how to Break boards?

[paul]

Ok, I have a question. I have taken martial arts in the past, but have since moved and not found a school yet. I still go over my current and past techniques, forms, etc.

 

I am a youth leader for our high school kids and want to do a sermon and use karate has an attention getter.

 

However, one thing that was never taught to me was how to break boards. I would like to incororate the sermon and breaking of boards, but I know zilch about it.

 

What type of boards? How I do hit it? Etc.

 

Thanks!

[jarrettmeyer]

I don't know the whole answer, since I haven't done it, but if you intend on breaking anything more than a 1/4-inch piece of kiln-dried pine that has been cut against the grain for easy breaking, then the answer is....

 

... Get an instructor. It's too easy to get hurt.

[Jinxx0r]

get a 1 inch thick, 12x12 pine board. Put it between two cinder blocks that are on the floor (with the woodgrain pointed towards you). Do a hammerfist. It should crack and break easily.

 

you break it with physics... F=MA. Your body weight, the speed you can throw it... oh, and aim for the floor.

 

this should be stupid easy to do as it's probably the most basic break you can do. If you do anything other than this, you could hurt yourself (as really it's the speed and technique that make the physics easy)... but a 1 inch board is not difficult to break. If you can do one board, then next try 2... then 3, etc...

 

technique and speed.

[nathanjusko]

Aim to put your foot four inches past the board if your aim is for the board it will seem twice as hard to break.

[Master Jules]

Hit the board as hard as you can, grains facing towards you....aim for the floor....dont stop at the board....follow through....and make a tight fist......use a hammerfist if you havent conditioned your knuckles for a punch....shuto (knifehand "chop") makes the break easier by simple physics, but you have to have conditioned hands.....if youre a novice....go with the hammerfist. Good luck !

[Shorin Ryuu]

Speed is another good way of breaking boards, especially thinner ones. A good "trick" is to have someone just hold the board on one corner with one hand using just their thumb and index finger. Then, doing a proper punch (or you might hurt yourself), punch the board very quickly, emphasizing a snap. It should break easily, but looks impressive due to very little support added by the board holder. Or something.

 

I don't ever break boards, we just did it one day for the heck of it.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

And then send the kindling to me...I need it to start the woodstove.

[aefibird]

Make sure you practice well beforehand!

 

Try searching on google for videos or websites that have tips on breaking.

 

Sorry, I can't recommend any sites, as we don't do breaking at my school and I've only ever done it a couple of times.

 

I agree with the other posters, though... aim to go through the board with your technique, rather than have your fist just hitting the top of the board.

 

Good luck!

[markusan]

Could I suggest that you do NOT aim to hit the floor with the follow through. Sure, punch through the board, but make sure you have plenty of clearance underneath. The only reason you don't break your hand when you are breaking boards is because the board breaks first. If you follow through to the floor, you can safely bet the floor is not going to break. I speak from experience breaking tiles. I broke six tiles with a two knuckle punch at a demonstration a couple of years ago and misjudged the strike. The tiles broke but the floor didn't and I had a very swollen hand the next day and a couple of compressed fractures. It made typing a very uncofortable experience for a couple of weeks.

[Master Jules]

The general rule of striking of any kind is to envision your target being about 6 inches past where it really is.

 

IE: When I punch you in the stomach...Im thinking of breaking your spine.