what's up with chanting/yelling OUS!!

Some people like to call people who believe there should be some tradition in the martial arts "Japanophiles". It comes up a lot in BJJ vs. Judo threads. (I .e., I was kidding).
 
How the greeting "Oss" came about

pronounced "Ohws"

The famous "OSS" has many origins. The first definition of "OSS" as an abbrevition for Onegai Shimassu, which translates into a request, a solicitation, an invitation like "please", "if you may" or "with your permission", much used when inviting a partner to train.

The second definition of "OSS", also known as "ossu" ( it doesn't matter how you spell it in English), means Oshi Shinobu, which conveys the idea (the literal translation has nothing to do with the context) of "persevering when pushed", or in other words, never give up, have determination, grit and withstand the most arduous of training. Carrying on without giving up, under all kinds of pressure - that's the idea of inner strength so common in Asian culture.

Therefore, at the start of a fight, the martial artist will shout, invoke, emanate the "OSS", as a way of letting this sentiment out. In many sources, "OSS" is defined as a manifestation of ki energy, or in other words, a different kiai (strength), indicating one is ready to fight.

According to Miyamoto Musashi, in the book "Go rin no sho" (Book of the five rings), the samurai would use three types of shouts: one before combat, the second during combat, when attacking, to muster greater strength (kiai), and the third after the fight, to celebrate victory or bemoan defeat.

"Oss", beyond demonstrating strong spirit and determination before a fight, is also used to suggest or confirm a piece of information. Thus, whenever a Sensei asks or informs of something, the response is "OSS!" It is the response that will signify understanding or confirm understanding.

- Gracie Magazine
 
You know, OSS has become more and more popular lately. But from my understanding, it was a Carlson thing.

Anyone with a strict Helio lineage care to comment?
 
not sre about the Carlson guys in Brasil. But the Carlson guys in London always finish their post with Oss!

I was not too sure if it was a wash off from their time training in Japanese MA as well.

But I have a few brasilians BB that end their FB message with oss as well and they do not have a Carlson lineage.
 
my japanese judo sensei told me he does not like oss and in japan it is in fact looked down upon. he said that "tough guys" and "gangsters" yell it to scare/intimidate people and it means almost a "booyah" type of sound. He said that the translation has changed once it came to america/out of japan.
 
Osu is like the l33t sp33k of the martial arts. It is Japanese in origin, but it doesn't really mean a whole lot.

If your conversation in English would be like:
"sup bro"
"nm u?"
"same"

Then you could just say "Osu" to each other if you wanted to be Japanese about it.

Some people also use it like a quiet kiai. Say you chop a guy and go "Ossssss" when you are messing around. That's just a kiai basically and has no meaning at all whatsoever. You can make whatever sound you like.
 
Actually it means....

Osu is a contraction of the words:

Oshi meaning "Push",

and

Shinobu meaning "to Endure".


It means patience, determination and perseverance.

We use it at our dojo whenever a senior instructor ask's you to do something, its a respect thing as well.
 
Balto said:
Osu is like the l33t sp33k of the martial arts. It is Japanese in origin, but it doesn't really mean a whole lot.

If your conversation in English would be like:
"sup bro"
"nm u?"
"same"

Then you could just say "Osu" to each other if you wanted to be Japanese about it.

Some people also use it like a quiet kiai. Say you chop a guy and go "Ossssss" when you are messing around. That's just a kiai basically and has no meaning at all whatsoever. You can make whatever sound you like.
Click to expand...

Yup. Most of these 'leading theories,' from linguistic scholars or otherwise, are backronymic type nonsense.

If you're doing this, it means somebody, somewhere in your line was a Kyokushin type guy who let his tough guy attitude bleed over into his other MAs. There's no quicker way to confirm you are from a blue collar MA background than to go around OSUing people at dojos other than your own.
 
The only thing I hear Brazillians is boa, and it's constantly.
 
Its spelled Osu, but pronounced more like ous or oss.
It has several different origins -depending on who you talk to.
Most japanese think of OSU as a japanese version of "yo". A slang greeting. This version of osu derrives from a combination of "Ohayo Gozaimasu" =good morning, originaly used in the japanese navy and army where the full greeting would take too much time (remember that greeting your seniors is very important in japanese culture) when running into your superiors for the 97th time that day, and then spread trough universities.

Another version of osu, used in kyokushin, is a abbreviation of "Oshi Shinobu" Oshi=pressure Shinobu=persevere/endure. This version of the word has a deeper meaning and signifies to strive on and never give up. Kyokushins motto is Osu no seishin. or "the will to endure under pressure".

Still another origin of the word osu is as a abbreviation of "Onegai shimasu" =I request/please (a polite way to ask for something. I think this is the standard explanation of the word in shorinji kempo and some other styles.

The truth is that although the first "good morning" version is the most widely spread meaning of osu in japan. All 3 (and possibly others as well) are valid meanings. But if you say it in the wrong place in japan (ie- outside kyokushin dojos, or sport gym environment) it will come out as disrespectful slang.

In karate dojos you can find it used as hello, yes, no, and a lot of other things. A very useful "catch-all" word. noone bothers with what it really means.
Outside of karate dojos in Japan it is used mostly in sport clubs (sort of locker room lingo), in gangs, and other places with a "macho" atmosphere (or among youths trying to sound though).

If you are not doing a japanese sport, and still saying "osu" then you have some japanese arts mixed into your lineage somewhere.
 
when i've been places that use it it is basically like saying "hoah" in the army "ooh rah" in the marines.

if you are told something or asked a question and want to acknowledge it, that is your answer.

you guys ready to spar? OSS! you understand what i showed you? OSS! i'm gonna see you at training tomorrow right? OSS! you get the idea.

it seems to me there are many younger brazilian black belts who want to pay homage knowing jiu jitsu has roots in japan. so part of the 'martial' aspect of that is now saying "oss" in class at certain times.
 
Its basically a yes-sir I've heard ex- Judoka use.
 
so to sum it all up, it is like the word "SMURF" from the same cartoon.

it can mean anything and is used all the time for no aparent reason.
 
I used to see bill cooper post it on fb aswell as the mendes bros. But also heard it in the ufc primetime show with gsp. I also did a kickboxing training session at vos gym in amsterdam and they said ossss before sparring.


edit* just re watched the episode 2 of the bj vs. gsp primetime. Firas gsps coach says, you bow to your master your training partners to show repect. Then they bow followed by an osssssss
 
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