Is breaking wood training or just stupid?

[Ripley]

Recently our instructor included a wood breaking session halfway through the lesson. OK, the breaking was optional, but most people did try. We each punched through an 18*18 1 inch thick pine board - those that didn't fail that is. To be fair the class is fairly advanced and only maybe 1 in 10 failed (and got the scars to show for it).
Is doing this teaching us anything or were we just being stupid?

[platinum_angel]

it does nothing for fighting training but i would catagorize it with kata and such as the "art" part of martial arts.

[eXcessiveForce]

It can be good to do for people who lack confidence or who need to see that they do infact possess power. Breaking boards that are only 1 inch think is reletively easy. I've had 4 year olds that could break them with hammer fists and kicks. The idea has been that a pine board needs to compress 2 centimeters to break. Which is similar to the human rib. So the idea was if you can break a board you can break a rib.

As for breaking, it only hurts if it doesn't break. I've broken up to 6 12x12x1 boards unspaced with kicks and up too 3 12X12X1 boards with hand strikes. It's makes people face their fear. If you are afraid you will get hurt you pull back and the board doesn't break and that means it hurts. But if you go all out the boards blow away and you don't even feel it. It also teaches focus depending on how you are breaking.


It is a tool but it's not going to make you a great fighter or anything. It's just for fun and for confidence.

[Tom Yum]

Originally posted by platinum_angel
it does nothing for fighting training but i would catagorize it with kata and such as the "art" part of martial arts.

Yeah, its more of a skill to demonstrate correct technique and build confidence without fighting.

[darrianation]

It's plain stupid! Just my oppinion. So if it's optional then opt' out. However in some tournaments if the the fighters tie the tie breaker is decided by breaking boards. So if you do tournaments like that then maybe practicing board breaking might not be such a bad idea.

[ryanhall]

I hate to do this, but:

"Boards don't hit back."
--Bruce Lee

[terry]

I had one 135 lb. 17 year old boy, a beginner, that really wanted to break boards. I let him kick progressively harder bananna bags over the course of 6 months. After 6 months he kicked through a 2x4. This isn't something I find too interesting, but some people get a confidence boost out of it.

In general, those 1" pine boards are more appropriate for kids. Adults in the lighter weight classes can kick through a 2x4 if they want after hardening their shins. Heavier weight classes can kick through a 2x6 or 2x8 if they really want. But shin conditioning usually comes along for free in the process of doing other training.

Note: If you do a lot of kicking through stuff like baseball bats or 2x4s you should consider having a talk with your doctor. A blood clot can ruin your whole day.

[eXcessiveForce]

on of my students brought in some 12x14x2 pine boards. It took some power but hammerfists went right through them.

I have seen black belts in some schools break 1/2 inch boards instead of 1 inch. or use spacers to impress students or spectators. My thing is break if you like to do it and you think it is a challenge. The only broken bone I have had in martial arts was from breaking boards.

I did a free break (throwing a board in the air and breaking it) first time easy, second time board turned and I hit the edge dead on my pinky knuckle. Broke it and bent it all to hell.

Also caught a board just under the eye after someone else broke still have a scar. I'm just lucky it was about .5 inches too low.

When you start teaching full time board breaking becomes a little more serious since you can't afford to get taken out of action by a board.

I once saw several people try to break a board and were unsucessful in every attempt. This one inch board would not break. Finally a run jump side kick cracked the board. Turns out a tree limb had grown through the middle of the board but was not visible from any of the sides. It was like a lock block. You could separate it and put it back together. Lots of bruised up people from a freak board like that.

[Lizard]

Board breaking gives you confidence and makes you feel powerful which could be useful in a real fight. About two days ago I got angry and punched a wooden desk, it was a left jab from a seated position against a target less than two feet away, contact was made by my smallest knuckle. It didn't hurt and there was a crack in the wood. I didn't even hit full power. Now I know that my punches are more powerful and it has given me confidence.

[Thai Bri]

Wow, he can beat up a desk!

What do you do when you're REALLY angry? Snap a pencil?

[Ripley]

Hmm - thanks for all your comments. Board breaking won't be a regular training technique for me then.
But if I ever get attacked by a very small square guy who doesn't move around much, then I'll rule.

[Lizard]

Once when I was seven I snapped a pencil by accident. I panicked, hid the broken body under the table. It was found but when the teacher asked who did it I said nothing. It has been my shame ever since. My darkest secret.

[Thai Bri]

....except for what you do on your Grannies pic.

[Lizard]

You're even worse than that bloody wanking bollocker Bri Thai

[Thai Bri]

Priase indeed...... Praise indeed.