What do you think about board breaking?

[pittbullJudoka]

I learned to break when I still studied Shorin Ryu but the instructors purpose of teaching us was to help some of the people in the class to understand how to focus and those were the ones having trouble breaking.But I now find it usless at this stage in my ma trainning.

[torris]

Honestly, do you think that board breaking is simply put there for WOW! effect. It is as old as the art. I am almost certain even in my finite wisdom of the martial arts that there is some purpose to it and why it is part of belt ranking.

 

I think it is proper technique myself. If you execute the technique properly, regardless of strength, you will break the board.

 

I see children much much younger than I, and obviously less stronger than I, break boards. If it was all about muscle, I don't believe I would have trouble doing it.

 

That's just MHO.

[WapCaplet]

To quote 'The Karate Kid':

 

(while looking at a picture of a martial arts guy breaking a log with his bare hands)

 

Daniel: Hey, can you do that?

 

Mr. Miyagi: Don't know. Never been attacked by a tree.

 

Wap

[Libreg]

I think its a waste of time, but then again I never tried it because im a begginer and it might teach you to concetrate energy or something i dont know

[Rotten Head Fok]

When I first saw board-breaking I was interested, but as the years passed it became very boring. Then I saw board-breaking competitions thanks to Team P. Mitchell, it gave me a new refreshed outlook! So it's up to the new and future generations to use there imaginations to show us marvelous things!

[markusan]

If you don't break your first board, but you break your next one, surely it has improved your technique. We set ourselves challenges breaking boards. like one person holds the board and drops it and the other tries to break it in mid air. It takes a bit of doing. Timing, speed technique.

[aes]

We do not break any real wood in our dojo (that I have seen). We use the reusable plastic boards that simulate different thicknesses of wood.

 

At first I thougth this whole board breaking thing was useless but now I think it does serve a few purposes.

 

It shows you are committed to your strike and gives you feedback of just how powerful the hit is. Bags etc don't give you as much feedback except for the sound.

 

It also helps you with knowing what part of your hand/foot you are actually making contact with.

 

It helps build confidence in the effectiveness of your strikes.

[Rich67]

My opinion:

 

Board breaking is purely a "show" and entertainment that has its place in demonstrations and ESPN fight night to showcase some fancy moves and technique. As far as using it to adjunct training, I find it weak, at best. Although I admire those that break boards and do it showfully, the old motto "Ah grasshopper....the board does not hit back" rings true. Power is not so much required to board break. Follow through and technique are. In this sense, it helps develop proper technique but not power. Punching a heavy bag, speed bag, or focus mits provides better power and technique training than a day of making kindling with pine. If you want to argue this point, I'll show you some 8 year olds, none of whom could punch their ways out of paper bags, break boards til the cows come home. Nothing to do with power. Now, if you are breaking multiple boards or bricks- different story. I chose "other" on the poll, since I feel it does serve some purpose and is entertaining. But to use it to train or to teach technique, I feel it is not as good as other methods.

[niel0092]

Aww, who cares? It's kinda fun to do every now and then!