Breaking

[terryl965]

How often does your school breal boards or bricks and do you charge extra for the materials or is it part of there tuition?
Terry

 

[Kacey]

How often does your school breal boards or bricks and do you charge extra for the materials or is it part of there tuition?
Terry

Cement tiles (bricks) are usually reserved for red belts and up, and only adults; since my senior color belt students are kids (under 14), we don't break tiles very often. We break boards periodically, especially when we're prepping for testing (required breaks) and tournaments (optional breaks). The cost of the boards is included in class and testing fees. We do have rebreakable boards for practice, which helps keep the cost down; they cost more up front, but are much easier to maintain, and pay for themselves in a short time. Also, you have to hit a rebreakable correctly and in the right spot (they only break on the join) or it won't break, which is good for practicing focus.

 

[terryl965]

Cement tiles (bricks) are usually reserved for red belts and up, and only adults; since my senior color belt students are kids (under 14), we don't break tiles very often. We break boards periodically, especially when we're prepping for testing (required breaks) and tournaments (optional breaks). The cost of the boards is included in class and testing fees. We do have rebreakable boards for practice, which helps keep the cost down; they cost more up front, but are much easier to maintain, and pay for themselves in a short time. Also, you have to hit a rebreakable correctly and in the right spot (they only break on the join) or it won't break, which is good for practicing focus.

But with the rebreakable boards don't they get easier to break after a couple ot times?
Terry

 

[Kacey]

But with the rebreakable boards don't they get easier to break after a couple ot times?
Terry

Not really... after about 100 times, maybe. It depends on the type, and even then, they're good for practice; just put 2 of them together. I've never had one break (in the sense of becoming unusable), and if they get too easy for the adults, then they're just right for the kids.

 

[AceHBK]

What is the purpose of board & brick breaking?
Seems like every art does it and I did it before but never knew the real reason why.

 

[monkey]

To break a board or brick was ( showing the skill level of the achived Iron body)this skill was as you say to temper your wepons.Its realy not needed but as the saying gose(The sharp sword may cut & break as it had poor metal retained in it.But,fordge it-temper it & it will cut without a blemish.

 

[tkd_jen]

We break boards at every belt test (adults and kids). For adults going to red we do a brick break (knife hand-on brick supports~pretty easy actually).

Ace, there are many theories I have heard on why we break boards. Here are a few that I believe. First off, it is a mental challenge, especially for kids. It seems pretty intimidating. We try to teach them to be confident in their ability and training and to use their good technique to properly strike the board causing it to break. It is a targeting challenge and a way to test their "body knowledge. For example, if you just use your hand to execute a knife hand strike it is a lot harder to break a board than if you twist your hips, use your shoulder and your hand. I guess it is just a reinforcement tool.

Other reasons are to test your speed and accuracy in regards to targetting (adults have to do a one-hand hold back spin for example). I love breaking boards and bricks, it is a fun change of pace from hitting hand targets, kick shields, other students , etc. Is it kinda goofy, maybe, but the sound of the board snapping is pretty cool to me, and the kids are so proud when they successfully break their boards so I don't have a problem with it.

Now I'll just sit back and wait for the Bruce Lee quote.......

 

[Marginal]

What is the purpose of board & brick breaking?
Seems like every art does it and I did it before but never knew the real reason why.

Seems mainly a way to demonstrate focus and reinforce the importance of not holding back on a strike.

 

[IcemanSK]

Not really... after about 100 times, maybe. It depends on the type, and even then, they're good for practice; just put 2 of them together. I've never had one break (in the sense of becoming unusable), and if they get too easy for the adults, then they're just right for the kids.

I don't mean to highjack your thread, Terry. But....Kacey, what brand of re-breakable have you used that works well? I've never bought any because I didn't want to shell out $$ if they were not worth it. 100 breaks seems worth it to me. What brand do you use?

 

[terryl965]

I don't mean to highjack your thread, Terry. But....Kacey, what brand of re-breakable have you used that works well? I've never bought any because I didn't want to shell out $$ if they were not worth it. 100 breaks seems worth it to me. What brand do you use?

Iceman go ahead and hijack, I'm just making converstation.
Please take it to a higher level, I and the Board need more thought provoking threads, My next one would be how many rabbits are in your garden!

Terry

 

[Kacey]

I don't mean to highjack your thread, Terry. But....Kacey, what brand of re-breakable have you used that works well? I've never bought any because I didn't want to shell out $$ if they were not worth it. 100 breaks seems worth it to me. What brand do you use?

