Breathing (Breathe)

Ibuki [息吹] Nogare [逃れ]

The most critically important and impactful concept to learn in life, in combat and in martial disciplines is, “Breathing!” It is assumed that since we breathe automatically by nature’s mandate that we already know how to breathe. We did when born and for a good many years after, but that changed according to the influences we encounter from family, community and environmental factors that often cripple our natural breathing abilities.

Most end up “chest breathing” rather than the efficient natural deep diaphragmatic breathing. The Navy seals calls it, “box (square) breathing 😮‍💨.” I like to refer to it as, “combat/tactical breathing.”

The following are excerpts from the linked reference at the end:

IBUKI translates to “breath” in English, but the combination of the characters to form Ibuki 息吹 means “inner strength”. - http://tinyurl.com/y5xfcxa9

Ibuki in Karate, of which there are two types;

1. Yō – Ibuki which is employed as a training method and is a strong hissing sound which aids in dynamic tension training. Think Sanchin Kata.

2. In – Ibuki that is used in combat or while training, and is nasal in nature.

In-yō is the Japanese translation of Chinese Yin and Yang (陰陽). 

Yō Ibuki

Is the hard style of breathing, a noisy breathing technique, with the aim of absorbing any opposing force; it is made with a long exhalation and ends with a short breath and voiced.

Nogare (In – Ibuki)

or “Slow/Soft Breathing”, is the soft but firm type of breathing which starts from deep within the abdomen. This is similar to the type of breathing which is practiced in Yoga and Zen meditation, and is usually directed towards spiritual and meditative matters when practiced. This is the normal way a baby breathes. If you watch a baby breathing it will naturally breath from the stomach. It is only when we get older that we “learn” to breathe from our chest, more shallow. The goal is to return to the “baby breath”.

Athletes of all kinds use a model of breathe one feels best to excel at the competitive side like taking a deep breathe then holding it while pressing weights on the bench press. We also assume that holding one’s breath helps us absorb strikes, punches and kicks likened to tensioning the body, etc.

Where it seems to lose ground is the duration of holding breath and tensing the muscles when in truth dynamic tension and hold breath must not be held longer than mere milliseconds, vs. the longer hissing duration often practiced in karate dojo (sanchin).

To conserve energy for applied power one must remain in a state of positive relaxation except in those “instances” receiving energy and power or applying energy and power leaving the body, mind and spirit in a state of flowing positive relaxation. 

Overdoing tension and breathe holding simply wastes energy better available and used applying methods and methodologies to “end-r-now” in conflicts and violence. 

You might be thinking that all physical encounters last only moments and in most cases that may be true. Conserving one’s energies are needed in the event one encounter leads in to another not to mention a need for calm energy of the mind to deal with the after effects involving LEO’s and legal actions.

As with many of my writing, the sanchin, etc., are great novice level teaching tools  but remain basic. One must go beyond and exceed that level to reach past the moon and touch the stars. ✨