Effective breathing is at the core of our studies.

How we breathe says a lot about how we move. In my own experience my studies in Tai Chi Chaun these past 35 or so years confirmed that.


The interesting thing is different systems have different philosophies toward breathing. Even divergent approaches ate effective. The answer does not seem to be the approach, but the acquisition of skill.


Breathing can be roughly categorized an breathing inter -technique sequence and intra - technique sequence. Each with different purposes.


Of course this is rarely explored with beginning students where a more standardized breathing is used to allow them to focus on the movements of the kata.


Inter-technique breathing does vary as you define it. It can be done with one breath for each movement. Or multiple breaths for individual sections of movements. Or even one continuous breath for the entire sequence.


At times exhalation is called for. At times inhalation is called for as when you want to adhere to a subject, to take their center, and perform the technique.


Performing a technique sequence with a single exhalation can allow for faster explosive execution.


IMO the black belt art is more compelling exploring these options.


Allow me to look at a version of Gojushiho, where one long sequence is done with one continuous exhalation to increase the speed of the sequence. By taking a second breath it would slow the sequence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4m95IbL8vs

There is often more going on than appears on the surface.


This is used by me for Dan study.. I most frequently use Fukyugata Sho to study the differences involved, then the Dan moves on to select a kata of their own for further study how it can make a difference for their own studies.