The Power of Kiai

57 responses so far ↓

• 1 Becky Bogle // Nov 3, 2006

  Thank you for sharing this video Chris. It is an incredible demonstration of kiai. I am still a beginner in hara training and Zazen, and I find this example to be very powerful.
  ~Becky

• 2 Don // Jan 19, 2007

  It is an incredible demonstration that some people will believe anything. You can’t cause ripples in the body’s water; it’s not like the body is a vessel containing a body of water. The water in the body is a part of every cell.

  This guy’s main power is the power of “Uke Magic.” In other words, he has somehow convinced his students that this stuff works, so they act like that guy with the sword. Ridiculous.

• 3 Isaac Kim // Jan 20, 2007

  While I respect the comments of the poster above me, he made the bells go DOINGGggg!!!.

• 4 SuperBall // Jan 23, 2007

  I’d like to add, that skeptics often use “uke magic”, altering people’s responses by making them disbelieve. That is also ridiculous, but they like to do it.

• 5 h2o // Mar 23, 2007

  He made the bell ring by stamping! Look at the camera shake!

• 6 narciso // Apr 4, 2007

  I think that the bell is placed upon a pillow and thus the vibration is not transmited to the bell.

  I have also been in front of a tibetan bell, much like that one and yoou cannot make it vibrate in the same way.

• 7 le_sacre // Apr 17, 2007

  what the bell is sitting on could not possibly be a pillow as that would not allow it to ring at all (even when struck with the hammer). i think it’s very likely that vibration from the foot stamping is being transmitted into it.

  notice the demonstration is not given using a suspended bell.

  also notice the “make your opponent collapse” demonstration is never given with an opponent who is not an associate of the “master.” when it is, it’s likely to come out more like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I

  that said, it is perfectly possible to cause undamped rigid bodies to vibrate using your voice if you match their resonant frequency. you can try this with a piano–strike a key in your vocal range to hear the pitch, push the sustain pedal, and sing that note back into the piano. the piano strings will vibrate sympathetically and “sing” back to you. you can even get the piano to “sing” different vowel shapes, because the strength of vibrations in the harmonic series of strings will mimic that in the timbre of your voice. try it! so if this guy were singing, i’d believe him. but i think the audio spectrum of his shouting is probably too diffuse to cause the bell to resonate on its own.

• 8 michael hobson // May 3, 2007

  the bell is resting on a pillow; it’s identical to the tibetan singing bowls. The whole bell doesn’t vibrate equally, but has nodal areas, just like a xylophone bar.

  he might well make the bowl sing with his kiai, but the guy passing out was under “dojo mind control”.

• 9 dogmatic // Jun 5, 2007

  It’s total bs. Just look at the top video on youtube.com when you do a search for “Kiai”.

• 10 Andrew // Jun 16, 2007

  He says Chinese Chi isnt real ..
  Go take a look at “Shaolin Kung Fu” if you dont believe its real .

  The real fake thing here is Kiai

  Chi is the real energy from within .

  [edited for civility]

• 11 le_sacre // Jun 21, 2007

  there’s never been a documented case of the supernatural. in every case where skeptics have been allowed to collect and examine data, it’s been found that no natural laws of physics or biology have been violated. there are individuals out there capable of extraordinary feats of strength and concentration, and probably the mental visualization of the chi concept helps to attain them, but magic is an illusion of magicians. in many of these cults, elaborate systems of tradition and veneration coerce followers into believing in (and being complicit in) irrational and readily-discounted explanations for athletic skill with the occasional flashy trick.

• 12 comedycentral // Jul 7, 2007

  Nobody thinks he just stamps the floor to make the bell ring……

• 13 Ray // Jul 22, 2007

  This is most certainly either an example of an irrational cognitive response in his student, whereby he believes that his master can actually do that and therefore falls, or it’s complete fraud altogether.

  There has never been a legitimate case of exhibited supernatural martial arts, as tested and qualified to be authentic. This is not due to people having closed minds; it’s not due to science being unable to discern the power; it’s not due to ancient secrets only imparted to a select, prepared few who have trained to use it. Rather, it’s because no Master will ever allow a legitimate source to set up a controlled experiment, lest they be proven frauds.

