Setting up Board Breaks

[taekwondomom]

I'm going to be in a tournament soon and I'll need to set up my own board breaks. I get to break 3 boards.

Problem is, I've never set up board breaks before. At test time, I always have someone help me so I won't get injured.

I'd like to do palm strike then back elbow. Then go directly into a jump reverse kick.

I've gotten some advice from our BBs, but if anyone here has general advice about setting up--how far the boards need to be from my extended arm in a palm strike, for example, or whether they should be exactly perpendicular to the floor or maybe angled--please let me know!

[CTTKDKing]

The important thing to remember in a breaking competition is to not hit the board, but to strike through the board. You hand or foot should be like 3/4 extended upon making contact with the board, but it shouldn't stop untill it's fully extended. Also make sure you hit it dead center. Not saying it wont break if you hit it off center, but it'll take a lot more force. In a TKD championship the flashier the break the better score, however if you try a flashy break and miss on the first try you get reamed for points. You sound like you have a good routien there. If you di it completly clean the you should get a decent score, and metal well. Just as in every other aspect of competition, stick to your strenths and what you know best.

[tufrthanu]

Well, you should know just in general how far away from something you need to be to hit it by now. Just step like a half step closer to your first target. I would suggest having people hold something for you so you can practice setting up your holders before the tournament, this way you will know exactly where to position them when the time comes.

[bushido_man96]

Make sure that you have the grain of the boards running the proper way for each technique. For the palm strike, I run them horizontally, and strike towards the top 1/3 of the board, so as not to smash my fingers. For the back elbow strike, if it is a horizontal strike, run the grain that way; if vertical, run it vertically. And for the jump reverse kick (I am guessing this is a side kick) run the grain horizontally again.

Make sure that the holders get into good front stances, with their inside legs crossed and to the back. They should cross either their top or bottom sets of hands, and lock their elbows, securing the boards and themselves. They should also look away up impact, to protect their eyes.

For the side kick, if I am a holder, I prefer to cross the arms at the top of the board, that way the boards don't go flying away, or into my face. One more thing: make sure the holders get a lot of palm on the backside of the boards and just enough finger on the front to hold them in place. It gives you more surface area, and less chance to kick their fingers.

One thing to consider for the holders' sake: don't take too long to get going. Set the boards up, then maybe rehearse your move once or twice at each, and then go. At our testings, there are some people who will set up for a side kick, and then practice, and practice, and practice, and practice a slow set-up kick over and over before finally attempting to break. This makes the holders' tire more quickly, and the faster they tire, the worse off they will be for holding your boards. The sooner you can break, the better.

Best of luck to you at the tournament!

[Zorbasan]

also remember, if you dont break the board, its gonna hurt a hell of a lot more than if you do break it.

[bushido_man96]

also remember, if you dont break the board, its gonna hurt a hell of a lot more than if you do break it.

Very good point!! Also, not breaking is hard on the guys holding as well. First time is best!

[Zorbasan]

not quite, accuracy is important to the huys holding the board. nothing worse than getting your finger jammed between a board and a heel.

[bushido_man96]

not quite, accuracy is important to the huys holding the board. nothing worse than getting your finger jammed between a board and a heel.

Well, then at least you don't have to hold any more!

[Zorbasan]

i remember one break i did, was a flying side kick at some demonstration. i think the guys set up too close to the people i was jumping over cos i broke the boards easily and continued thru them to kick one of the holders in the stomach

[bushido_man96]

i remember one break i did, was a flying side kick at some demonstration. i think the guys set up too close to the people i was jumping over cos i broke the boards easily and continued thru them to kick one of the holders in the stomach

That's good follow-through, there!