Breaking Boards

[bushido_man96]

In the ATA, I started breaking for testing at the purple belt level, which would have been the 6th rank. In the TTA, we break at the brown belt level and above.

[brickshooter]

My old school did no breaking- at least up until black belt. Really not much point, as we were mostly male, and nearly all college age and very fit. Lots of heavy bag work though, which I feel is much more useful. Nothing you want to hit is going to react like a board or brick.

I visited a school near my parents place and blew the students there away when I snapped a side kick out and broke several (3-4) of their rebreakables. The new school does breaking at most of the testing, even the children. I haven't tested with them yet, but I anticipate no problems.

I never liked the re-breakable boards much. They hurt even if you're successful.

[joesteph]

I was at a school as a guest the other night demonstrating board breaking. Afterwords, I was talking to the instructor and was surprised that she had never trained with breaking boards before. So with that said, I was wondering how many of you incorporate board breaking into your curriculum and is it required to advance in rank and at what level everyone is starting board breaking training. At my school we start very early as we feel it helps build self confidence.

I've read that board-breaking was an outward demonstration of power and precision. It's also showy. I've picked up on instructors who once did board-breaking, or once required it, but dropped it as any kind of requirement. They removed it from testing as something done for fun during class time.

While I realize there are those who consider board-breaking important, I question what technique you are using to break that board. I take a kicking art that has a ton of front kicks in its hyungs, but no test incorporates a simple front kick. The first break I did was with the elbow, but not really, as it's the forearm that breaks through. That was okay, but I didn't believe it demonstrated prowess. All other board breaks in Soo Bahk Do are expected to be done by kick, even though the alternate hand technique is there in the testing manual; it's a Korean art, a kicking art, and so the break by kick is expected.

What I don't follow is the additional requirement as you go up the belt chain to do more exotic kicks. They only represent showmanship to me, not proficiency. A roundhouse kick to break a board, learning to do the kick at an angle and with the ball of the foot instead of the instep, had been required of me for one promotion; the next promotion wants a jump roundhouse kick. That's just showmanship in my book. If someone believes differently, that's okay, but if (when?) I don't receive a promotion because I didn't do this altitude kick break, I'm just going to feel cheated.

Do you know what the alternate hand technique is instead of the jump roundhouse kick? Break the board by a reverse punch.

[mindsedgeblade]

Do you know what the alternate hand technique is instead of the jump roundhouse kick? Break the board by a reverse punch.

Surely you're joking?! Those are considered to be the same level technique?

[joesteph]

Do you know what the alternate hand technique is instead of the jump roundhouse kick? Break the board by a reverse punch.

Surely you're joking?! Those are considered to be the same level technique?

Gup & Dan Manual published by the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, Copyright 2009, p. 96:

• - Breaking (Kyok Pa)
  
  • - Tuel Oh Choong Dan Kong Kyuk or E Dan Dollyo Cha Gi

It's a kicking art, and the finale of the 3rd gup test is the board break by E Dan Dollyo Cha Gi--jump roundhouse kick. The inclusion of Tuel Oh Choong Dan Kong Kyuk--reverse middle punch--makes sense to me if you're just interested in someone being able to break a board. It's likely claimed to be there to accommodate persons with health issues, but I still find no reason to have a jump roundhouse break as proof (fail it, you didn't pass the test; redo the break attempt within a month; what happens if you still can't do it?) that you're a 3rd gup.

Me? I'd choose the reverse punch board break. I don't believe my promotion should be held up or denied based on acrobatics.

[sensei8]

Do you know what the alternate hand technique is instead of the jump roundhouse kick? Break the board by a reverse punch.

Surely you're joking?! Those are considered to be the same level technique?

Gup & Dan Manual published by the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, Copyright 2009, p. 96:

• - Breaking (Kyok Pa)
  
  • - Tuel Oh Choong Dan Kong Kyuk or E Dan Dollyo Cha Gi

It's a kicking art, and the finale of the 3rd gup test is the board break by E Dan Dollyo Cha Gi--jump roundhouse kick. The inclusion of Tuel Oh Choong Dan Kong Kyuk--reverse middle punch--makes sense to me if you're just interested in someone being able to break a board. It's likely claimed to be there to accommodate persons with health issues, but I still find no reason to have a jump roundhouse break as proof (fail it, you didn't pass the test; redo the break attempt within a month; what happens if you still can't do it?) that you're a 3rd gup.

Me? I'd choose the reverse punch board break. I don't believe my promotion should be held up or denied based on acrobatics.

Funny how it is...that the governing bodies are so often second-guessed when it comes to rank requirements by those who are close as well as by those who are afar!!

[bushido_man96]

I don't mind that the difficulty in the break technique goes up as rank increases. There may be other options available to you by the instructor, if you check with them, Joe.

[joesteph]

I've already done elbow, side kick, back kick, and roundhouse, Brian. When the kicks were first brought up as required for promotion, it was pretty clear that what the curriculum says is the way it's done. I've seen others do testing, and they've done these board breaks, including the one I'm supposed to do for 3rd gup--the jump roundhouse.

I don't want to make the test all about the break, and it may be that my teacher does have other freedoms, but I've always seen her follow the guide. If I had to do punch, palmheel, knifehand, or hammerfist breaks, even doing two of them for passing, I'd feel much more comfortable.

I feel, and I think others may feel as well, that it's especially embarrassing to blow the board break, particularly with an audience looking on.

[bushido_man96]

It can be embarassing to blow the board break, especially with an audience. I've experienced that myself. Not fun. But, that is also why its called a test. I know we talk alot about preparation for testing, not letting students test who aren't ready, etc, but the very nature of a "test" is the idea that there is the possibility of failure.

[mindsedgeblade]

I've already done elbow, side kick, back kick, and roundhouse, Brian. When the kicks were first brought up as required for promotion, it was pretty clear that what the curriculum says is the way it's done. I've seen others do testing, and they've done these board breaks, including the one I'm supposed to do for 3rd gup--the jump roundhouse.

I don't want to make the test all about the break, and it may be that my teacher does have other freedoms, but I've always seen her follow the guide. If I had to do punch, palmheel, knifehand, or hammerfist breaks, even doing two of them for passing, I'd feel much more comfortable.

I feel, and I think others may feel as well, that it's especially embarrassing to blow the board break, particularly with an audience looking on.

Too bad tests aren't about what you're comfortable doing....