Breath or not?

*mArTiAl_GiRl* · Purple Belt

My instructor says that in Shito-ryu we have to breath loudly when we do katas, not too loud, but you hear it anyway and it is quick, as you do the techniques. But, my Sensei in Sweden, who has 5th dan in Shito-ryu says: no breathing. (he means, not like shotokan karateka's does). And another Sensei who is my instructors Sensei in Shito-ryu says: don't breath like that. He was here in summer and taught us, later he went back to Sweden and will return again in winter. While he's not here, my instructor tells everyone to breath (almost like in shotokan). And everyone breaths. But they don't do that normally, it looks kinda fakey, like you're forcing yourself to breath loudly. I think that's wrong. So, I asked my instructor why they have to do like that, and she said: because it is effective.
Then I asked my swedish Sensei and he said that they don't breath because they think it is fake to do it only because of effectiveness.
I'm kinda confused now. So my question is, do you breath in Shito-ryu while doing a kata or not? I know that you have to breath in Seienchin, Suparinpei and Kururunfa, but in every kata? I'm not sure if that's right.
So, Shito-ryu practicioners, I need help from you, what do you know about breathing in Shito-ryu?
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Dragon · Yellow Belt

wen performing techniques like kata or just punching you should breathe. It helps to tense you up.
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tenkamusou · Orange Belt

I dunno.. I kept asking myself that a lot of times, i kinda realized that, that's personal. You should exhale when you perform a movement, but that doesn't have to be loud or forced or anything.

The best guys I saw doing kata did some kinda of noise when they perfomed a kata, but as they say, that's not forced, they say that helps them to keep the timing, and focus, and for some can be as a internal kiai. I dunno...

I do the breathing sometimes, I dunno, I guess that's pretty personal.
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tenkamusou · Orange Belt

ops, forgot to say that my sensei, who is an 8th dan. and trained directly from sensei Akamine, says that the correct way is do to the kata without the loud breathing....

but anyway, karate has evolved, i dunno, if that kinda of loud breathing is good or not.... just thought that was important to say my senseis point view...
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SaiFightsMS · KF VIP

Well I can say in Shotokan I have yet to train with a group who wanted audible breathing during kata. Some people do have an audible breath sound though due to sinus difficulties or large adenoids and other throat tissues.

Even during hangetsu we are not encouraged to breath loudly.

I have not seen loud breathing encouraged in shito ryu or shorin ryu either.

Guest · Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 10:29 am Post subject:

In my experience loud breathing has been encouraged for performance kata, as the judges need to know that you are breathing while being in a loud gymnasium. Aside from competition, I try to maintain natural breathing that does not disrupt my technique. I find that the loud breathing just causes me to force it too hard and can make me dizzy.

I definitely do NOT want to be dizzy when the only guy who will be judging my performance is the county coroner.

stencil · Yellow Belt

gheinisch · KF VIP

We breath during kata and techniques, not to the point where it is very loud or disruptive. Well placed exhales can give you more power in your punch etc.
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Sauzin · Purple Belt

Breathing is a prerequisite for proper kata, the real question lies in asking what is the best way to breath.

Loud breathing can accomplish several things. It makes sure that breathing is a controlled and emphasized act. It tenses muscles. And perhaps most importantly it allows your instructor to listen to what you are doing. A good instructor can listen to a loud breathing exercise and know if you are breathing deeply from the diaphragm or not.

Silent breathing is more natural. It does not prematurely or artificially tense your body. It is less obvious to an opponent. However many silent breathers simply forget to breath at the appropriate times. Correct silent breathing is not as obvious to the instructor. Also it does not train dynamic tension the same way loud breathing does.

So really there are gives and takes. If your current instructor wants you to breath loudly in class then do so. Realize that it is likely an instruction aid that will allow him to correct you. When practicing on your own, do whatever feels comfortable. Whatever you do, just don’t altogether forget to breath.
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fireka · Brown Belt

this is the best advice ive ever recived on a topic of this level of webed confusion: "You could pretty much just do whatever.."

said by my friend Chris when i asked him about something in Japanese
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