What is the best way to condition for breaking?

[JGBurnum]

I read the other thread, but did not hear how to best condition for different breaking techniques (fist, palm, heel and elbow). We start breaking at Green Belt level so I'm curious.

[Kuma]

Good technique and the makiwara will take you far. The makiwara will really teach you focus and good technique, the conditioning aspects are really secondary compared to those.

[bushido_man96]

Take your time with the conditioning. Don't worry too much about hitting the hardest material you can find over and over until your knuckles bleed. Do some bag work, and some makiwara work, if you have one available to you. Take it easy on the reps to begin with, and work up as you go. Save your body while your young.

[JGBurnum]

Over 30 isn't too young...but thanks for the advice.

[DWx]

I've always been in favour of breaking itself as a method of conditioning. Start off with easy stuff; thinner wood and "kiddie" rebreakable boards and then build up over time to harder stuff.

[bushido_man96]

Over 30 isn't too young...but thanks for the advice.

You're welcome. Besides, your only as young as you feel, right?

[sensei8]

Good technique and the makiwara will take you far. The makiwara will really teach you focus and good technique, the conditioning aspects are really secondary compared to those.

Kuma, that's a very solid post! I concur with it wholeheartedly!

[Kuma]

I can't take credit for it, gotta thank my teacher's teacher's....well, you know

Actually I think Funakoshi also mentions it in one of his Karate-do books. Something about how everyone thinks the makiwara is just to get those swollen knuckles when the real reason behind it is to ensure your techniques are strong and focused and your stance is stable enough to execute those techniques.

[BDPulver]

Yeah, I'd have to agree with Kuma. Even before karate kid movie I asked my teacher if he could break blocks. He use to say "what did the block do to me that I need to hit it?"

Not an advocate of breaking myself but training on 2 makiwara boards : one stationary and one you can move around is good conditioning on the hand/knuckles. The floating one I can move to the floor and just do repeated downward punches just to condition not necassarily to make my downward stronger.

[joesteph]

I've always been in favour of breaking itself as a method of conditioning. Start off with easy stuff; thinner wood and "kiddie" rebreakable boards and then build up over time to harder stuff.

I just asked about this tonight, in that the kiddie plastic boards can be broken, reassembled, broken, etc. The use of thinner wood and moving up in thickness is a good idea, too. I guess you can double the plastic or thin wooden boards, too.

Unfortunately, I just don't have that time built into my training for breaking; the expectation is that hitting targets is adequate. From what I understand from other members' postings here and there, it's not often that most schools give enough (if any) time to breaking practice.