In MARTIAL ARTS, Why people scream and yell?What's the purpose of doing so?

Answer 1

There are several reasons for a Kai. First it helps makes your techniques stronger and faster. Try lifting something heavy and breath in and then try lifting it again while breathing out and see which way is easier. Don't try it with something too heavy-breathing in may give you a spontaneous injury. When you yell you are forcefully exhaling the air; you are breathing out.

Secondly it helps to make your techniques more accurate, allowing you to focus and place your kicks, strikes, and punches on a specific target. It also keeps you from flinching or blinking at the same time.

Third; one of the things that is not so obvious is that martial artists are flexing their diaphragm and stomach muscles when they do this. If you are close enough for me to hit or kick you then you are probably close enough to hit or kick me at the same time. If you catch me coming in and I Kai and flex it helps keep the wind from getting knocked out of me.

Fourth; it is imitating psychologically to some people and if you have the person intimidated or beat mentally-it becomes much easier to beat them physically.

Fifth; depending on your believe in Ki or Chi (internal strength) martial artists believe that it helps to harness that energy flow and direct it into the techniques that are executing. This also has to do with other concepts like Ying and Yang and positive and negative enery flow. Most students when they Kai can excute a punch, kick, or strike quicker and stronger than if they don't if you watch them in a class. If you do some reading and reserach on kinesiology, physilogy, and sports medicine you will find a wealth of information on positive and negative charges and energy flow and how it impacts your muscles and how they work.

Answer 2

Depending on who you ask you will get a multitude of answers. The typical responses tend to fall in the lines of scaring opponents, to warn them that your attacking, and to focus your energy.

My opinion on these range.

Could the kiai (kihap/yell/whatever you want to call it) scare someone? Perhaps if they weren't expecting it. However as prevalent as martial arts is in mainstream society, everyone assumes that anyone knowing martial arts is going to kiai or yell at some point so I highly doubt it would be scary. A few decades ago or so, sure I'd buy it, but today I'd say not so much.

Then there is the aspect of warning your opponent before you're attacking. I mainly hear this coming from karate camps claiming that all ancient karateka were honorable yada yada yada. Were some, absolutely. However, there were also many karateka who were simply nothing more than brawlers. To say they kiaied to warn their opponent I image is a stretch. Now if you want to say that kiai is a warning to signify that you're going to start an assault when running drills in a training facility, sure I'd buy that. But given that kiais in one form or another is found in nearly all ancient martial arts, I find the honor angle a bit of a stretch.

Then comes the focusing of energy/chi/ki/whatever. This I actually believe, but not because of some mystical energy summoned. When you yell, kiai, or exhale, you're forcing the air out of your lungs and tightening your abdomen muscles. This energy your body generates has to go somewhere and ends up adding additional energy to your attack. Also, constricting the abdomen muscles tightens your midsection and should should a punch or kick land, your body is already braced for impact. Boxers even have a technique like this where they forcefully exhale on their punches.

Answer 3

It's a very old thing :P It also is not unique to martial arts.

Exhaling quickly (shouting) helps contract your muscles and provide more power. This is demonstrated in many sports, not just martial arts. Listin to pro tennis matches, they atleast grunt like every hit (Venus's is even scary >_>).

It is also for intimidation and shock. What do you do if you were walking down the hall and you hear a LOUD crash (:O maybe resembling a gun shot?). It startles you, and you might even flinch, at the very least it will distract you. Then you use this gap in their attention to hit them. This is has been done for AGES! Just read up on militaries before guns. For example, the Romans right before charging into battle would scream as loud as they could, this has sometimes even caused their enemies to flee in terror.

Also some people believe that a loud scream can vibrate the water in you (over 2/3 of your body is water), causing you to stall.

Answer 4

In Japanese, the term is KI AI, pronounced KEE AH-EE. Ki means breath and ai means "coming together" or "harmony".

Supposedly, in the Okinawan dialect, the term is "YAGI" - "voice arrow".

I am not sure about this but I am sure that it is a different term, being that Okinawan and Japanese are both different languages.

The sound itself is not a scream that comes from the throat.

Is actually comes from the belly. Most practitioners scream and yell, which is incorrect and it is harmful to you.

You are supposed to project your breath through the wall. The sounds that you project are also specific sounds. Research points to that the sound of the letter "A" or the number "8" are the optimal sounds.

Of course, the Asians who use these sounds are not associating the romanized letter and number, just the sound.

Chojun Maegusuku, the Founder of Goju Ryu, would go out during monsoon season to practice his kiai and Sanchin Kata against the monsoons. I don't know how true that is but if so, WOW!

Either way, your KIAI is supposed to strengthen your defense technique.

Answer 5

Well there are 2 sides of the coin...

One was thoroughly mentioned before as being the way to giveout stronger punches by putting more spirit into it, intimidating your opponent, I would add to all that showing respect to your master by trying as hard as you can (that is if you are in the dojo)

But there is another reason why we use the screams. In tournaments people scream louder after a series of faints delivering a very nice kick/punch/technique and they want first of all the judge to see where and what they were aiming for and also to show off for the crowds

Answer 6

I feel like he read bunch of aikido books and decided he knows enough to open a school. I think if he had even seen a single video or an actual person practicing Aikido he would know how off he is. Or maybe he really doesn’t care. Either way I think putting this kind of stuff out there is just financial decision and someone who really doesn’t have any care for the martial art they profess to teach.

Answer 7

well i do martial arts and we yell because when we kick and punch in this order called a kata, we show that we have strength and power when we do our kata. in kumite(fighting) we use a yell(known as ki-ah!), that's when we kick or punch our opponent. that means that you had a direct hit and let the judge know that you got a point and they stop to give u da point. also, we don't scream at the top of uor lungs because they'll think that we have power, no because we have the power in the puches and kicks. it just helps us so we think and have power

Answer 8

The kiai helps you release energy, as you punch or kick it lets you get all your energy out and make a kick or punch much more powerful. The kiai is the SPIRIT. It is your strength and your will. Often i've found if I'm tired and ready to throw up or pass out, if I kiai loud enough and focus all my energy into that kiai I can regain my strength and keep going.

Answer 9

To stay at rage !
1. The angrier the stronger, SCREAM.
2. The higher breathing the higher oxygen intake, SCREAM.
3. The faster blood flow the faster oxygen transfer, SCREAM.
4. The higher the adrenaline the higher strength, SCREAM.
5. The less fearfull has more, SCREAMS.
Finally... JUST SCREAM !!!

Answer 10

It serves several purposes.
It builds your confidence level.
It calls attention to the situation hopefully scaring off the attacker.
It makes the attacker stop and think for a second ( see, criminals are predators, they want easy prey not strugglers.)
It pushes the air out of your diaphragm if done correctly allowing faster recovery time form impact.