# rebreakable board equivilant wood?



## wushuguy (May 28, 2009)

I had just received a red rebreakable board. it was stated as "normal" strength. However, I don't know how to compare it to the equivelant thickness of normal wood. Is it around .5 to 1 inch? The other choices were blue=light, or black=strong, also how difficult is the black one to break, equivelant to about how many inches of wood?


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## Ronin74 (May 28, 2009)

wushuguy said:


> I had just received a red rebreakable board. it was stated as "normal" strength. However, I don't know how to compare it to the equivelant thickness of normal wood. Is it around .5 to 1 inch? The other choices were blue=light, or black=strong, also how difficult is the black one to break, equivelant to about how many inches of wood?


It may depend on the brand, but I tried a re-breakable (I think it was a Tiger Claw brand) board at a nearby MA store and it was VERY easy to break. I really don't think it's the equivalent of a board.


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## wushuguy (May 29, 2009)

Thanks, the one I ordered was a tiger claw brand. Which brand of rebreakable would someone suggest is high quality?


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## bluekey88 (May 29, 2009)

It totally depends on brand.  I've got 2 rebreakables branded "The ultimate martial arts board"...very sturdy.  The green one is rated at 1 board, the black one is rated at 2.5 boards.  They're pretty tough to break....although they will get easier over time as they get used.

Peace,
Erik


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## Ronin74 (May 29, 2009)

bluekey88 said:


> It totally depends on brand. I've got 2 rebreakables branded "The ultimate martial arts board"...very sturdy. The green one is rated at 1 board, the black one is rated at 2.5 boards. They're pretty tough to break....although they will get easier over time as they get used.
> 
> Peace,
> Erik


This is true. Over time, they'll get easier and easier to break. In the long run, I guess it will save on money and trees, but if consistant resistance is what your after, nothing beats pine boards.

On a related note, I don't know how they handle for breaks that aren't done with the board held on both ends (such as board-breaking done with a single hand holding it). If any of you guys get the chance to try that, let me know.


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## K-man (May 29, 2009)

Just tried one hand on the orange board I use for kids. No trouble. That is rated as just less than one board. I doubt I could do the brown board which is the equivalent of 1.75 boards. These boards are US made by a firm called Neo-Tuesday Inc. :asian:


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## K-man (May 29, 2009)

K-man said:


> I doubt I could do the brown board which is the equivalent of 1.75 boards.


 Just did that one too.


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## bluekey88 (May 30, 2009)

Haven't tried it, but it wouldn't be quite the same.  In a speed break, your tyargetting near the hold....with these rebreakables, you have to hit the center of the board.

For me, the reabeakables save on money and time buying/prepping wood for practicve.  Ultimately, I do at least one practice session on real wood before I do any important breaking (for a test for example), and I'm really careful about wood selection....knotty, sappy dense wood can ruin your day fast.

Peace,
Erik


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## Ronin74 (May 30, 2009)

As long as we're on the topic of breaking, what's the best way to progress from a beginner's stage?

In the arts I've practiced, breaking was never a part of the training, and any breaks I've done were because I knew I could do it. However, I've always been curious about it, especially with the different breaks I've seen.


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## Grenadier (May 31, 2009)

Ronin74 said:


> As long as we're on the topic of breaking, what's the best way to progress from a beginner's stage?
> 
> In the arts I've practiced, breaking was never a part of the training, and any breaks I've done were because I knew I could do it. However, I've always been curious about it, especially with the different breaks I've seen.


 
Easiest way to start them, is to have them break a single 1' x 1' square of soft pine, that has been dried well.  Have them start with something easy, such as using an elbow strike, or a palm heel strike.  Once they're used to this, have them try other techniques, such as straight punches, kicks, etc.  

Once they have enough confidence, put another board on top, with some spacers between them.  Have them go through two boards.  Watch their eyes open as they realize, that it's easier than it looks.  

Eventually, you can have them try speed breaks, but make sure that you use a dried out, white pine board here as well.  No sense in letting them injure their knuckles.  

Later on, you can use 2" thick cement slabs (again heat-dried), and start with easy techniques, working your way up.  Low risk techniques, such as hammer fist, work well.


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## Balrog (Jun 4, 2009)

We use the UMABs.  A blue board is roughly the equivalent of a single 11x12x1/2 piece of #2 white pine.  A brown is roughly equivalent to 2 pine boards.  A black is roughly equivalent to 3.

I like them because they force you to break with good technique - you absolutely have to hit them dead center or they won't go.  With real wood, you can sometimes "steal" a break if you hit off-center and manage to get lucky and catch a good grain in the board.


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