Inexpensive Board Holder

[joesteph]

The subject of conditioning for breaking led, at one point in the thread, to practicing board breaking, and the idea of using a board holder came up, but they tend to be expensive.

This board holder:

http://www.awma.com/index.cfm/action/productdetail/product_id/11998.htm

from AWMA was just delivered to me today. As you can see, it's $80, not the $200/400/600 that I've seen. It holds just one rebreakable board, or one wooden one, but that may be all that you'd want for practice, especially if it's someone new to breaking (so one board is all you'd use anyway).

I'll see if my father can hold it for me while I test it out before class. If it's as good as I hope, I'll show it to my teacher.

[bushido_man96]

Looks managable. Gets the fingers out of the way, at least. I wonder if two holders could hold it comfortably, though? One person holding might not be stable enough for some breaks.

[joesteph]

My father can't hold it for me to do breaks, the shock to his arms being too much for him, but he can hold the "kiddie" (yellow) rebreakable board, there being far less shock, so my boys can have Granddad hold the board while Dad helps them break it.

At the dojang, my teacher hadn't seen these board holders before, being familiar with the heavier-duty ones, and, after class, she permitted me to use the holders while students broke the kiddie and adult (red) rebreakables. I caught on how to hold the handles so that nothing moves, and the best break was by a twelve-year-old who did a jumping side kick against the adult board. Next week (as there'll be a guest instructor tomorrow), maybe I can see if an adult can hold the handles for me to try.

[bushido_man96]

Did you use only one holder, or two?

[joesteph]

I used only one person holding, Brian, just me. At the AWMA site where the board holder can be bought, there's a video link, and I saw that it's just one person holding. It does work with one person, provided that you're just as stable as when working with another person and holding the board with your smashable fingers.

[bushido_man96]

Sounds good. Having just one holder would be better for multiple breaking stations, as well.

[DWx]

The board holders I was were referring to were actually more along these lines or what we have in class is like 2 wooden A frames with two parallel bits of wood in between with stoppers (descriptions not very good but hopefully I'll be able to find a photo).

Is that type of holder any good Joesteph? I've always wondered about using them.

[joesteph]

Is that type of holder any good Joesteph? I've always wondered about using them.

I'd say the holder handles are great for using just one rebreakable or wooden board, DWx, which is what I wanted the board holder for.

The holding equipment your link led to is like the metal one offered by Century, for multiple boards. They're both large, taking up a lot of room, too much when other equipment like BOB and WaveMasters need their own space. At least that's in the dojang I train in, where only single boards need be broken.

I'm recommending it. It's not only price and that the handles can be stored on a shelf or in a desk drawer, but that it does the job.