Quote:
Janet Rosen wrote:
, I cannot have my body carry out complex movement patterns with any accuracy if I am shouting.
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I think your post is interesting because it says something important about the learning process.
For me doing kiai is difficult too because it adds an extra element to training, but I think for practise purposes it is excellent training and with time I have slowly learned to integrate Kiai with my breathing and right now I am working on integrating kiai with the ying / yang aspect of the techniques..
The same with correct reigi. The more we train in dividing our attention to various elements during execution of our techniques the more headroom it creates in our abilities to focus our 360 degree awareness.
Same as when doing ken suburi in front of a mirror. It helps me to stay centered while still observing myself execution from the outside. So complexity of training makes for better techniques in the end I believe..
One example that may or may not illustrate my point:
Some years ago I visited a dojo in Italy and even they had an excellent sensei, riai was almost nonexcistent, and kiai was lacking as well. There were many people on the matt, around 45-50 and because it was a mixed class the sensei divided the dojo in two, one for the beginners and the other for the advanced students and then he told the advanced students to do free techniques (jiu waza) from yokumen uchi in pairs of three, then he turned to the beginners and started to teach them tai no henko.
It was a 1 1/2 hour class btw..
Everything went haywire, in a good and energetic way, but the downside was that ukes started to collide after 20 minutes
when slight exhaustion started to set in.. so the 360 degree awareness were not a point of focus I felt even there were 1,2,3,4īth dan students present.
I did manage to get myself out of some hairy throws being a 3īrd kyu because of the way I was taught to get out of a roll with my arms in front of me for protection, and I also believe that because I am taught to practise with a strict attention to reigi and use kiai it helped me to maintain 360 degree awarerness most of the time even I was completely wasted after 45 minutes of jiu-waza and still 30 minutes to go... Phew..
I have to say they were extremely fit in that particular dojo..!!!
Reigi, kiai, sanshin and weapons practise are all great tools for learning to project and maintain energy I feel.
btw. Kiai can also be executed silently turning down the volume to whatever level is required as long as the focus is kept on the correct excution.
Cheers
Lars