From: weigand@pecan.cns.udel.edu (Steve Weigand)
Subject: Re: Silent or vocal sparring?
Organization: University of Delaware, Newark
Distribution: world 
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 23:04:54 GMT

In article <1992Sep3.203350.5825@bnrmtl.bnr.ca> carbon@bnrmtl.bnr.ca (Peter Carbon) writes:
>Hello fellow r.m-a'ers,
>
> Thought I might start a new thread about a subject that has been on
>my mind for a while now. Is it useful to be vocal when sparring, i.e.
>utter a fierce kiai as you strike or grunt as you block ?
>
> Having practised Goju Ryu karate I know that this style does introduce
>kiais in its forms and practitioners are encouraged to do so while spar-
>ring also. The style I practise now, Shorinjiryu Kenkokan, Does not have
>this kind of vocal component and my senseis seem to think that it is a
>waste of energy to utter kiais when fighting.
>
> Now I've tried both ways and it does seem more tiring to kiai when you
>strike even though it may disconcert your opponent at first and give
>you a slight advantage. It could be that there is some kind of subtlety
>about kiais that I am missing however.
>
> So what do you people think? Is it better to fight silently, thereby
>conserving energy, or to use kiais to perhaps disconcert your oppponent
>and add more emphasis to a strike?
>
> Peter Carbon
> bnrmtl!carbon@larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu

This is a very good question. Does the kiai, ki-hap, or whatever you want
to call it, actually do any good for you?

Well... I have two schools of thought:
1) For the kiai: It has the following qualities:
	1. It startles your opponent in the hopes that you can use that moment
	   to strike.
	2. It adds an extra burst of energy to your technique. (helps the
	   ki (chi) get to your strike)
	3. If you've ever gotten hit in the solar plexus, you know that your
	   wind gets knocked out... but while kiai'ing, you let the air out of
	   your lungs and prevent such a feeling. 
	4. Intimidating your opponent. This is different from #1. This is the
	   belief that making a blood-curdling scream at your opponent may
	   get him or her truely afraid of you and less agressive towards you.
	5. Kiai'ing will boost your over-all morale and fighting spirit. You
	   may have an "off-day" while fighting, but kiai a few times at the
	   top of your lungs and watch your spirits increase.

2) Against the kiai:
	There are some systems which believe in "natural" breathing. Making
	a kiai is considered a waste of energy and disrupts this natural
	breathing cycle. Kiai'ing once or twice may not put a serious drain
	on your energy, but kiai'ing all the time is enough to make you 
	pass out. So the belief in natural breathing is that the kiai will
	drain your energy and throw your body-timing off.
	Natural breathing allows your body to move fluidly without any 
	disruptions. Taking a hit in the solar plexus using natural breathing
 	is not painful, as you learn ways to disperse the energy from the
	blow using your own internal strength.
	Another idea is that by kiai'ing, you yourself are the one who has 
	to worry... Your brain is now doing more than one technique at a 
	time (making the kiai and attacking), so your more open for 
	attack.

There are points for and against kiai'ing. Over-all, I will tend to use
the kiai in sparring, but in real-life, I think I wouldn't for the simple
reason that it would require that much extra thought.

Comments anyone?

See yas,
 - Steve Weigand
  (weigand@ee.udel.edu)