Lynne
Master of Arts
It was a beautiful day and we did the board-breaking outside, except for the spinning kicks (6th gups and higher) which were later practiced inside so that people wouldn't shred their feet on the asphalt.
Master R spent time explaining why we break boards (to focus power and energy in a small area plus balance and control) - practical applications to self-defense as in one strike should be all that is needed to take someone out. Also breaking one board is equivalent to the pounds of pressure needed to break one rib, 10#. He explained how to choose a board and how the grain should go when we break. He also mentioned that baking boards was cheating.
Stations were set up for adults and stations were set up for the children.
We were asked to break the boards with hand/elbow strikes and leg techniques.
I chose a chop for my first break. Got it first time! It did smart a little.
My second break, I used a hammer strike. Bam! Got it. I remembered to bring the fist of my nonbreaking hand back to my waist as instructed. I was told that I would be able to break two boards with the hammer strike.
For my third break, I used the side kick. I pushed on the guys holding my board and they were wobbling around, so they got a third person to push from behind. I kept hitting with the ball of my foot instead of the blade edge of my heel. Finally, someone told me to turn the inside of my foot up (almost bottom of foot facing the inside of other leg). I easily broke the board the next time.
For the fourth break, I wondered if I'd be able to do it. I wanted to do a front kick but I have flat feet. There is no way I'd be able to curl my toes back far enough I thought. Well, I kept trying to break that doggone board. I tried with each leg, listening to what I was told to do. "You're pushing the board. Snap the leg instead." I was really snapping it, so hard I was pushing the guys back. They examined the board. It was loaded with sap. They found me a lighter board. Kaboom! I can break boards with a front kick. Yea for me! I am so happy I can do that. You wouldn't believe how flat feet cause problems for me during drills (and also balance).
I did great with the elbow strike. I listened carefully to what the instructor told me to do, getting close to the cinderblocks and centering myself. I used the technique of reaching straight up and pulling down. I broke the first board. Next, I went for two boards and broke those. The instructor told me I could break three boards no problem.
Lastly, I tried to break two boards with a side kick. That wasn't happening and we ran out of time.
I didn't get to try the inside/outside kick but I might try it at home.
At our belt level, there isn't much room to be creative - no leap frogs and head butts yet, or flying over 5 people and snapping a dangling board. But I had lots of fun and I learned so much.
I didn't do any practice aims exactly. I touched the correct part of my hand/elbow to the center of the board to get a feel for the right part of my body to hit with. For the kicks, I did touch the center of the board first to make sure I could kick that high and to find the center. Then, I just went for it. Is that necessarily bad? Will I lose points for finding the center with my foot before I kick/making sure the board is the right height?
For the competition, I plan to:
-break three boards with an elbow strike
-break two boards with a hammer strike
-break one board with a front kick (I would try two but I don't think my husband and daughter will be able to hold them steady for me to practice)
I hadn't thought about a jump front kick. That wasn't mentioned. Would that be impressive or no?
I hope I can do as well in the competition. Even if I break all the boards first go, with good technique, I'm not sure how I will fare against other orange belts. I don't know how many boards people regularly break at my level. If I get brave (and win the lotto), I might try adding more boards to the elbow and hammer strikes.
I'm more excited about the October competition now that I know how to break boards. I just hope I will be able to get dry boards.
Master R spent time explaining why we break boards (to focus power and energy in a small area plus balance and control) - practical applications to self-defense as in one strike should be all that is needed to take someone out. Also breaking one board is equivalent to the pounds of pressure needed to break one rib, 10#. He explained how to choose a board and how the grain should go when we break. He also mentioned that baking boards was cheating.
Stations were set up for adults and stations were set up for the children.
We were asked to break the boards with hand/elbow strikes and leg techniques.
I chose a chop for my first break. Got it first time! It did smart a little.
My second break, I used a hammer strike. Bam! Got it. I remembered to bring the fist of my nonbreaking hand back to my waist as instructed. I was told that I would be able to break two boards with the hammer strike.
For my third break, I used the side kick. I pushed on the guys holding my board and they were wobbling around, so they got a third person to push from behind. I kept hitting with the ball of my foot instead of the blade edge of my heel. Finally, someone told me to turn the inside of my foot up (almost bottom of foot facing the inside of other leg). I easily broke the board the next time.
For the fourth break, I wondered if I'd be able to do it. I wanted to do a front kick but I have flat feet. There is no way I'd be able to curl my toes back far enough I thought. Well, I kept trying to break that doggone board. I tried with each leg, listening to what I was told to do. "You're pushing the board. Snap the leg instead." I was really snapping it, so hard I was pushing the guys back. They examined the board. It was loaded with sap. They found me a lighter board. Kaboom! I can break boards with a front kick. Yea for me! I am so happy I can do that. You wouldn't believe how flat feet cause problems for me during drills (and also balance).
I did great with the elbow strike. I listened carefully to what the instructor told me to do, getting close to the cinderblocks and centering myself. I used the technique of reaching straight up and pulling down. I broke the first board. Next, I went for two boards and broke those. The instructor told me I could break three boards no problem.
Lastly, I tried to break two boards with a side kick. That wasn't happening and we ran out of time.
I didn't get to try the inside/outside kick but I might try it at home.
At our belt level, there isn't much room to be creative - no leap frogs and head butts yet, or flying over 5 people and snapping a dangling board. But I had lots of fun and I learned so much.
I didn't do any practice aims exactly. I touched the correct part of my hand/elbow to the center of the board to get a feel for the right part of my body to hit with. For the kicks, I did touch the center of the board first to make sure I could kick that high and to find the center. Then, I just went for it. Is that necessarily bad? Will I lose points for finding the center with my foot before I kick/making sure the board is the right height?
For the competition, I plan to:
-break three boards with an elbow strike
-break two boards with a hammer strike
-break one board with a front kick (I would try two but I don't think my husband and daughter will be able to hold them steady for me to practice)
I hadn't thought about a jump front kick. That wasn't mentioned. Would that be impressive or no?
I hope I can do as well in the competition. Even if I break all the boards first go, with good technique, I'm not sure how I will fare against other orange belts. I don't know how many boards people regularly break at my level. If I get brave (and win the lotto), I might try adding more boards to the elbow and hammer strikes.
I'm more excited about the October competition now that I know how to break boards. I just hope I will be able to get dry boards.
(I'm glad I don't have to hold boards yet - ouch - we have one instructor who I swear has targets on his fingers).
