Breaking

[77Wolfpack]

I've been curious as to breaking. I find the wooden boards to be easy and i've only had to break solo cement bricks (2" X 16" X 8"). Is there a trick to brick because i finally have a schedule where i might be able to start competing again, and breaking is normally a standard thing. Im in good physical shape, so i do not believe that should be an issue. I'm thinking its mostly mental but im not a breaker. Might i ask what are your tips so i dont break my hand. A goal i would like to shoot for would be maybe 4 or 5 bricks.

 

[jobo]

I've been curious as to breaking. I find the wooden boards to be easy and i've only had to break solo cement bricks (2" X 16" X 8"). Is there a trick to brick because i finally have a schedule where i might be able to start competing again, and breaking is normally a standard thing. Im in good physical shape, so i do not believe that should be an issue. I'm thinking its mostly mental but im not a breaker. Might i ask what are your tips so i dont break my hand. A goal i would like to shoot for would be maybe 4 or 5 bricks.

Buy weak bricks, the sort that break on their own if you drop them 6 inches

 

[Dirty Dog]

Commitment and technique. That's what it really boils down to.

 

[pgsmith]

Commitment and technique. That's what it really boils down to.

That's what everything boils down to!

 

[Dirty Dog]

That's what everything boils down to!

True enough.
In this case it's particularly true, though. If you do not commit to the break, you're likely to hold back, and the break will fail. And hurt. Which leads to a tendency to not commit...
And if you've got poor technique, you're not going to generate power. Which leads to failure. Which hurts. Which leads to holding back...

 

[77Wolfpack]

Currently i can break a single brick, but to break a 2nd or 3rd I've been told its not as hard as i believe. I think its the first brick basically focuses the power into it from the brick above it creating that focal point . Im probably saying that all wrong, but hopefully you all get what im attempting to say.

I will work on the technique. The dedication is more of hitting with commitment and having some balls when i go for it and not be scared. Ill just have to get more bricks and work on it

 

[Runs With Fire]

Currently i can break a single brick, but to break a 2nd or 3rd I've been told its not as hard as i believe. I think its the first brick basically focuses the power into it from the brick above it creating that focal point . Im probably saying that all wrong, but hopefully you all get what im attempting to say.

I will work on the technique. The dedication is more of hitting with commitment and having some balls when i go for it and not be scared. Ill just have to get more bricks and work on it

What type/size of bricks are we talking here? What dimensions and wood are the boards?

 

[pgsmith]

True enough.
In this case it's particularly true, though. If you do not commit to the break, you're likely to hold back, and the break will fail. And hurt. Which leads to a tendency to not commit...
And if you've got poor technique, you're not going to generate power. Which leads to failure. Which hurts. Which leads to holding back...

That's almost exactly the same in the Japanese sword arts when doing tameshigiri (test cutting). If your technique is poor, you can seriously bend your sword. Many tend to hold back because of this, which means insufficient power which causes the cut to fail.

For the OP, you should stop and figure out why you're doing the breaking. Different goals can have different ways of achieving those goals. For example ... If your goal is to perfect your power generation, then there are other ways you can work on that and save breaking for a verification of your increased power. If your goal is to create an impressive demonstration to draw in students (impress the neighbors, girlfriend, etc ...), then you should consider things such as type of bricks and how they're stacked for maximum effect.

It's the same thing as cutting targets in the Japanese sword arts. It's meant as a way to verify your technique, but people use it in many different ways, which brings many other considerations than simple technique into the equation.