Board Breaking!

[sensei8]

In your opinion...

What's the most important part of board breaking?

[KarateGeorge]

Actually breaking it, because it kind of hurts if you don't.

OK, in all seriousness, I think of it as serving a couple of purposes. First, is that it helps to improve technique and accuracy, as you have to make sure you're at the proper distance and using correct technique to most easily succeed. Secondly, I think for many, its provides the psychological boost of additional confidence that what they're learning can actually do damage. In all reality, a board's not terribly difficult to break, but doing it successfully can overcome mental hurdles for many.

That's just my 2 cents, I'm sure other's have their own reasons for why they think board breaking is important though.

[Wastelander]

In your opinion...

What's the most important part of board breaking?

The fun of it

[Jay]

You know what I never have. I would love to try it.

[DWx]

In your opinion...

What's the most important part of board breaking?

The conditioning; both of the mind and the body. To get your "one hit, one kill" killer technique you've got to focus and commit everything first time otherwise you'll just hurt yourself so you need to have that mental conditioning to just go for it and not hold back. You also need to fully condition the body. Firstly in the sense that you need to strengthen your bones so that they can withstand the impact and in the sense that you need to develop the speed and have mastery of the technique otherwise you'll just bounce off.

[mindsedgeblade]

You know what I never have. I would love to try it.

Me either, but I think I have to for my next test. What's the big deal, it's just a little board. As long as you're not sleep walking, it should be a piece of cake.

[ps1]

Board breaking wasn't a part of any of the arts I studied. However, when I was competing alot, I saw that many tourneys had the breaking division. So I decided to do it. I took third place in my division and was happy with that as the guy who took first broke 12 bricks with his head and the guy who took second was breaking panes of glass with his thumb. My break was two with a reverse punch, two with a side kick, one patio brick with a hammer fist and an iron palm to a board flat on the ground.

I looked at it this way, I had fun and wasn't willing to do what it took to win first place. So I never did that division again.

So I guess my answer is "fun." It's just fun to have tangible evidence of what your focused technique can do. Just..."fun."

I will add that, for kids, it may be a good way to build confidence too.

[sensei8]

Imho, one of the most important things in board breaking is to be sure you've got great board holder(s), providing you're not using something else to hold/support said board(s). Holders that won't move/flinch are an important key, and to ensure this, properly train them as to their responsibilities across the board.

[bushido_man96]

I think it is a good way to test technique. It is done in a static setting, with no one else trying to foul up the technique, and although it is never this ideal, it is a good way to help show yourself and others what the technique is capable of.

[honoluludesktop]

Board breaking without much feeling of impact is a function of speed. As you begin to feel the impact, breaking becomes a factor of applying effective mass, something that can be demonstrated by hitting a bag.