Board Breaking for younger students IE testing

[Eric_]

Personally, i don't believe that breaking should be included in ANY test, child or adult. It is just too irrelevant to skill in a martial art. I do, however, see it as a good training too, when used conservatively. In adults, it helps condition striking surfaces. I agree that children should break rebreakable boards only, as these offer the most consistand resistance and breaking pattern. It's incredible how encouraging such simple, but very visible, accomplishments such as breaking the next strongest board in the set can be, especialy to children. It's a sense of progress that will keep a young child focused and motivated. It also helps illustrate (notice, i said illustrate not develope) the effects of confidence and a determined mindset. I can not tell you of the number of people I have seen (and not only children) who were convinced they could not break a specific strength rebreakable, but with encouragement, not only break that one, but the next three or four as well. So while I agree that it should not be required, and that children should not be alowed to break a board with a punch or chop, I don't feel that breaking should be entirely avoided.

[CanuckMA]

Under 13 uses balsa wood type boards that are only about a 1/4" thick, so I don't think there is much danger of broken bones, at least no more so than when they are playing on a playground.

Then what is the point. Anybody can break a 1/4" balsa. It can be snapped in two by just holding it. It ends up being for show only and of little value.

[Jay]

boards dont hit back

[AngelaG]

boards dont hit back

Neither do pads.....

[Menjo]

yea but you can hit pads differently, also pads increase accuracy in a real fight i wouldnt say boards do. Pads are easier to do multiple attacks on also,

[kivikala]

Speaking only for myself, I do not believe board breaking serves any purpose what so ever outside of the entertainment biz. I strongly feel that children (especially under 16) should even attempt such a task. Sure I've broken boards at demos, but it's theatrics, showmanship and what the audiance wanted to see. Was it karate? no way. Childrens bones grow at an alarming rate. Any parent knows this just by the the number of shoe sizes they have to keep buying in what seems like every other week. Normal hand and foot development should not be put at risk because of a "fad" or for a silly theatrical trick.

[AngelaG]

Board breaking is a good way to ensure that you are hitting technically correctly (if you're not you soon find out the hard way) and also to make sure you are not just striking the surface, and instead following through the technique. Other than that they are an impressive showpiece in demos.

However I fail to see the benefit in constantly training on breakboards, and as I mentioned previously, definitely not with children who may be permanently damaged by it.

[saintboxcutter]

This is a really strange argument so far, because the general consensus is that children shouldn't have to do something that they might get hurt doing. Now I'm all for the ART aspect of martial arts, but they are MARTIAL arts.

If a kid isn't taught correctly, and he/she gets injured, then that's the fault of the instructor; but lets remember what testing is all about- It is always the masters perogotive to decide when a student has reached a milestone in his/her training, and as I've seen in other threads (ie, 'i realized after my test i'd been a black belt for months') that the point of testing is to make the student realize they have advanced.

It's no surprise that children get injured from tests that involve board breaking, because it only indicates that the student in question was NOT ready, and should not have been in that position. Instructors should view injuries to their students as their own shortcoming.

I'm all for keeping children from being placed in unnecessarily dangerous situations; but board breaking, while it may be a pointless exhibition for some, is very clear symbolism and a very effective way to make a student have that critical (pardon my choice of words) breakthrough in the understanding of their own capabilities.

Used properly, board breaking is an excellent teaching tool; there is an element of difficulty and potential injury, but administered at the correct time, to a student who is well prepared, it is tremendously effective.

So you know where I'm coming from, I've studied a few different martial arts over my life, but no moment beats that tae kwon do test I had when I was eight years old, and broke a board to earn my orange belt. While It's been quite some time since I left tae kwon do for other arts, that moment is still a guiding memory.

If you were to argue that board breaking is a pointless practice for anyone other than children, I'd have to agree that it's unnecessary after someone has learned their body; but for children, it's a tremendous moment.

And also, as for those breakaway boards, no good: That board I broke when I was 8, that became the mount for the yellow belt, which was proudly displayed on my wall until I got my green belt .

[patusai]

I don't have a problem with anyone breaking boards. It's not that big if a deal. As for bulsa wood...heck a 12x12 1 inch piece of pine or cedar is not that difficult to break. If you brace the board on two blocks and have an 8 year old put his/her hands on it and lean it it will pretty much break. This is one that is not kiln dried either.

[PrideampPoise]

Then what is the point. Anybody can break a 1/4" balsa. It can be snapped in two by just holding it. It ends up being for show only and of little value.

I'm not a "wood expert". It might not be balsa wood. I just know its signifigantly less dense than the pine boards.

And yes, if the child hits the board with any kind of power, it breaks. If they miss, or just "push" on it, it doesn't. (They only use kicks and palm strikes until BB)