  Why did Master Sasaki have a BBC correspondent film him doing this, in his own dojo? Why not invite a team of scientists and shout at the bowl in a controlled location? Assumedly his power would not be rendered ineffective to do it elsewhere, right?

  The answer is that in fact it would be. Because it’s not an internal energy at all — not insofar as it’s mystical explanations would indicate. It’s an elaborate system of untruths ranging from the innocently ignorant to the consciously deceitful, used in place of physical operations and functions like leverage, velocity, inertia and strength.

• 14 Chris // Jul 22, 2007

  How much time have you invested in a search for legitimate controlled experiments?

• 15 CobRa // Aug 18, 2007

  You skeptics obviously do not understand internal martial arts and it’s power. I know from personal experience that what that master sasaki did is of reality, internal power comes in a variety of forms; whether it be called kiai, or chi, or qi. It’s all within the practicioner, and we all have access to it.

• 16 Macky! // Aug 27, 2007

  When was the last time you rung a bell by stamping?

  Also. I’d like it add that actually in Korea, it’s a Kiup that we do. And when you administer one properly and you are good enough, You really can scare someone.

• 17 Else // Sep 4, 2007

  @CobRa

  There’s no way you can debilitate an unwilling opponent by yelling at them at range. If you believe you possess similar powers then you’re a stooge to the stupidocracy. Go do a real martial art. Punching and kicking air doesn’t count either – pick something with physical contact, like judo.

• 18 Mark // Sep 24, 2007

  Does anyone know how to contact Master Sasaki?

• 19 Chris // Sep 24, 2007

  Ask Chris Crudelli.

• 20 LZ // Nov 6, 2007

  lol r u bullshitting me? i mean ive heard many yells in my life but i never got knocked out from one, so ya lets all just yell at people instead of using bullets…..

• 21 Simeh // Nov 17, 2007

  It seems as a lot of you guys have spent much time in deliberating the phenomenon of “kiai”. Please see the following link; http://utopianvision.co.uk/bollywood/videos/?v=UDiRA7Idmcs

  This will show all the disbelievers!!!

• 22 Ape // Dec 31, 2007

  A few things about sound, here is MythBusters breaking a glass
  http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7765557442856739526
  Also MythBusters tested how music affects plant growth and plants that were played Heavy Metal Music grew the best!

  Im not saying you run off to Japan and join this guy but there is some truth to this and to dismis it completely is as bad as believeing it without question

• 23 Kungfuguy // Jan 9, 2008

  Ok i beleive in chi since there is a hand test you do that helps you feel it and i understand that if you breath in then yell with all your force you can scare or shock someone if they don’t expect it but this is rubbish i have seen so many people do one hit knock outs without touching people its gotten insane they only use it on their students not on a crazed mental attacker try it on the street and then if it works then i will belive it.

• 24 Walker // Jan 24, 2008

  Master Sasaki may belive that he could do this thing, but he got to prove in classical ways, trying in presence of cientists, in a lab!
  Because , other way this is just a believe. We need to prove such thing as ki projection………!!!!!!!!!
  Hug for all!

  Walker

• 25 fggfgf // Feb 21, 2008

  this is fake watch this..

  http://youtube.com/watch?v=gEDaCIDvj6I

• 26 RoundSquare // Jun 17, 2008

  I can ring a bell with my voice from several feet, but have never studied this art.

• 27 Ivar // Jun 19, 2008

  I prefer f”’k, it always relaxes body effectively and not only body but mind.

• 28 ME // Aug 16, 2008

  LOL! That MMA vs OldMan Kiai has got to be the saddest yet funniest thing youre gonna see in martial arts.
  I’ve always seen or heard (from movies or cartoons) about people breaking glass with a high pitched voice, if that’s really true (can’t believe it) and i see it with my own eyes, i’ll believe the whole kiai business. I don’t think it should be written off cause of a couple fake-goofy-old-kiai “masters”.

