerful animal-like breathing. The effect can be quite spectacular.

But there is another side to the breathing exercises, the side concerned with the mental and spiritual aspects of karate. By its very nature, this is the side most difficult to grasp for many persons, especially Westerners. The most advanced type of breathing exercise is that in which all of one's strength is concentrated on a specific feeling or thought. It is through concentration and meditation that man learns to improve himself.

Isshinryu Methodology

I learned the basic methodology of Isshinryu Karate from Hanshi Willie Adams at his seminar down at the dojo today.

1. Centering
2. Breath Out
3. Stance
4. Throw Attack

Centering—Move in a straight line.

Breath Out—Attack with only 10% of your vital capacity remaining.

Stance—Weight on balls of feet, toes down, knees bent, Seisan stance

Throw Attack—Prepare the weapon, launch and let if fly, relaxed until impact, accelerate the last 12 inches.

Throw Attach Details

• Prepare the weapon before the attack. (Stupid to walk into a battle before you assemble and load your gun.)
• Move straight from chambered position to the target. No twisting, looping, dipping, hooking or hesitation.
• Twelve inches before the target accelerate the weapon through the target.
• One inch before the target integrate the fist with the frame into the ground.
• Connect the frame to the ground at the point of impact, Yang:
1. Rear foot then
2. Lead foot, then
3. Rear fist, then
4. just before contact lead fist.
• Disengaging from the attack and inhale (at any point you are able to reengage by reversing process), Yin:
1. Relax lead fist, then
2. Relax rear fist, then
3. Relax lead foot, then
4. Relax rear foot.

The Peace of Warriors

The Peace for Warriors martial arts and yoga workshop was held from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday July 17th at Canyon Spirit Yoga Center in Auburn. Gopal Andre Sims developed and lead the workshop in hopes of training others to spread the concept to those in need.

The Auburn Journal sent a photographer to document the class for an article about Rob Edwards and his discovery that yoga can be part of path of recovery from PTSD. See the Auburn Journal article Class leads warriors in way of peace, By Bridget Jones, Journal Staff Writer, July 19th, 2010.

Needle Through Brick (2008)

Needle Through Brick (2008) is a documentary about the struggle for survival of traditional art and culture in the face of a rapidly changing and modernizing world told from the perspective of time-honored Chinese Kung Fu masters.

What becomes of martial arts when the martial needs become subordinate? Martial Arts are part of our culture like painting, sculpture, music and sport; where is the government funding and corporate sponsorship?

I recommend watching this film if you are a student of martial arts. The discussion of internal vs external is particularly worthwhile.

I wasn't very taken by the soundtrack. Didn't notice it while watching the film (I always notice and appreciate film scores, not noticing is NOT a complement in my case.) The samples in iTunes didn't light my fire either.

"We practice until our hand control our mind." "...he is still learning because there is no end in hunting the skill of the art."—Master Tan Kay Teck