Page 37 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 112

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #112 May 2022 37

CATCHING A FEW ZZZs – Answer Page

CATCHING A FEW ZZZs • Answers KARATE KOMMENTS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
J I L T S F E Y S Z A G S
14 15 16
A N I M O A L A I S U R E By Jim Riddell,
17 18 19

R A Z Z M A T A Z Z A D I T
20 21 22 23 Seaway Karate Club
E N A E X A M Z I Z I T H
24 25 26
D E S P O I L A L L S
27 28 29 30 THE KARATE KIAI

T
U N S F R E E A N D
31 32 33 34 35 36 ost of us are familiar with the kiai, or yell that is common in most
I
C R A Z E P A I R G A I L Mmartial arts - we just haven’t heard it very much since the beginning of
37 38 39 the COVID pandemic. Many martial art instructors, myself included, used the

Q U I Z O O Z E S A N T I lockdown to do a few online coaching modules on coaching and a safe return to
40 41 42 the dojo. It was recommended to us to temporarily suspend the use of the kiai
D E L L V I E S A B U Z Z during the early portion of our return, and we are now starting to re-introduce it
43 44 45 in certain situations.

D E E P E N D P R O
46 47 48 49 50 The kiai should be viewed not as a means of yelling, but as a method of

M A R T T E T R A D S breathing. Many people will, without realizing it, hold their breath. The kiai is
51 52 53 54 55 a tool that forces us to breathe. Most Okinawan and Japanese martial arts which
L A Z A R S G H E E N O W
56 57 58 59 tend to have a linear hard style is compatible for kiais, with the “soft style”
A M O K I N T E R M E Z Z O Chinese arts having their circular evasive movements being less common. A
60 61 62 proper kiai does not come from the throat but rather from deep within the body.

S O L E Z O O M I C I E R Teaching this to new students, we have them place their hands on the abdomen
63 64 65 just below the ribs, and then cough - what you feel are your kiai muscles.
T S A R E R S E S C O R N
Breaking down the word kiai, the first part (ki), means energy, while the last
Puzzle by Douglas Taillon Crossword on page 35 part (ai), means to join. This is the mind-body connection that is achieved when
that instant release of energy combines with timing, power, and focus on the
point of execution. There are many different words used for kiai, mostly single
syllable worda with a vowel sound. A few Japanese words which are easily
used, work well, and are popular include “eess”, “ohss” and “hai” which means
yes. The word chosen by the practioner is a matter of personal choice, but the
greater emphisis must be placed on its proper delivery.
Kiais are an essential part of kata, most having at least two or three, with some
having many more. The placement of kiais in kata was at one time left to the
discretion of the student. Modern karate has standardized the placement to
ensure uniformity in class, during belt grading, and at tournaments. The main
purposes of the kiai is: 1) to ensure breathing, 2) to add power to technique, 3)
defensively, tightening muscles and making it easier to absorb impact, 4) as a
distraction.
When we hear the word kiai, we may think of karate first, but the truth is many
other sports have their own version of it. Boxers, kickboxers, and MMA fighters
exhale forcefully when executing punches, kicks, and strikes. Outside of the
combative arts, two of the best examples of similar usage are in weightlifting
and in tennis, where several athletes use this technique to their advantage. This
usage in tennis is known as “grunting” and is prominent in both men’s and
ladies’ divisions.
One snowy Sunday morning in the mid 1990s, a vanload of us, all Blackbelts
from karate clubs in Cornwall, South Stormont, and North Stormont were
enroute to our monthly Blackbelt class with Shihan Paul Kerr of Kerr’s Karate
in Perth. We stopped to assist a motorist whose vehicle had slid off the road.
Even though we were from different clubs with various styles of Karate, the
sounds that each of us made as we freed the car from that snowbank were almost
identical. One of our group named that sound, “the Canadian Kiai”, which is a
term that I still reference when teaching and explaining the kiai to new students.
Photo by Robert Lefebvre, icelevel photography
No matter which sport, what name it is known by, or the situation that it is used

in, this technique is simply the release of energy in a constructive manner.
Karate Quote: “Don’t be shy with your kiai – it is your source of power.”