There are a couple of them, and while I recognize them in pictures, they're at the dojang and I don't recall the brands. This is one of them - the green one is really good for kids, as a starter, and if it's too tough for the kids, you can always offset the pegs, and this is the other which is really good for adults. You can stack either kind (although not with each other). The tan ones are equal to about 1 1/2 inch-thick pine boards when they're new, and when they get old they're worth about 1. I don't know anything about either site I found the links on, I was just trying to find some samples for you. I'll try to look tomorrow when I go to class.

 

[AceHBK]

We break boards at every belt test (adults and kids). For adults going to red we do a brick break (knife hand-on brick supports~pretty easy actually).

Ace, there are many theories I have heard on why we break boards. Here are a few that I believe. First off, it is a mental challenge, especially for kids. It seems pretty intimidating. We try to teach them to be confident in their ability and training and to use their good technique to properly strike the board causing it to break. It is a targeting challenge and a way to test their "body knowledge. For example, if you just use your hand to execute a knife hand strike it is a lot harder to break a board than if you twist your hips, use your shoulder and your hand. I guess it is just a reinforcement tool.

Other reasons are to test your speed and accuracy in regards to targetting (adults have to do a one-hand hold back spin for example). I love breaking boards and bricks, it is a fun change of pace from hitting hand targets, kick shields, other students , etc. Is it kinda goofy, maybe, but the sound of the board snapping is pretty cool to me, and the kids are so proud when they successfully break their boards so I don't have a problem with it.


Now I'll just sit back and wait for the Bruce Lee quote.......

Thanks Jen! Now if someone asks me I can give an answer without looking stupid...lol

oh......

*In my best Bruce Lee accent*

"boards don't hit back"...

 

[tkd_jen]

oh......

*In my best Bruce Lee accent*

"boards don't hit back"...

Haha!!! Thanks Ace, that's the one i was waiting for!!

 

[rmclain]

The new re-breakable boards provide about as much resistance as 2 pine boards of the same size. You have to strike them precisely on the seam to break them and the plastic material can really sting the hands (if doing a hand break). I don't recommend these for punches with the knuckles. We have some of these at HQ that are over 10 years old and have been "broken" thousands of times over the years. You get your money out of them. But, I still prefer to use real boards.

R. McLain

 

[jfarnsworth]

I'm not a fan of breaking. I've only done it a few times in life. It's no big deal to me as I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

 

[karatekid1975]

We do breaking at tournies (green belt and up), and testing (high red and up).

I love breaking. I agree with Jen on her theories. For me, it is definitely a mental challenge. Or it used to be (now it's just plain fun ). It was very intimidating to me (and I'm an adult! LOL). I thought I had good technique (at green) until I tried to break. My accuracy and speed just wasn't there. But it just made me focus more on my technique and accuracy. So yea, breaking definitely had some benifit for me.

 

[Miles]

As far as my class is concerned, we have a breaking class every month-it is very popular. We use the rebreakable boards, but folks can bring in their own materials.

Our school (TKD and TSD taught separately) is having a breaking clinic in a few weeks. We'll work on the mechanics of various breaks, holding the boards, etc. Black belts can break bricks but gueps will stick with wooden boards.

Miles

 

[Gemini]

Twice I've bought reuseable boards and both times they only lasted for a few months. Maybe one of you could provide a link to a reputable manufacturor. I've always liked the concept, I was just disappointed in the results.

Sorry. Back on topic. We have breaks at all testings for all levels. I agree about the confidence. I love to see a persons face light up when they break something they didn't think they could. At my level, we pick our own breaks. Confidence is expected.

Oh, and Terry. No rabbits in the backyard.

 

[IcemanSK]

There are a couple of them, and while I recognize them in pictures, they're at the dojang and I don't recall the brands. This is one of them - the green one is really good for kids, as a starter, and if it's too tough for the kids, you can always offset the pegs, and this is the other which is really good for adults. You can stack either kind (although not with each other). The tan ones are equal to about 1 1/2 inch-thick pine boards when they're new, and when they get old they're worth about 1. I don't know anything about either site I found the links on, I was just trying to find some samples for you. I'll try to look tomorrow when I go to class.

Thanks Kacey! I've hear others mention what Gemini has about the "staying power" of these things. I'll give em a try for myself.