• 29 NikaHigh // Aug 19, 2008

  Umm so a metal bell is also made of mostly water? god damn ppl can convince them selves these days….

• 30 Steve // Aug 29, 2008

  my kid yells loud enough that it causes pain.. But what a crock!

• 31 Elbows 4 lif3 // Oct 7, 2008

  go on youtube and type in Kiai vs MMA, its funny

• 32 reason // Oct 20, 2008

  This whole thing is to profile the gullibility and sheer ignorance of the english speaking world.

• 33 Jimmy Jazz // Nov 14, 2008

  Dude is delusional and needs medical attention if he believes he has magic powers. More sad than funny really.
  Too bad these type of people have followers…maybe they all deserve each other.

• 34 Num nums // Nov 15, 2008

  If anyone has done any kind of qigong with an instructor then you know that your master transmits chi with every session ( usually), your body becomes used to his energy and whenever you are around him you can feel him. The same happens with the average no touch knockout master. He can only do it on his students because they are insynch with his chi.

• 35 Tom // Nov 22, 2008

  Ahhhh another Bullshitto master. I wish Japan still had that tradition of challengers going around to different Dojos and challenging the masters of each dojo. If the challengers win, they get the dojo’s deed, and can do whatever they want with the dojo. Man if that was still around, I’d go around fighting all these old Bullshitto masters and getting all their deeds, then selling them. That would be easy money.

  Even if this BS was real, why bother learning it when a strong punch, or kick or choke hold can result in the same effect, and works on anyone, not just on the people who believe in this nonsense.

• 36 Philip // Jan 14, 2009

  Are you kidding me? This is absurd.

  First off, this guy stomps on the floor as he rings the bell. If the camera shakes, what makes you think its the “ki” that makes the bell ring? Its quite plausible that the bell is on a table/structure that causes movement to be amplified. Energy from a foot stomp travels through the floor you know.

  Kiai doesn’t “cause ripples in the water”, muscle contractions cause motion throughout the body. This guy with the sword is an obvious actor.

  People need to stop looking for the mystery in things and start looking at reality. This business of “ki” is a mindset only. It was developed 1000’s of years ago by primitive minds and has no place in the life of modern, educated martial artists.

  I wonder how powerful Santa Claus’ kiai would be?

• 37 Haxo 24 // Jan 15, 2009

  everyone knows that kiai only works when you are enlightened.

• 38 Philip // Jan 16, 2009

  Haxo 24, what does that even mean? Enlightenment is a religious characteristic, no? What does religion or faith have to do with overcoming the laws of physics? You’re saying certain people can transcend this world in order to emit an evergy the rest of us cannot find? Wow.

  Enlightenment is often used to refer to educated people as well. Certainly educated folk are not going to submit to the idea of “chi” (or “ki”) as a plausible concept.

• 39 chris // Feb 26, 2009

  Maybe his foot is the one making him read the bell, but that still wouldn’t explain how he did it fromt hat far away possibly you wouldn’t believe somebody could stomp a floor and make a bell ring when he was like what ten feet away? Also there is a visible view of the stand holding the bell and does not have anything that would set it off from below. If anyone could come up with a logical explaination as to how he did this without the power of the kiai please email at mr.fosterattorneyatlaw@gmail.com please keep it intelligent. Thanks.

• 40 Philip O'Brien // Feb 27, 2009

  Chris,
  Any number of “smoke and mirrors” techniques could cause this. Of course there is no visible device that would make it ring, then there’d be no mystery and no one would care about the video. A slightly loose board running across the room which raises by 1/4 of an inch could cause the bell to ring.

  The point is, people believe what they want to believe, and refuse to see any rational explanation. Why do some martial artists choose to see the video above and say “wow, that’s amazing, he can do all that with just a kiai!”, but watch the second video and thing “oh, they’re just trying to discredit him”.

  Wrong.

  The second video unearths the BS. It needs to be seen with a rational mind, not one dead-set on being able to achieve something with “kiai” others cannot.

