Hi,

In Mas Oyama's book, COMPLETE KARATE COURSE, it describes an ibuki breathing exercise which the practitioner breath in through his nose to the maximum capacity and then use the lower abs to force the air out through the mouth. I recently read about a similar breathing exercise practiced by the systema people.

My question is why breath out through the mouth? Wouldn't using lower abs to force air out through the nose achieve the same goal? What's the advantage of breathing out through the mouth? Several science studies showed that the turbinals bone in the nose acts like a heat exchanger which minimize the mositure loss as each breath leaves the nose. This protects the practitioner from dehydration, so breathing out through the mouth is a disadvantage.

Anyways, I am hoping someone here had done similar practice or know the rationale behind this. I don't want to sign up at a karate forum just to ask one question.

Thanks

wm