can u break boards?

Discussion in 'Tae Kwon Do Resources' started by neryo_tkd, Oct 24, 2003.

  1. neryo_tkd

    neryo_tkd Valued Member

    do you and if so when do you start breaking boards???

    do you have to do it when testing for a certain belt???

    do you get the higher belt if you don't break them???

    how many boards are you supposed to break???
    what techniques are you supposed to use???
     
  2. flyingblackbelt

    flyingblackbelt New Member

    we break boards quite regularly at our school. We start at white and there's a set pattern that's really the best way to go, but you dont "have" to. Youre not required to break at tests, everyone must try though, until the black belt test at which children under the age of 16 are required to break 2, 2 board techniques with 2 different kicks and 2, 2 board techniques with 2 different hand techniques. Adults have the same requirements, but its three boards instead of 2 and you break them, if your there all day you break them. For second degree you have to do speed breaks, generally one hand and one foot, and anything else you can think of in your crazy head, and for 3rd degree its generally what ever you want to break with, as long as its worthy of testing for 3rd degree, no 1 or 2 board basic techniques. For my third dan i did 9 board step behind side and 6 board round. For my second dan I did front leg hook kick speed, speed break punch, and a 360 round house that was probably about 9 feet in the air. First dan test I did two board punch, two board knife hand, two board step behind side, and two board round.
     
  3. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    Tosh did start a thread Destruction/ Power testing here in the TKD forum (that veered off when several non-TKD stylists started to add their own opinions on the merit of board breaking so hopefully all of us TKD stylists can go forward here and answer the questions you posed and get a better idea of just how many schools world wide place the importance of board breaking in their TKD curriculum and grading.

    So in aswer to your questions:

    1. Yes.... all levels break

    2. Yes my school's breaking requirements ... adult black belts perform 3 board breaks rather than 2 .... (luckily for my BB test I did all my required breaks in the first strike)

    3. If you do not break at colored belt level you still pass ... it is only at the black belt test that you are required to complete all of your breaks.

    Techniques and amount of boards to break for each belt level are posted on our school's web site above

    BTW ... flyingblackbelt and I are from the same school! ;)
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2003
  4. neryo_tkd

    neryo_tkd Valued Member

     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2003
  5. Taeho

    Taeho New Member

    We start breaking at purple belt. (my current belt)

    I have practiced on rebreakables and berformed well. I have not yet tried pine. We shall see...

    We break for testing at red and up. 3 chances to break- 2 different techniques, hand and foot. No break-No pass.

    TKDshane Ÿ
     
  6. Thomas

    Thomas Combat Hapkido/Taekwondo

    We have board breaking as a requirement for all belt color changes (except white to yellow) and for all levels of red and black. You must break it for promotion.

    (We go white, yellow, yellow w/ 1 tip, green, green w/ 1 and 2 tips, blue, blue w/ 1 and 2 tips, red, red w/ 1 and 2 tips, then dan grades)

    They are as follows (1 inch pine boards):
    yellow to green: front kick
    green to blue: side kick (turning or step up)
    blue to red: turning back kick
    all levels of red (like red to red w/ 1 tip, and 1 tip red to 2 tip red): spinning heel kick
    2 tip red to 1st dan: any three stations with at least one spinning heel kick and two choice.
    2nd dan and up: must be a challenging idea. For my third dan test, I had 5 stations, one of which was a power break.
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2003
  7. Kwajman

    Kwajman Penguin in paradise....

    We start at white, its my favorite part of tournaments and testing also. I love to work with the younger students, tho its 'all in the mind'. When it comes to breaking for most people, white or black.
     
  8. Terry Matthes

    Terry Matthes New Member

    Can't we all just leave the tress alone :D
    What does breaking boards do for you training wise and why do you do it?
     
  9. flyingblackbelt

    flyingblackbelt New Member

    whites actually not too early. Albeit we have the children break a hammer fist at white before they break anything. But weve actually have kids break boards their first class and succeed. Its really a science and my instructor has it down pat, so the entire school benefits.
     
  10. Tosh

    Tosh Renegade of Funk

    We use re-breakable boards.

    Because I feel it's a middle step between hitting (stationary) pads and hitting people. :D

    Training wise it means the following...

    "In a very specific set of circumstances I can use my technique to break certain materials. It reminds me about what tools I should be using when I strike."


    In the UKTA breaking sually starts at green tag (7th Kup)

    7th Kup= Minimum 1 plastic rebreakable board (usually a 150 psi job) naming technique and attacking tool.
    6th Kup = Minimum 2 breaks, choice technique, identifying tools (left and right count as 2)
    5th Kup= Minimum 3
    4th Kup= Minimum 4
    3rd Kup = Minimum 5
    2nd Kup = Minimum 6 (at least 2 hand techniques)
    1st Kup = as 2nd Kup + 2 board break (usually 250 psi jobs) and a London house brick using either hand or foot technique, usually a stamp.

