whistle while you work?

Jeff Tibbetts · 05-02-2003, 08:06 AM

A funny thing happened in class last night, and I just remembered it. One of our students has a habit of whistling during technique, when he's nage. I'm pretty sure this is just to calm down, but I think that it indicates a lot of things. First of all, it makes it harder to want to attack him. If he's whistling, we're not fighting, he's not worried about the attack or the technique, he's just hanging out. It surely helps him remain calm as well. After a while our instructor just told him to stop, but I didn't mind it. Does anyone that you know do something like this to relax on the mat? Another student of ours kind of makes sound effects. Like "whoosh" and stuff. Pretty funny.

W^2 · 05-02-2003, 10:52 AM

A senior student in my Muay Thai class does this as well - sound effects that is. I've yet to ask him why...

It is interesting to note that Japanese AMA divers whistle before they dive. Researchers thought this was purely a ritual at first, but upon closer examination they found that whistling increases the PSI of gas in the lungs thereby increasing gas exchange. So what they previously thought was an archaic ritual is actually a technique to facilitate breathing more efficiently.

Perhaps those ‘silly' people who do this -- anything that restricts airflow out of the lungs while forcing air out -- are actually conserving energy as well, whether they're conscious of it or not. They may just have the last laugh after all...

~Ward

DCP · 05-02-2003, 01:36 PM

When I am uke, I have a tendency to laugh when a painful lock is put on me or I am in an awkward position. I have found that some nage become overly self-conscious or irritated by this (even though it is completely unintentional). I think it is a defense mechanism my odd brain has created.

Pretoriano · 05-02-2003, 08:35 PM

But laugh should not be unintentional

When Im under circunstances said above I laugh because I mentally separate my body from the part its been pinned and I enjoy the experience from "outside" (btw, I dont enjoy pain).

You laugh because:

You know youre fairly superior to your opponent.

You enjoy the experience, saw or remembered something funny.

You re afraid, insecure or nervous and then comes up the defense mechanism comented by DCP.

A special energy comes to you when you laugh, and this is been well known by all time warriors.

I say laugh is healthy.

Always remember that you can be laughing at practise and still maintain an inflexible spirit (intent) at the same time.

Praetorian

sanosuke · 05-02-2003, 09:42 PM

i think it was what Tohei Sensei called 'relax'.

opherdonchin · 05-02-2003, 11:03 PM

There was a long discussion of noises, which was often quite amusing, in the thread best noises to make during technique.

I said there that I often sing, although that stopped since then and has now resurfaced. For a while my favorite song was 'Be kind to your uke' sung to the tune of a song called Be Kind to Your Parents that I've heard attributed variously to Pete Seeger and the musical Fanny. I knew it from a Pete Seeger record of children's songs that I grew up with.

This week, with the songs resurfacing, that one hasn't really been there. I'm not sure what I've been singing. I should pay more attention.

Pretoriano · 05-04-2003, 06:55 PM

I am sorry, I thought this tread was a serious one

That dossh, wusssh thats how how you talk to horses while there untied.

Thanks Opher for the address

Pretoriano

opherdonchin · 05-04-2003, 09:34 PM

Hey, I thought I WAS being serious!

Peter Klein · 05-05-2003, 02:50 PM

hehe Daniel Pierson i always laugh in that sitation too.

SeiserL · 05-08-2003, 07:57 AM

Yep, gotta admit, to relax and hold a rhythm, I do whistle softly as I work.

Dave Miller · 05-08-2003, 09:04 AM

I tend to make sounds when taking hard ukemi. It sometimes gets some chuckles but it works for me. You gotta breath out when you take ukemi anyway.

kensparrow · 05-08-2003, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Daniel Pierson (DCP) wrote:

When I am uke, I have a tendency to laugh when a painful lock is put on me or I am in an awkward position.

Thank God! I'm not the only one! I was starting to think I had a masochistic streak.

Bronson · 05-08-2003, 01:37 PM

Quote:

I tend to make sounds when taking hard ukemi. It sometimes gets some chuckles but it works for me. You gotta breath out when you take ukemi anyway.

Yeah, same here. I just can't seem to stop it. It's usually an "ugh" when I meet the floor or a "whooooa" as sensei is leading me through the technique. I also make the occasional high pitched "aaAAAaahhh" when I get a good wrist lock applied. Oh well, whatcha gonna do

Bronson