Board Breaking

[XxTKDPenguinxX]

How many TKDers here that are required to break boards for testings?
What are some of the breaks that are required, or is it a freestyle thing?

 

[MichiganTKD]

We only require board breaking for black belt testing. Board breaking is ultimately the student's choice, but should reflect techniques that suit them. For instance, a 1st Dan tester should use techniques reflecting a knowledge of basics, in other words nothing fancy.
2nd and 3rd Dan testers should demonstrate breaks reflecting what they are good at. Some students can jump very high or long. A stockier student will probably show a power break. Some students will demonstrate accuracy-kicking an apple out of someone's mouth.
There is, however, no required break.

 

[TigerWoman]

Board breaking for our school:

Yellow belt: step side - l board 10x12"
Orange belt: hopping side-l
Green: spin side-1
High Green: spin heel (head level)-1
Blue: Hook (head level)-1
High Blue: jump round (instep) -1
Red: jump back-2
High Red: jump spin heel (head/1 hand hold)-1

Recommended Black: Palm Strike/on blocks-3 bds., 360 jumpback-2, jump spin heel (2 finger hold)-1, speed knife/holding board with other hand-1,
guys punch-1 (sometimes replaces concrete for the palm strike)

1st Dan: Flying Sidekick -3 bds., palm or knife boards/concrete, floor sweep on 1 board (on edge, on floor) OR football, ball/front kick on one board (on edge on floor), guys punch/speed break palm -2 or concrete

2nd Dan: choice of Jumpback-2/Jumpspin heel-1 (2 finger hold) OR double front kick 2 individual boards waist level OR flying side-2 individual boards chest and head level, knife/concrete-1 or 2, chambered leg sidekick -2 bds, dropped board spin heel -1

Thats what I had to do...and have done except for the jumpback-2/JSH for 2nd dan, not finished.

But then my master has just watered down all the breaking requirements and haven't heard the other requirements except 2nd dan.

He changed 2nd dan to: flying side-2, every limb breaks 2 bds. (8 total/your choice), 1 concrete any technique, jumpspin heel-1-two finger hold/blindfolded)

TW

 

[Zepp]

For us, board breaks only required for black belt tests, but our instructor tries to get everyone to try them whenever he can, from yellow belt on up. The required breaks are:

1st dan test: one, 3-board break, any strike of your choice
2nd dan: two, 4-board breaks, one hand/arm technique and one kicking technique
3rd dan: three, 5-board breaks, one kick, one with a hand/arm, and the other of your choice
4th dan: three stations, 5 boards at each, set 'em up, and then break them one after the other.

I don't think our grandmaster requires any breaks after that. I've seen a 5th dan test once, but I don't remember him doing any breaks.

Funny thing, we just had several people from our class test for different levels of black belt. None of them had to do any of the breaks they had been preparing for. Grandmaster Son apparently just took our instructor's word for it that they had all done the breaks before. So I guess breaking is becoming even less important. (I'm sure that doesn't make Tigerwoman happy to hear that.)

 

[TigerWoman]

Arrrrghhhhhhhhhhh!!!

 

[Zepp]

Sorry TW. (Don't hurt me! :apv: ) You just need an instructor with realistic expectations. Requiring jumping or spinning kick board breaks for anyone is ridiculous, in my opinion. Your instructor might as well require you to jump through burning hoops.

(Running for shelter now... :redcaptur )

 

[bignick]

8th gup- side kick
7th gup- right back kick
6th gup- left back kick
5th gup- spinning hook kick (1 hand hold, 2 for women)
4th gup- hook kick (1 hand hold, 2 for women)
3rd gup- double roundhouse (low/high or high/low)
2nd gup- 360 axe kick, forearm (2 board men, 1 women)
double front kick (aka twin front kick)
1st gup- back kick, turn, step, back kick (2 board men, 1 women)

the double front kick is required halfway between 2nd and 1st gup...just something we do...

1st dan and above i'm sketchy on...i know there is one or two required breaks...and then you choose from a variety of others to do

for 4th dan, my instructor whose testing saturday...has to do:
double front kick/double punch (one board with each limb, all in the air)
4 board ridgehand
and there are quite a few others...i'm not sure...i guess i'll find out on saturday...cause i'm holding for him :ultracool

 

[TigerWoman]

Oh crumb, I've cracked that top board three times, if that was a head it wouldn't be good. But it was a two finger hold so it had no support or resistance either.

