Board breaking..love it or leave it?

**oldman34** · Posted On: 9/12/2006 7:59pm

I like breaking boards. Do I feel like it helps me in anyway in my MA of choice? No. Do I feel that it shows that with technique and the right amount of power you can crush a stationary target? Yes. Like Bruce said.."Boards dont hit back."

Can anyone enlighten me why Board Breaking is good...or bad?
I did a search on this but found nothing for the last year.

**Vulgar42Ox** · Posted On: 9/12/2006 8:06pm

i dont really understand board breaking. did they break boards in martial arts before martial arts were popular in america? it just seems like a way to get Joe Asshole to sign up for Jack Johnsons Family Karate.

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 9/12/2006 8:11pm

breaking stuff is fun. Watching those rednecks on fight science smash stuff was pretty funny too. The only thing that's wrong with breaking is people who think breaking boards is akin to punching through someone's sternum.

**alex** · Posted On: 9/12/2006 8:13pm

breaking boards doesnt mean ****.a fat kenpo guy i know can break more boards than i can, but he couldnt do **** when i beat his ass down (got upset after i threw a load of rubbish into his car, dunno why?)

**Doctor X** · Posted On: 9/12/2006 8:16pm

Aside from the disrespect to an innocent board?

Anyways, according to a Senior-Senior-Senior who is a bit of an "expert" at MA crapolla--seen it all done--this is an old way to impress students from even China. When he visited China to search for "karate's roots" he met Chinese "street performers" who would do such tricks. He was told it was an old way of making money and, maybe, attracting a student or two.

Does teach anything? I do not know, I suppose one can squeeze "good" from anything if you try hard enough. My question would be, "is it worth the effort?" Could you gain the benefit and more by spending the time with a heavy bag, makiwara, or the like?

When I see the "rebreakable" boards and am told--as I often am--that this is "good" for targeting, I always ask what this accomplished that a standard punching pad does not? One guy can certainly hold two pads rather than one "board."

Also, while one wishes to develop "t3h d3v3stating" punch/kick I have come to appreciate the need for combinations. In other words, concentrating on punching/kicking one target may have some benefit, but to be realistic you have to move to multiple targets for a combination--like two punching pads!

--J.D.

**MacWombat** · Posted On: 9/12/2006 8:17pm

Breaking boards impresses some girls. and guys. I was watching ESPN one day where they had board breaking competitions. This particular event was put how ever many boards you want in whatever position you want and break the most in like 10 seconds. There always seemed to be a couple boards that didn't get broken because the holder was in the wrong position (not that he wasn't holding it correctly, he was just too high or too low, left, right, etc.)

So if these "masters" can't break boards because of the angle, then how would they do against a real person whose constantly moving and never has a flat area the same as a board?

**oldman34** · Posted On: 9/13/2006 5:47am

All the posts so far are pretty much what I think too. I love doing it, I love watching B breaking competitions, but there doesnt seem to be any benefit to it.
If I could get someone to stand still and let me hit em, hey lets have more boarb breaking.
AS far as the rebreakable boards go. I have some. They are for my kids to practice on, since breaking is a requirement for passing belt testings at the higher ranks. I dont even practice breaking. I just pick a technique at testing and hit it. I am a 5'8" 230 pound male. Breaking two 12"x12"x1" boards stacked together is not a challenge.
Here are my thoughts
1. Looks good at testings, so the lower ranks will be like "OOHHH, look at that, I cant wait till I can do that. Let me sign up for another 2years of lessons so I can get to that point."
2. Makes the person breaking feel like they have accomplished something. Joe Snuffy who doesnt practice or train except 2 days a week in class can say, hey I cant kick above my waist but I can CRUSH 3 1" boards.
3. Keeps the MA's industry in good standing with the American Lumber Council.
4. The time spent in class working on board breaking techniques could be beter spent teaching something more useful. ( I am an instructor at my school, but I have to follow the curriculum the boss lays out)

All of this is not to say that the guys who break 20 bricks, or blocks of ice or whatever in competition are wasting their time. If thats what they want to get out of MA's then so be it. Like I said earlier...Its fun to watch.

**Doctor X** · Posted On: 9/13/2006 6:33am

Originally Posted by emboesso

I've heard that the trick to breaking blocks of ice is that they use salt water to make the ice. It freezes at a lower temperature and is much more brittle, hence, much easier to break. Since I've heard that I've noticed that every time I see ice being broken, I see the ice melting so quickly, much faster than ice normally would at room temperature. Anyone else hear this?

I do not know about that--salt water does freeze at a lower temperature. However, the tried-and-true method is to simply heat a wire and cut the block of ice then "stick" the two ends together.

Danny Pi/Pai(Sp?) gave demonstations of schlock in the 70s. He did this infront of an audience. The thing is, if you look perpendicular, you cannot see through the block--an uncut block you can.

So "Master Danny" gets up to a big stack of ice. Gets ready, but before he actually strikes it, the pre-cut ice collapes! One of his "helpers immediately shouts, "VIBRATING PALM!!!!" The schmuck got a standing ovation to report.

--J.D.

**DON'T SH*T ME !** · Posted On: 9/13/2006 7:25am

Why did you have to say "vibrating palm"?
Now I won't be able to leave my bathroom for the next 2 days!

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 9/13/2006 7:42am

Originally Posted by oldman34

I like breaking boards. Do I feel like it helps me in anyway in my MA of choice? No. Do I feel that it shows that with technique and the right amount of power you can crush a stationary target? Yes. Like Bruce said.."Boards dont hit back."

Can anyone enlighten me why Board Breaking is good...or bad?
I did a search on this but found nothing for the last year.

Board breaking is to Martial Arts what Card Tricks are to Magic. Is it useful? no. Is it "real"? no. Can it look damn cool and be fun to do? Yes!!

Kintanon