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During warm-ups and during practice, I notice the quality of people's counting -- is it soft, loud, tentative, aggressive, forceful, fast, slow, etc.?

Does anyone else do this?

I think there's much to tell about the quality of a person from the quality of their counting and their kiai.

Thoughts?

I`m not much into counting these days as i dont like to do things by the count but ....

It reveals a lot about a martial artist if there too nervous to even do a count or call a technique so everyone can hear it

I ...
- Count in a rhythmical fashion when I use my voice.
- Draw a vocal accent on a beat when appropriate to do so.
- On a Theme class I use one of two metronomes to do my counting for me.
- One, a simple electronic device that varies the tempo and loudness,
- The other can be adjusted to accent certain beats and play different simple repetetive rhythms.
- Above all, I adjust to the students' tempos.

_________________
Always with an even keel.
-- Allen

Great qusetion! This is a subject that I contemplate every night in the dojo.

I try to use inflection, tone, volume, and duration as techniques to both entertain and motivate. Wanna keep a 10 year old motivated? Monotone ain't the way! Want to get your students into that "Glare in the eye" mode? An energetic count is a great tool.

I love to end up with a big, deep, long final count: Juuuuuuuu.

To the contrary, I noticed that Sensei Robb in Sacratomatoe (sometimes) uses a final count of "Yameaaaaaay" instead of 8, 10, Hatchi, or Ju.... which, though completely different, is really quite cool. Robb Sensei is one of the kindest, most effective Sensei that I have met, by the way, and I respect him and his teachings. There is some really cool Uechi going on in Sacramento!

Good subject.

Tokezu:

Thank you for your kind words. Sensei Neide and I truly enjoy working out with our Uechi brothers and sisters in California. I am glad you enjoyed my approach, and from your comments it looks as though I am still the most laid back Uechi instructor/facilitator on the the planet. (I thought it was just the United States, but George tells me it goes further than our borders.)

As for counting creating spirit, both Dollar and Neide Sensei are able to get a room going just with their count. Maybe it's a Kadena thing, but the call of technique and count both just seem to get the class going and keep it pumped up.

Peace
Robb in Sacramento

Robb-san,
You taught me a lot in a very sort time (like 2 hours?).

In particular, your comments about squaring the shoulders toward an opponent stuck with me. I like to drop that comment on newer students. It makes me seem more clever than I really am!

Wew wish you and Neide Sensei were not so far away.

DLF

_________________
"The spirit is forged in the furnace of the will."
-- Dr. Klan, Fist Full of Yen