Page 30 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 27

30 Looking for deals on wheels? Visit our automotive “Teammates”.

presents “A look at our

Sports History”

“Wasn’t That a Party!”

This month, Dulux Paints
looks back at our Colourful

Past with a picture taken at
The New Garden Restaurant.
The year 1972, The Guest

of honour, the Memorial
Cup, won by the Cornwall

Royal’s. The “Colourful”
Group includes Back
Row L to R Jack Burnie,

Mr. Tessier, Doug Baker,
Rene Mondoux, Xavier

Mondoux, Rudy Denis,
Claude Levesque, Eddy
Lebrun, John Poirier, Yves

Marleau, Gus Lebrun, Luke
Emard, Eddy Primeau

Front Row L to R Keith
Wong, Adrian Lalonde,
Pete Unknown

submitted photo

Karate Komments - THE KARATE KIAI

ribs, and then have them cough. What they feel at tournaments. The main purposes of the kiai
here are their kiai muscles. Breaking down the are: 1) to ensure breathing; 2) to add power to
By Jim Riddell,
word kiai, the first part ki means energy, while technique; 3) defensively, to tighten muscles and

Seaway Karate Club the last part ai means to join. This is the mind- make it easier to absorb impact; and 4) to serve
body connection that is achieved when that as a distraction. When we hear the word kiai, we
instant release of energy combines with timing, may think of karate fi rst, but the truth is many
ost of us are familiar with the kiai--or yell- power and focus at the point of execution. Many other sports have their own version of it. Boxers,
M-that is common in most martial arts. The different words are used for kiai, and most are kickboxers and MMA fi ghters exhale forcefully
kiai should be viewed not as a means of yelling, single syllable words with a vowel sound. A few when executing punches, kicks, and strikes.
but as a method of breathing. Many people Japanese words work well, and some popular Outside of the combative arts, two of the best
will, without realizing it, hold their breath. The ones are eess, ohss and hai, which mean yes. The examples of similar usage are in weightlifting
kiai is a tool that forces us to breathe. Most word chosen by the practitioner is a matter of and in tennis, where several athletes use this
Okinawan and Japanese martial arts--which tend personal choice, but the greater emphasis must technique to their advantage. This usage in
to have a linear “hard style”-- are compatible for be placed on its proper delivery. Kiais are an tennis is known as “grunting” and is prominent
kiais, but they are less common with the “soft essential part of kata, with most having at least in both men’s and ladies divisions. No matter
style” Chinese arts with their circular, evasive two or three, and some having many more. The which sport, or by what name it is known, this
movements. A proper kiai does not come from placement of kiais in kata was, at one time, technique is simply the release of energy in a
the throat, but rather, from deep within the body. left to the discretion of the student. Modern constructive manner.
Teaching this to new students, we have them karate has standardized the placement to ensure KARATE Quote: Don’t be shy with your kiai –
place their hands on the abdomen just below the uniformity in class, during belt gradings, and it is your source of power.