# Demo Bat Break Preparation!



## Human Makiwara (Feb 8, 2016)

I have 9 weeks to prepare for a demo baseball bat break. It will be a mawashi-geri (round house/shin) break about waist high. I'm fairly well conditioned for kotekitae (arm on arm pounding, leg and stomach) but have been asked to step up for a school demo. I started using rope wrapped, wooden trainers and a few other implements but wonder if you guys had any tips or techniques to prepare.  I know this is a tough break and a good part of it is mental. Thanks in advance for anything you guys can pass on.


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## JowGaWolf (Feb 8, 2016)

Have a lot of ice on stand by. lol.  But serious if you haven't conditioned your shins by now then you may be putting yourself at risk for some serious injury.  9 months would be more realistic in my book for me to do something like that as 9 weeks isn't long enough to start making that shin bone dense enough to not break when you kick the bat.
If you have already been conditioning your shins then 9 weeks may be enough, but from your post it doesn't look like you have been conditioning your shins for a long period of time.

The only advice that I have is don't condition so hard to the point where you spending more time healing than conditioning.  The more damage you do during conditioning the longer it will take to heal and the less time you'll actually spend conditioning.


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## hoshin1600 (Feb 8, 2016)

I used to roll my shins with a Bo staff or a cooking rolling pin.
My guide line for conditioning is that it usually takes 6 months to notice a difference, so I hope you've been working your shins in class for that long.
My advise,,,,don't kick the thick end...lol
Have a good helper to hold the bat secure.
Work on your aim,  where on your shin you make contact.
Don't worry about breaking the bat,,,,something is sure to break even if it's not the bat,,,people will love it ...as long as something breaks.


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## JowGaWolf (Feb 8, 2016)

hoshin1600 said:


> My advise,,,,don't kick the thick end...lol


 Ditto.  That's advice that we can all get behind. lol


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## paitingman (Feb 8, 2016)

I do this break every now and then. My advice would be use an ash wood louisville slugger. I use it everytime.

but for some perspective, I perform this break after never doing any purposeful shin conditioning whatsoever. I trained taekwondo for 15+ years just regularly training and kicking targets/partners. Then stupidly performed the break one day on a bet and all was fine. I don't know if I happen to have a sturdy leg, or 15 years of kicking stuff was enough, but all I can say is i've never done anything to train my shins and I break them just fine with minimal discomfort and a quarter sized bruise everytime.


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## JowGaWolf (Feb 8, 2016)

paitingman said:


> I do this break every now and then. My advice would be use an ash wood louisville slugger. I use it everytime.
> 
> but for some perspective, I perform this break after never doing any purposeful shin conditioning whatsoever. I trained taekwondo for 15+ years just regularly training and kicking targets/partners. Then stupidly performed the break one day on a bet and all was fine. I don't know if I happen to have a sturdy leg, or 15 years of kicking stuff was enough, but all I can say is i've never done anything to train my shins and I break them just fine with minimal discomfort and a quarter sized bruise everytime.


I'm sure it was the 15 years of kicking targets and partners that increase the density of your shins.. either that or you have Wolverines genes.  Some people just naturally have concrete for bones.


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## Human Makiwara (Feb 9, 2016)

I have been kicking bags and partners (forearms/shins and upper thighs) for the last 5 years. We condition regularly but I don't preform breaks. My instructor is CONDITIONED and experienced in many different breaks and he thinks I will be able to do it. I would be dishonest to say I'm NOT nervous. I have been studying breaks of this type and see that I need to aim for the handle (not the thick part..lol) and that i need to cut through at speed. For those that have done these breaks, would you attack the break center shin bone or turn the leg over more and aim to hit with the outer muscle covered area. I'm thinking the latter but would love input. Sensei and I will be working on the logistics until the demo but we have yet to sit and discuss anything in great detail. Thank you all for the help.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Feb 9, 2016)

*Having done this break myself* my advice is that you have confidence and just go for it.  Conditioning over time is important ie. hitting bags, rolling sticks on your shins, etc. but nothing is more important than having confidence and going through the target as in any break!  You will be fine, just do it!  Like Paittngman I decided to just do it one day and did it right then.  No special training!


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## Human Makiwara (Feb 9, 2016)

I have a large concrete rolling pin I started using. I can definitely feel all the dings and dents from over the years.


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## oftheherd1 (Feb 9, 2016)

Human Makiwara said:


> I have been kicking bags and partners (forearms/shins and upper thighs) for the last 5 years. We condition regularly but I don't preform breaks. My instructor is CONDITIONED and experienced in many different breaks and he thinks I will be able to do it. I would be dishonest to say I'm NOT nervous. I have been studying breaks of this type and see that I need to aim for the handle (not the thick part..lol) and that i need to cut through at speed. For those that have done these breaks, would you attack the break center shin bone or turn the leg over more and aim to hit with the outer muscle covered area. I'm thinking the latter but would love input. *Sensei and I will be working on the logistics until the demo but we have yet to sit and discuss anything in great detail.* Thank you all for the help.



That is where you need to be imho.  If your sensei believes in you, the next step is believing in yourself.


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## Human Makiwara (Feb 10, 2016)

oftheherd1 said:


> That is where you need to be imho.  If your sensei believes in you, the next step is believing in yourself.



You're right. I am meeting with him tonight and this weekend. Just thought I'd get input from some of you that may have done this before.


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## GiYu - Todd (Feb 10, 2016)

Make sure you get some good video of it.  If it goes well, you can post it on here for all of us to admire.  If not... then you might win some money on AFV.    Either way, something good comes from it.

I hope it goes well for you.


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## Human Makiwara (Apr 11, 2016)

I decided to put more time in on my conditioning and training for the bat break. I did however do a stomach break this weekend. The camera man got a shot that was perfectly timed. Thanks for your comments and advice. I hope to have a bat break update for you all soon.


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## JowGaWolf (Apr 11, 2016)

Human Makiwara said:


> I decided to put more time in on my conditioning and training for the bat break. I did however do a stomach break this weekend. The camera man got a shot that was perfectly timed. Thanks for your comments and advice. I hope to have a bat break update for you all soon. View attachment 19825


awesome picture.  thanks for showing it


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## Buka (Apr 11, 2016)

Terrific photo, bro.


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## paitingman (Apr 11, 2016)

Awesome shot! Keep us posted on your conditioning and training!
Hoping to here about your success with the bat soon


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## JR 137 (Apr 12, 2016)

Human Makiwara said:


> I decided to put more time in on my conditioning and training for the bat break. I did however do a stomach break this weekend. The camera man got a shot that was perfectly timed. Thanks for your comments and advice. I hope to have a bat break update for you all soon. View attachment 19825



What style karate do you study?

From that shot it looks like Uechi Ryu Sanchin kata, although it could be just about any other form of Sanchin, depending on where in the kata you are (if you're doing a kata during it).

Who said TMA and kata were worthless?


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## Human Makiwara (Apr 12, 2016)

Thank you.
My style of karate is traditional Uechi Ryu. This is a break using my Sanchin stance to protect the vitals from the blow.


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