Written by Sensei on May 29, 2007

Breathing

So we all need to breath but how many of us know how to breath? I always get a strange look when I tell a class this. But like so many things we need to learn in the Martial Arts that we have never thought about, breathing is right there on the list. No one has to be taught to breath as a baby, it just happens and typically correctly unless there is some physical defect. But as we grow and begin to deal with stress, watch our role models, and in general mature most of us pickup bad breathing habits we are unaware of. So how do we overcome these bad habits…practice! A better question is why do we care!? I usually tell my students about calming yourself, cleansing your mind, or just getting blood to your brain! But here I thought I would quote someone for a different perspective…
In a speech held in Japan in 1978, the Japanese karate master Oyama Masutatsu (Mas Oyama) explains the value of correct breathing as follows: “It has an outside and inside character; it is positive and negative. When others are unaware that you are breathing, then this is negative breathing, and the breathing that surprises others is positive breathing. Positive and negative breathing is called Ibuki. Breathing in slowly is negative, bringing up the air to the chest and breathing it out with a loud sound is the positive aspect. It is very important breathing, for it calms the body during any kind of stress.”