    1st Dan = Your head height + board height, jumping turning kick both legs + one house brick hand technique or 2 stacked for a stamp

    2nd Dan = Flying high(overhead) kick (scissor action) both legs + flying side kick over two people bent over (both legs)

    3rd Degree = Flying high kick at arms length overhead + spinning back piercing kick over two people bent over (both legs)

    4th Degree = 4 direction break, high twisting kick both legs

    5th Degree= finger tip thrust (usually) to 1 inch pine, usually students choice

    above usually at Grading examiner or students discretion depending on students ability more than anything.

    This is usually the bare minimum and i have seen more (and less) done at varios gradings :D.

    Hope that's interesting!
     
  11. totality

    totality New Member

    i can break boards...with MY MIND!!!

    fun stuff, breaking boards, but if you aren't in a TMA, it doesn't do a whole lot for your training...but it looks really cool :D
     
  12. morphus

    morphus Doobrey

    In CKD we used to break boards at gradings - you weren't marked on it though - but they did away with it. Personally i'm glad, as i now have bad toes due to breaking them, kicking.:(
     
  13. Artikon

    Artikon Advertise here ask me how

    Breaking stuff allows someone to test themselves using full power, accuracy and technique. With any of those lacking a real board or stack of boards won't break. The harder the technique the better you have to be at it to break a board. You may be able to get away with a sloppy punch and be able to break a board, but a jump spin hook kick is a little different.

    In addition to that it's a confidence thing as well. If I watch someone get ready to break a board I can usually tell if they will break it or not by their attitude while setting themselves up. Confidence in your technique will break the board. No confidence will break your hand.

    Plus breakin stuff with your hands and feet is cool :D
     
  14. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    yeah it is.

    Actually many of our adult students who begin our Tae Kwon Do program may have crossed over from our fitness Kickboxing Program which I teach. They get a sampling of TKD kicks and punches and then decide to formally train. They most certainly know how to perform a front/side kick with the proficiency in order to break a 1 inch board and most times 2 boards.

    I still to this very day get all worked up before doing a break and most times nail the break but the last couple of breaking classes have failed to break my boards. I am still STILL working on a 6 board break.... which would be a first for me.

    Last board breaking class (which we devote 1/2 of a class twice a month) I tried a speed back fist left fist then right fist (board holders on both sides of me) and a spin back kick (another holder between) .... a bit too complicated and of course alignment was key and it just didn't happen.

    Actually it does get pretty creative and really a test of skill ... and will!
     
  15. 47Ronin

    47Ronin New Member

    Breaking boards is easy Neryo, don't worry. I got to move on to cement slabs now. :D
     
  16. neryo_tkd

    neryo_tkd Valued Member

    i am not asking this for me. I just wanted to know what's the situation in other countries like.
    I teach TKD and of course we break boards. my students also love it (although not all of them 100%).
    I personally love it. The very first time i broke a board i was so proud of myself. It was like making another step forward in my training. I still have pieces of that 1st board ha ha ha.

    It's such a good feeling every time i break them :) :) :)

    but i have come to the conclusion that different schools pay attention to different aspects of TKD. some of them almost neglect forms, some of them don't pay much attention to breaking, they only start doing it with higher red belt (1st kup) which i personally think is late etc.
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2003
  17. 47Ronin

    47Ronin New Member

    Haha, I still have most of the pieces of my old boards too.

    At the Chun Kuk Do school I go to ( break off of TKD)
    they make u break for every test and then move the number of boards up with the higher ranks. Not really a must but the parents like to watch it.
     
  18. morphus

    morphus Doobrey

    Actually breaking boards IS easy - i have seen a blackbelt with perfect technique & speed fail to get through, then a white belt step up & smash through with no problem - all because of size & power differences.:confused:
     
  19. popop

    popop New Member

    you're quite true.
    Breaking boards is not that usual in our school. It mostly occurs during shows, and only red/black belt do it. No breaking when we graduate. Even for the first dan.
    So i'm really surprised to hear about white belt breaking boards.
    According to me, a good breaking requires both power, technique and accurancy. It's not something that must be let to students who do not have a good control. Of course, some strong guy can break earlier. But what does it mean ?
    I consider breaking as a test, sort of proof you trained well.

    Nevertheless, I like breaking boards.
    My first boards was during a show (it looks great ^^), i was really stressed, but i enjoyed doing it.
    And i keep on breaking, it's so fun :D
     
  20. Sekmet7

    Sekmet7 Valued Member

    Personally, I think the whole concept of breaking boards gives the student a little bit of an ego boost, especially if they're a younger student. I know many students @ my TKD school that are very shy and insecure about their abilities, and they are actually very good (they just lack the confidence).

    Alot of the younger children feel a lot more confident too, once they realize they actually CAN break the board and that it isn't BS... but my school also starts the board breaking requirement for your second test.

    You have 1 kicking break every test after that until you teast for black, which you have 1 kicking break and 1 hand break. They increase from there on up. You have to break the board to pass your test and get the next belt. But if you can't do it on the day of your test, they give you a week to brush up your kick and try again. If you still can't do it at that point then you don't pass the test.
     

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