Need hand-break advice

[ave_turuta]

I tested yesterday for my green stripe (successfully, yeay!). However, I am so disappointed at not having been able to do my required hand break successfully. I did a break with a step and side kick that was clean and felt great (yeah!) but I could not for the life of me succeed on my hand break. First I tried knifehand strike in sitting stance position, then palm strike. In both cases, my instructor said the problem was (a) I was stopping at the board and not "going through" and (b) not using my whole body in the strike. I must add that yesterday was a particularly harsh day for me with several bad blows and that I confronted the test in a very tired state of mind and body... I think this also had something to do with my inability to perform as I would have liked to, because my hand strike felt so weak and different compared to my practice on the hard bag the previous weeks. I am wondering what kind of exercises and techniques I could work on to improve this, and hopefully do a successful break in the near future. It was very frustrating because I really try to pay a lot of attention to my whole body when practicing my fundamental movements and all, and in general terms even though I am a tiny person I think I am quite good at releasing the energy at the right moment (well, as good as I can be at this stage at least), but for some reason yesterday I failed miserably and it makes me sad that I disappointed both myself and perhaps my instructor too...

Any advice from my fellow martial artists?

Thanks! :asian:

 

[Marginal]

Your instructor gave you great advice. Drop your weight, and aim through the boards. Until you get your weight behind the strike, it's not going to work.

 

[deadhand31]

When doing pretty much any break, try to mentally adjust your target. Make sure that you're not targeting the board itself, but the area behind the board. You were probably targeting the surface of the board in your test. Try to look at it as seeing the board not as a target, but something in the way of your technique. One thing I tend to do is to target the board holder. If they're seasoned, they're expecting it. :uhyeah:

 

[thesensei]

A common problem with both knifehand and palm strikes is that they can easily become pushes instead of strikes. The key here is speed (along with proper technique). Keep practicing the strikes - but don't worry too much about the breaking. When it's time to break, you'll be fine. Put a good snap into it!

 

[ave_turuta]

Thanks a lot! Yes, I did feel like I was "pushing" the board (particularly with the palm strike) rather than striking... I guess the other problem is I was focusing on the board instead of "the beyond," so I will try to practice with that idea in mind... Thanks so much for the advice

 

[TigerWoman]

The first position you should practice palm strike is not in a sitting position to break. That takes half of you weight away, the lower half. Instead by putting the board on standup blocks, you can learn better to perfect your technique. When you do the palm this way, put your left foot on the side of the blocks so that your shoulders are over the board. Your right leg should be bent, so you drop your hips as you move. Lift your right arm, elbow straight up over the board. The arm comes down straight in line like a piston. The others are correct that you need to visualize the target as beyond the board, you finish near the floor. Until you perfect this technique, I would not move on to the knife hand quite yet. TW

 

[tsdclaflin]

Assuming it was a horizontal strike toward holders, learn to lead with your hip. I'm not sure how long you have trained but your hands will move faster than your torso. Your whole body should twist into the strike just like swinging a baseball bat. Also, RELAX. The more relax you are during the technique, the faster you will move and the more power that you will have. A palm-heel should be just like a fist, fast.

It's a process...so keep practicing.

 

[Marginal]

I'd assume from the fact it was attempted from a sitting/horse stance, that it was a downward strike.

 

[47MartialMan]

(a) I was stopping at the board and not "going through" and (b) not using my whole body in the strike. I must add that yesterday was a particularly harsh day for me with several bad blows and that I confronted the test in a very tired state of mind and body... Seems that you have your answer(s).

You have to just keeping trying.

 

[DuneViking]

1- what was the break?
2-verticle as stated will definately help
3-try hammer/bottom fist, as you execute drop to one knee to add hip, upper body and weight to the strike
4-practice on a break away board if available at increments = one 12x12x1 pine board. You should be able to do one really easily after mastering the concentration technique: tell your mind it is styrofoam, and make your fist as tight as possible then believe in your mind your fist is made of iron. One pine board should be able to be easily broken by most 10 year old children with the right mental attitude and practice, with emphasis on practicing the mental attitude.

We had a young girl, 8-10 years old of slight build who was afraid to the point of tears she could not do her break. Our master simply had her 'practice' the strike on the board without power, then he had her slowly and gently increase her power without emphasising any break. As she did so she suprised herself and broke the board without focusing on anything but the technique and increasing its power-the thought of actually trying to break the board did not cloud her thoughts and hold her back.

Also, as stated, the focusing somewhere beyond the target by an inch or three helps.

 

[47MartialMan]

Yes, always think or concntrate going "through" the object. One such osche-out is to imagine the target as gkues saw dust that will crumble upon ompact