No, the next woman breaking does not have to do the knife hand through concrete that I trained for a year for and not without a lot of work and pain.
She only has to break with her forearms 2 boards each and not at the same time, whoopee. No hand technique required in the new requirements.

And as a bone offered to me, (I PROTESTED the change in the requirements btw) I choose either a jumpspin heel bliindfolded, a tornado round kick or a flying side kick-2. Well since my left knee is quite literally worthless jumping, can't twist, can't jump off of, the "best" choice is the tornado round kick since I can land on my good knee and break with the foot of the bad knee/leg, the left. That kick is not without the pain factor.

So, what is wrong with this picture? The next woman breaking (testing 2nd) has small hands so no hand techniques are required for her. Her knees are good, she's ten years younger too. I've done my hand techniques all along, up to the last foot break because of my bad knee. But do I get a hand technique instead-Noooooooooooo! I could break 4 boards doing a hand strike,or elbow strike no problem. I know, this is a definite rant now.
I will shut up. I think about this every day. I am going back to the school Sept. 1st but don't know what to do. This is the where the words, life is unfair, WHY ME comes in... TW

 

[bignick]

i feel there needs be some tailoring done to suit different students...

i'm 6'5'' and about 330 lbs...i can put a lot of force behing my strikes...and i'd like to stroke my ego enough to think that sometimes my technique isn't half bad either...

naturally i'm gonna be able to break a lot more than someone of equal skill but smaller...even with my size...the double front kick wasn't even a problem...the boards were above my waist and i nailed it on the first try, i think breaking should be made harder for me because it's not a "challenge", at least not yet...it's a requirement for testing...but it's something i've always just walked through...and other people struggle...some people with a lot more technique than me...

 

[Zepp]

Oh crumb, I've cracked that top board three times, if that was a head it wouldn't be good. But it was a two finger hold so it had no support or resistance either.

Without support, it becomes a speed break. Breaking that top board alone is pretty sweet in my book.

I know, this is a definite rant now. I will shut up. I think about this every day. I am going back to the school Sept. 1st but don't know what to do. This is the where the words, life is unfair, WHY ME comes in... TW

Maybe I'm being too judgemental, but it seems that it's your instructor here who's being unfair. "Why you?" might be a good question to ask him.

 

[TigerWoman]

Did that, big meeting. He says there is no vindictiveness on his part. Do I believe him, no. I think his pride has stuck him in this spot (and got me stuck in this dilemma). He has already tested two second dans with these requirements, one guy with me and one the year before. He acknowledges my knee but then suggests a flying side kick. I don't do that (break) with both legs, it would be my strong leg, the right and its a jump twist on my bad knee, no thanks. Besides, I did that break already. The jump spin heel with two fingers is required to pass rec. black belt test, did that already too, a blindfold doesn't add much difficulty when I do that jump without looking anyway. So, the easiest on my knee is the tornado round and that's what damaged my bad knee in the first place years ago but the other leg.
TW

 

[Han-Mi]

yellow adv. - kneeling hammer fist
green - step thru side kick
green adv. - standing hammer fist(to the side), step thru side kick
blue - front kick, jump side kick
blue adv. - round kick
red - jump front kick over head
red adv. - jump front kick over head, straight punch
stu. black - 3 station= 1 hand, two kicks(judge discretion)
1st Dan and above - 4 station= 2 hand, 2 feet(judge discretion) plus 1 brick per dan to be achieved: i.e. one for first test, 2 for second test, 3 for third test after which the test is completely up to our master.

The breaks are graded depending on how many attempts it takes. It doesn't auto. fail you if you don't breack them, it just means you have to do very well at the rest of the test. Once you reach the black belt level, all breaks are required to pass.

The judges give breaks that are appropriate for the person's body type and ability. nothing that would stop them from passing. I had a jump front kick, straight punch, ridge hand, and spin hook kick. Another student had a palm strike, jump round kick, standing hammer fist, and spin side kick. It is all objective.

 

[Han-Mi]

oh ya. Some breaks are double board and some are single board. all 10" x 12". it's up to the judges. Almost all adult breaks are double board.

 

[TigerWoman]

For us, board breaks only required for black belt tests, but our instructor tries to get everyone to try them whenever he can, from yellow belt on up. The required breaks are:

1st dan test: one, 3-board break, any strike of your choice
2nd dan: two, 4-board breaks, one hand/arm technique and one kicking technique
3rd dan: three, 5-board breaks, one kick, one with a hand/arm, and the other of your choice
4th dan: three stations, 5 boards at each, set 'em up, and then break them one after the other.

