気合い Kiai
“Ki” is the Japanese cognate of the Chinese word, “Qi” (氣; pronounced as ‘chee’) translated as energy, spirit or life force. It is a powerful concept present in many oriental martial arts. Combining with “Ai” (合い), meaning union, “Kiai” translates to ‘scream’, ‘yell’ and ‘fighting spirit’, or literally ‘joint-energy’. This describes the action of yelling during performing techniques in karate as well as many other Japanese martial arts.
Effects of the kiai:
- Increases enthusiasm, especially in groups, hence keeps the mind active and focused during training and combat.
- Builds in the habit to scream upon being attacked, scaring off the assailant from the possibility of alerting others.
- Corrects the breathing pattern during rigorous physical training to exhale upon executing a technique to maintain efficient circulation of oxygen.
- Corrects the breathing method from ‘chest breathing’ (expansion and compression of the chest) to ‘diaphragmatic breathing’ (contraction and relaxation of the strong curved sheet of muscle that divides the chest from the abdomen, called the diaphragm; also called ‘abdominal breathing’ and ‘belly breathing’). As the diaphragm contracts, it pulls the bottom of the lungs down, creating more space for air intake allowing air to reach to the lowest portion of the lungs in ways that chest breathing cannot achieve. The lowest portion of the lungs is where many small vessels instrumental in carrying oxygen to cells reside. This improves core stability, slows breathing rate, lowers heart rate and reduces oxygen demand. This breathing method is also practiced in yoga, singing and drama and every other martial arts.
- Training both the kiai and diaphragmatic breathing also trains one to always be ready to take impact to the abdomen.
 |
| Japanese Kanji for 'Kiai'. |
