I'm still developing my kiai. Usually I grunt type of "Hoi!", which sounds good but I can't get much volume out of it. I have natural tenor voice, and a fairly high one.
Most of the time I spit out a HUUYYJ!!! (Short and powerfull) Of EEEH!!! I don't think I ever scared anyone with it, though.
I've been told that for a little person i have a loud kiai. When doing kata, basic and pre set i use a good loud oosa, we start out at ooose and develop our own sound mine's sort of pronounced UzA though the Z is more like a push of air. When sparring or doing padwork a short EEyA and still the Y is mostly air.
LOL! My first "Kiai" sounded passive and weak because I was afraid of the other students thinking of me as a dope. Then I put my heart into and it sounded like a war cry...startled the other students a few times from their drills, lol!
This one lady at my old dojang used to kihap as if she was having an orgasm! Nothing at all like the female tennis players It was always unsettling to the males in the dojang. It didn't help that she was drop-dead gorgeous Coincidentally, classes were always full on the nights she attended
Usually it's "HUTTT" or "HAIIII". We do have one of those "ICE" guys in our dojo. It's a little strange, but I've gotten used to it. This one poor kid whose about 14-15 has a voice that is changing in a really bad way. His Kiai starts out really low and ends up like fingers on a chalkboard.
My kiai isn't too loud, but strong enough, and the facilal expression is serious. It sounds something like this: "If you don't get outta my face I'm gonna smash your head like a mellon" Tommy
Four syllables. The first two are "mother". The second two indicate that the object of the kiai is a practitioner of aberrant and taboo incestuous sexual acts.
Wow, interesting question. ^ ^ Mine is usually like a "KIAAAAAH", but some people others in my dojo are like, "KIA" really short. And some people say "SIAAAAH", for variation in my dojo. If we're being more informal, it's just a "AAAAH"
Kiai helps me focus my kiai is a sort of aaahh short and snappy put there to shock an opponant. but do remember kiai has to come naturaly. :bang:
i'm a begginer(i've had like 2-3 classes) and i have never heard of Kiai. apparently their some kind of yell, but... whats it for? intimidation? self confidence? i have to say, i'd feel pretty stupid yelling things like that...(no offence by the way )
it does feel a bit strange at first but you'll get used to it and it should come naturaly. it is basically a loud yell. it should come form the solar plexus and you shouldn't breathe out. when you yell you should tighten the stomach area and channel energy into what ever part of the body you are using, much like tennis players yell when they strike the ball. it's also useful if you do any breakfalls from a height. kiai (or ki ahp as koreans call it) a split second before you land, tighten the solar plexus and don't breathe out. that way you won't wind yourself.