I can think of at least three kinds of ki-ahps. 1) protect the internal organs during a fall; 2) bring power to a kick or strike; 3) inform a partner of an impending move. I think there is greatest variety in sound in this last one. With partners who work a lot together, different ki-ahps mean different things. Some people's ki-ahps sound like a bark, some people's sound like "huh," some sound JUST like "Ki." Most are short, some are long, it all depends on who and why, and maybe what day it is and what time it is.
and in the same cetegory, startle a would be attacker who isn't used to such a thing? This may just be my school, but all the ki ahps I hear start with an "H"
I've asked this before, but just so we can have a few opinions on this thread, I'll ask again. What are you supposed to yell when you perform a kihap?
Ouch? AAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! I don't think there's any one right answer to this. I don't think there's even any particular vocalization that goes with it. Supposedly it's just a forceful exhalation of air from the diaphragm, so it's just air coming out of your mouth. I've noticed no two ki-haps are alike... each person does it differently, and like Bahng Uh Ki originally stated, even one person can have different sounding ki-haps depending what's going on. So, I don't think there's any one right way for it to sound, just a right way to execute... forcefully exhaling at a proper time to direct your energy flow (if you will, for lack of a better way to describe it).
My thoughts on Kihap My understanding is there is no word to shout. Must be low sound, if it’s high your using your vocal cords and will get hoarse (sp?). Must be a burst, so one syllable word/sound. I have heard you could do two on one breathe but never practiced this concept. You body naturally does the kihap. Have you ever squatted down and lifted something heavy and you grunt? You don’t really mentally make a decision to grunt it just comes out. But this is the body's natural way to make power. MA people simply practice it in an attempt to make it stronger. KW
Yahooo!! There's this little Vietnamese woman, who's a DBN at our dojang. ("Little", BTW, puts her right about my height.) She acts shy sometimes, but you get her going and she's as tough as nails. So we were working on Too Ki one night, KSN was helping us out. And we're both telling her she could do this technique. Finally she says, all right. Gets in this *nice*, low stance, and says "Come on, sisteh, Bring - it - on!" I got in a stance to match, said "Yes MA'AM", and went "YAHOOOOOO" the whole way down! That was fun!
That might work, but more often I've seen it used to communicate intent in pre-arranged techniques or sparring. Sort of a "Ready?" "Okay!", but without the cheerleader bounce. We don't want to hurt our partner. While I'm sure Coyote would forgive me, I'd hate to have to pay any medical bills because of our sparring.
What I think is funny is when white belts are told to ki-ahp, and they yell "Ki-ahp!" I must have done that for a week before my instructor told me I was yelling "Yell!"
Hehe, I've heard a few white bells yelling "Ki hahp!". I'm not sure how long people let them do that before telling them what they're yelling. One common one that I've heard that seems weird to me are all the people that yell "Hut!"... like they're snapping a football. *shrug*
I tend to do 'Hup!' when starting a technique, as the ki-ahp to let your partner know you're ready, expecially in Maek Chi Ki an Maek Cha Ki. Most of the time when I strike I say 'Ha!', but when I nak-bup, it sounds more like 'Huh!'...
I had a Hapkido friend that used to Ki-ahp “Botch”… it was really distracting lol. My ki-ahp varies as I explore more effective ways to …ummm… ki-ahp. Sometimes it’s a “Suhh” “Sahh”, or “huhh” I try to treat, ki-ahps as an extension of my lower abdomen breathing habits. Ki-ahps that come from the upper abdomen are less effective at delivering oxygen/energy (and removing air from your lungs in prep for a fall or being hit). So I focus on forcing air up (and down >.>) from my lower abdomen. (still need a lot more practice). A couple of things that have pointed out to me that I use to train towards a better Ki-ahp: “Focus on forcing the same amount of air into your lower abdomen as you push out of your mouth” “The noise of your Ki-ahp should be coming from your gut, not your throat”
The way I was told how to do a Kiap is Its like a yawn and a cough at the same time.I don't think the sound is all that important as long as you get your lower abdominal area to move. If you've ever heard monks "pray" they do an extended kiap.
First off...it's not Ki-ahp. This is phonetically incorrect, and if you're pronouncing it this way, it's a completely different word in Korean. 氣/기/Gi means energy, breath, blah blah blah... 合/합/Hap means to unify or combine. Gihap is literally focusing your energy, drawing your breath together with your motion. The shout teaches you to exhale as you move or attack, but is not the gihap itself. Gihap is a state, a mode, in which your breathing and exertion are completely in harmony with your movements. Think about any moment when you were sparring, when you scored that perfect technique, when your movements were the best they could possibly be, when it felt effortless. That's gihap. It has nothing to do with shouting. Side note...氣合/기합/Gihap in reverse is 合氣/합기/Hapgi. Move beyond your current understanding. There's so much more to your practice.