• 41 joshuahyoung // Feb 27, 2009

  Kinetic waves can be propagated through the body in a manner akin to water, this is the whole concept behind hydrostatic shock.

  The foot stomping may contribute to the bells ringing, however there can be a impact from a sound, otherwise sonic booms, which are essentially loud noises, would not break windows.

  I think skeptics are faking it, they have some hidden device in their brain making them seem skeptic when we all know it is bullshit and only dumb gullible people believe skeptics.

• 42 Philip O'Brien // Feb 27, 2009

  Sonic booms work by causing windows to resonate beyond their limits. Opera singers have been said to be able to do this due to pitch, not amplitude. You can turn an array of 200 concert speakers on max and they won’t shatter windows.

  A kiai cannot be compared to a sonic boom since its amplitude and frequency are vastly different. I have no problem agreeing that sounds can break things. Absolutely. But kiai-evangelists are “certain” that the energy of a kiai comes from chi/ki which is what breaks it. That’s where the argument breaks down. I hope we can all just educate them a little.

  And your last statement just doesn’t make sense to me. Skeptics are faking it? Right, because we all have to believe the same thing.

• 43 joshuahyoung // Feb 27, 2009

  Good points.
  I don’t see the power of controlled shouts as a sign of qi/ki/chi.
  I do see sound as destructive in forced blasts.

  I think some skeptics are silly and am just parodying their argument with the last comment above. I am half skeptical and half open minded myself.

• 44 Chris // Feb 28, 2009

  Philip, Sasaki clearly explained his position: his ki is not chi, and his attack uses sound waves. Whether those waves are themselves ultimately generated from ki or chi is a matter of semantics.

• 45 ryan // Mar 9, 2009

  what a load of shit man kiai and most martial arts are shit jiu jitsu muay thai wrestling mma is what wins real fights all these fucks would be destroyed absolutley fake all of u who beleive this shit are retarded adn would get beat up…pussy

• 46 Donovan // Apr 7, 2009

  This is the dumbest shit I’ve ever seen!!lol If you believe this then your either brain dead or your involved in this joke of a marital art. It’s complete bull. And dont give me shit that they cant do it on people other then their students because their test subjects have to be used to their masters energy. This is a crock and if you believe it ur an idiot. I could kick the shit out of the greatest master of this martial art.

• 47 tune // Oct 19, 2009

  Why do any of us have to prove him right or wrong. This is “infotainment”. I’m sure you would not be able to learn it for free. So if it’s real or not… doesn’t matter if you aren’t shelling any bucks out.

• 48 samir // Nov 6, 2009

  hi!
  I want a address of master Sasaki’s school.
  Can you help me?
  thanks.

• 49 Minamoto No Yoshitsune // Dec 12, 2009

  I pity all of you. You have become so separated from the old ways you cannot begin to understand the real truth in things. You “skeptics”, as you like to be called, are convinced that the others are all blinded, believing in lies; you are the ones who are truly blinded, most pathetically by yourselves. To put it simply, you cannot see what is truly there because you do not want to. And as for those of you who think that things such as mma or that brazilian stuff is any more than a peasant’s poor excuse for a fighting art….well, you have obviously not seen any real martial arts.

• 50 Santa Claus // Jan 9, 2010

  So u still believe in me too?

• 51 Chris // Jan 9, 2010

  Santa, I’m so glad you’re here! I need to warn you! Some pompous ass has been impersonating you on the Internet!

• 52 David O'Hanlon // Jan 12, 2010

  For the record, I think MMA and BJJ are crap for the street…but better than this. I’ve seen dinosaurs on TV before and people actually believe the bell can be rang any other way than his magic Dragon Ball powers? A student with a BB gun maybe? A remote controlled hammer in the bell? Or maybe it was just added after the filming, just like the ripple effect. Even if it was real, learning how to punch someone properly is cheaper, quicker to learn, and lot more effective.

• 53 Chris // Jan 12, 2010

  Kiai-jutsu is impractical, like a gun with invisible bullets that cause heart attacks. Who would want or need that when you can just punch someone?

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