What is the best way to condition for breaking?

[Kuma]

I have minimal experience with breaking myself, but I'm in agreement with DWx. I feel breaking is good for focus, commitment, and self-confidence as well as conditioning your tools.

[joesteph]

Breaking is something I really am for . . .

I found DWx's article, "The Art of Breaking and Conditioning Your Body," at:

http://www.karateforums.com/the-art-of-breaking-and-conditioning-your-body-vt33089.html

It's an interesting article, certainly well thought out and researched, although I think Tallgeese's view, "Personally, I think promotion should be based on the entirety of the process and a less than adequate performance in one category shouldn't necessarily mean a total failure," has merit. After all, if a school gives little to no time to practicing breaking (and its partner, holding), then shouldn't its weight on a test reflect that?

[bushido_man96]

I would agree with you there, Joe. However, I think that some instructors view it as a way of demonstrating the practice of basic technique, and if you have good basics, then you should have a good board break. I agree, but preparation should be a key, as well.

[DWx]

I'm of two minds here. On the one hand I don't think its fair to fail someone on something you only ever do at testing. If you're going to include breaking in testing you should have at least done it in class a couple of times. So yeah weight it accordingly. But on the other hand if you know its going to be on the testing and you know what techniques and how much you should be breaking, its in your best interests to go away and practice in your own time. I appreciate that for some this will be harder because they don't have access to boards/holders but I would consider it maturity on the part of my students if a group that were testing got together to practice. I guess in a perfect world students would get sufficient time in class to practice and then there would be no problem at testings.

I also agree with bushido_man96 in that good basics will translate to a good break. If you have good basics, then with a little bit of practice one board should not be a problem at all. We have under 10 yr old green belts who can go through 1/2" boards first time simply because of good basics and being able to translate it to a bit of wood.

[Tiger1962]

I would agree with you there, Joe. However, I think that some instructors view it as a way of demonstrating the practice of basic technique, and if you have good basics, then you should have a good board break. I agree, but preparation should be a key, as well.

I agree B.

If instructors want it to be a part of testing then SUFFICIENT mandatory class practice should occur.