Many people have a general idea on how to yell, and with some training and direction they can make a decent kihap (kiai). However, there are those who have trouble doing kihaps, whether in class or during competition. They may be self-conscious in how they sound, or have difficulty in contracting the correct muscles in order to generate the proper kihap, or even question the necessity of performing a kihap (if this last point applies to you, see my previous article on why it’s essential to martial arts – https://urbanmartialartists.com/2022/12/12/kihap-why-its-essential-to-martial-arts/. Here are a few exercises you can do to help improve your kihap and perhaps overcome any anxiety you may have with producing kihaps in front of others.
Visualize Your Kihap
Whenever we perform a kihap, it is typically tied to a technique; very rarely are we asked to do a kihap by itself. So it makes sense to do either a punch, kick, or a block to help our focus and timing of the kihap. But one component that is often missing is our target; pads help to some extent, however pads are a poor substitute for an actual human being when it comes to showing how effective our kihap can be. Visualizing your opponent’s reaction to your kihap (such as being frightened/intimidated or running away) can help train your mind in positively reinforcing an image of success with your techniques. Practicing with intent is not solely limited to your physical actions, but to your kihaps as well.
The “Cough” Exercise
No, this has nothing to do with your annual physical, but a simple exercise that you can do even in a crowded area (although in this post-COVID era I would be considerate of anyone in close proximity to you). Jesse Enkamp, also known as the “Karate Nerd”, showcased this exercise in his YouTube video “HOW TO ‘KIAI’” by putting your hands on your sides and feeling which muscles contract when you cough. Once you have an idea of how to contract them, then the exercise is to simply squeeze those muscles as if you’re executing a kihap without making a sound. You may look odd doing it, but this is where the visualization exercise above can help you to focus on your intent and push out any surrounding distractions.
Explore Different Sounds
When visiting different dojangs, you may find that many students adopt the kihap of their instructor. This makes sense: the only kihap they hear on a regular basis is their instructor’s, and so they do their best to mimic it. However, no one person is the same, and if your body type/shape is different from your instructor, it would be very difficult (but not impossible) to reproduce your instructor’s kihap. If you take 10 competitors from 10 different schools and have them all do a kihap, you will likely get 10 different kihaps. Experiment with finding your own voice, and try a different kihap to see if it is more agreeable for your style. I personally found that my kihap when I get to ready stance is different from the kihap when I do multiple techniques, and that is also different from my Hyung kihaps.
This list is by no means comprehensive, but it is meant to provide ideas on how you can improve your own or your student’s kihaps. If you have other exercises you do to train your kihap, feel free to share below!
Sources
Jesse Enkamp, YouTube link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-eTdM9Vhj4&list=PLeIGFw392a631mUF9gDap5eeyHEWpJuuX&index=7