I just wanted to comment (got so het up over your last comment I forgot) The requirements you listed are ALL power breaks. So when was the the last woman 3rd dan in your org. to test? If so, she must have had alot of strength. I could probably do 4 boards...but after that I would have to get into weight training alot more. You don't do any technique, spins, flying side, floor sweep etc. at all? I found that doing all we do in testing, makes our school pretty successful in tournaments. There is something to be said for that and not just for competition either, as I know by doing all those that I CAN do them and do major damage to my target. TW

 

[bignick]

reporting back from my instructors test...he had to do

3 board ridge hand
2 board jump front kick (only one end supported)
4 board forearm
twin front kick/double punch (1 board each all in the air)

the only difference between him and the other testing was the other guy did a 4 board punch instead of forearm...

they had a choice between 4 board punch, backfist, forearm or ridgehand...the ridgehand got knocked down to 3 boards for some reason

 

[TigerWoman]

reporting back from my instructors test...he had to do

3 board ridge hand
2 board jump front kick (only one end supported)
4 board forearm
twin front kick/double punch (1 board each all in the air)

the only difference between him and the other testing was the other guy did a 4 board punch instead of forearm...

they had a choice between 4 board punch, backfist, forearm or ridgehand...the ridgehand got knocked down to 3 boards for some reason

Ridgehand is more difficult because of the strike area on the hand is not as strong as on the other side hence why it was put a 3 boards.

But I do know of someone who loves to do that break, 5 boards balanced with space apart with ridge hand. I saw him win at state with it and several other local tournaments but doesn't always win at those tourny's with it alone. TW

 

[bignick]

i realize it's not as strong a striking area...i just don't know why it was reduced...they went in thinking it was gonna be a 4 board break...the head instructor never said why...just said it's only 3 boards...

 

[Pale Rider]

I like "using my head" ... this was taken at a picnic held by my Sahbom (Master Barker), in which he wanted everyone to break at least one there.

 

[TigerWoman]

[QUOTE: bignick]i realize it's not as strong a striking area...i just don't know why it was reduced...they went in thinking it was gonna be a 4 board break...the head instructor never said why...just said it's only 3 boards...[/QUOTE]

Its just to compensate for the difference...its all in the mind of the master/grandmaster giving the test. Hard to know really, but that is what comes to mind when all the others were 4 boards. I had heard that in future tests (over 2nd) there are more boards in the "air" to break--speed break. Sigh, this is where I'm getting off that monkey. My master requires too much for breaking for my knees to handle. Too bad I didn't start younger, even ten years would have been an improvement. I was running alot of 10K's at 30ish. I had to cheer on the Japanese woman who won the marathon today. Averaged 5.6 min. miles. yikes on hills too. TW

 

[Zepp]

I just wanted to comment (got so het up over your last comment I forgot) The requirements you listed are ALL power breaks. So when was the the last woman 3rd dan in your org. to test? If so, she must have had alot of strength. I could probably do 4 boards...but after that I would have to get into weight training alot more. You don't do any technique, spins, flying side, floor sweep etc. at all? I found that doing all we do in testing, makes our school pretty successful in tournaments. There is something to be said for that and not just for competition either, as I know by doing all those that I CAN do them and do major damage to my target. TW

Ok, first off, strength has very little to do with board breaking. Most the power of a strike is generated by technique. You should know that. Strength helps sure, but breaking boards in the manner I described is all about technique and confidence. If you were doing a speed break (unsupported), then speed would be of more importance as well.

Secondly I don't know when the last woman tested for 3rd dan, but I'd be surprised if there hadn't been one fairly recently. We have a number of female 3rd, and 4th in the WTA. And I think there may be some 5th dans too, or at least there used to be.

Thirdly, I have seen Grandmaster Son take away one board for a teenager's black belt test, so I can only assume that he makes exceptions when and where he feels its appropriate.

Fourth, and finally, people do fancy spinning and jumping techniques for board breaks at demos. It's just not required for testing. Our grandmaster seems to put more value on simple techniques that are likely to be used in a self-defense situation (i.e. someone tries to mug you). Strangely, I'm told that speed breaks don't seem to impress him a whole lot (unless you can speed break multiple boards).