Breathing and breath control are integral of life. Most people, when told to take a deep breath, expand the chest, suck in the gut and raise the shoulders. Did you know that this is the wrong way to breathe?
Breathing in (inhalation) happens when the diaphragm begins to pull down. This creates a negative pressure in the lungs and the air rushes in. The lungs expand to accommodate the increasing air volume. As the diaphragm pulls down, the gut has no room so the abdomen must expand. There should be no shoulder activity at all.
When exhaling, the process reverses, the diaphragm pushes up, the gut is sucked in and the chest compresses. This causes the air to rush out of the lungs. Watch an infant breathe when sleeping. You will see this whole process in action.
In the martial arts several types of breathing techniques are taught. Specifically, nogare and ibuki breathing are important aspects of breath control. (I’ll go into detail about the definition and method of utilizing these breathing styles in the paragraphs below.) Both techniques span many different martial arts styles.
Although the origin of either type of controlled breathing has been lost, there are some theories on its beginning. The Chinese influence on Okinawan karate my have brought their QiGong breathing techniques into karate. Qigong is an ancient Chinese exercise and healing technique that involves meditation, controlled breathing and movement exercises. It’s also possible that Yoga breathing methods from India could have originally influenced and was shared with the Chinese.
Let’s take a look at Nogare 1, Nogare 2, Ibuki breath and Qigong. You can watch the video or simply read the descriptions below.
Nogare Breathing
Nogare is a soft quiet breathing. It can be meditative or a soft, controlled breathing. In the meditative form, nogare is soft inhalation through the nose and a soft exhalation through the mouth. Various hand positions accompany the breathing. Many of these techniques are in Qi Gong. The general physical pattern in nogare is the way we should breathe. Normal breathing may be entirely through the nose but everything else is the same.
Below are two types of nogari breathing.
Nogare I
- Stand in a comfortable position with the hands at the side.
- Inhale through the nose bringing the hands, palms up, to chest high.
- Exhale through the mouth turning the palms down and return to the side.
- Repeat
Nogare II
- Stand in a comfortable position with the hands at the side
- Inhale through the nose bringing the hands, palms up to chest high
- Rotate the hands inward, pointing the first two fingers forward. Extend the arm out while holding the breath
- Turn the palms up, thumb on ring finger, and drop hands to the sides while exhaling.
- Repeat
Ibuki breathing
Ibuki breathing is a loud hard quick exhalation with no corresponding inhalation. The diaphragm, chest and abdominal muscles are all put under tension.
- In a comfortable standing position with the hands at the side.
- Cross the hands in front of the chest.
- Turn the the toes in to Uchi Hachiji Dachi (Inverted stance).
- At the same time bring the fists down and to the sides just below the obi.
- Exhale tightening the abdomen, chest and throat.
- Make a loud exhaling noise while emptying the lungs of air.
Kiai
The kiai is an offshoot of ibuke. The kiai forces the diaphragm rapidly with rapid chest and abdominal compression. It is accompanied by a deep guttural sound. Most kiai are done incorrectly. The use of the vocal cords in a loud scream, saying “hiya” or yelling the word “kiai” are most common. These methods eliminate the controlled pressure on the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. Without control of the diaphragm, you risk having the wind knocked out of you. All of these vocalizations using the larynx require opening the mouth. This a very bad position to be in if you get hit in the chin.
Control of breathing
The the dynamic tension of the muscles should be constant constant while fighting. This keeps the diaphragm under control at all times. Learning to do so when fighting avoids having the wind knocked out of you. Having the wind knocked out of you is caused by a strike to the abdomen that sends the diaphragm into fibrillation. Fibrillation is a spasm of the muscles in the diaphragm. This interrupts the inhalation and exhalation of air for a few seconds that seem like forever. It would take a tremendous amount of control to fight through this condition.
Kata
In kata, the gentle control of the breathing is a different extension of breathing control. The dynamic tension is less and the breathing is timed with individual techniques or series of techniques. Breathing is more forceful to punctuate a technique. Kata also makes clear use of the kiai.
Sanchin
In the kata Sanchin, breathing is even more controlled. A tight dynamic breathing in an out with the techniques with hardening of all muscles helps to harden the body to resist attacks.
Slight alterations in both types of breathing and used in combination with muscle tightening has some impressive results. It allows full force punches to the throat, full force side kicks to the solar plexus or abdomen, and full force kicks to the crotch. This ability allows you to walk through attacks and get close to the opponent protecting only the head. It can also fight of chokes to allow sufficient time to escape.
Proper breathing has many benefits.
