cement break for black belt test

[ks - learning to fly]

Well, it is officially 7 days until my black belt test so I am just throwing this out there... For part of my demonstration, I am doing a cement break with an 8 by 16 brick about 1 & 5/8 "...just looking for some advice on do's and don'ts when my turn comes this coming Saturday! Thank you in advance for your time and advice - it is gratefully received!!

***bows*** Kris :ultracool

 

[Josh Oakley]

Put a towel on top of it. Don't tense up. Break some bricks beforehand so you can be sure you can do it in the test.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Well, it is officially 7 days until my black belt test so I am just throwing this out there... For part of my demonstration, I am doing a cement break with an 8 by 16 brick about 1 & 5/8 "...just looking for some advice on do's and don'ts when my turn comes this coming Saturday! Thank you in advance for your time and advice - it is gratefully received!!

***bows*** Kris :ultracool

On cement paver is pretty easy to break. Should be no trouble. Aim through it and follow through. A cloth as mentioned is a good idea. I like a phone book and I use an open-palm palm down to break. You'll do just fine.

 

[Buka]

Have you broken one before? If you have, you should be ok. Just breathe, focus and let her rip. If you haven't done the break before, still time to work on it.

Best of luck on your test, brother, go show em'!

 

[SahBumNimRush]

As asked above, have you broken one before? If so, you should have no problem. If you are fairly new to concrete, one cautionary word of advise: buy them in bulk, so you know what is inside of them! I've found some, albeit rare, with rebar in them or reinforced with fiberglass! NOT what you want to find in your pavers come test day.

Depending on the technique, a towel can be helpful (i.e. a punch). I prefer the knife hand for hand breaks or the side kick for speed breaks, neither of which I use a towel for. It's really personal preference.. .

Good luck on your test!

P.S. Depending on the intensity of your test and when you are expected to break, make sure you can break it when you're at the point of exhaustion.. .

 

[Dirty Dog]

Relax. Put a rag on top of it. Aim through it.

[YT]gwo1re-p7WA[/YT]

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Relax. Put a rag on top of it. Aim through it.

[YT]gwo1re-p7WA[/YT]

Nice. We don't put spacers between ours. And we drop to one knee to deliver the blow in front of us, rather than straight down and through. I can only break two; next time I'm supposed to do three. Sensei can do seven; five with the back of his hand. I do not know how he does that; looks like slow motion.

But one paver is cake.

 

[ballen0351]

Whats the reason for breaking cement or boards?

 

[jks9199]

Whats the reason for breaking cement or boards?

A brick or tree scared them when they were young?

It's a test & demonstration of power, and the ability to commit to a strike. Breaking can also be a nice confidence booster for someone; they break a board or brick, and they KNOW they can generate power. But... I'm not exactly a huge fan of breaking. It gets expensive. It invites injury. And I don't think it's really directly related to generating power into a person.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Whats the reason for breaking cement or boards?

I never figured I'd want to do it. But sensei made us. We do it maybe twice a year. And in some ways, it's a confidence-builder.

 

[seasoned]

As mentioned, think through the brick, don't just surface hit it. The break success starts in your head first, don't think try, think "do it".

 

[Dirty Dog]

Breaking is a demonstration of the ability to generate and deliver power beyond then levels at which we're likely to hit our friends, and of focus.

It's also a lot of fun.

 

[seasoned]

It's weird that the times I tried the hardest and gave it my all were unsuccessful. But once you hit that sweet spot with the mind/body connection, it's unforgettable.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

It's weird that the times I tried the hardest and gave it my all were unsuccessful. But once you hit that sweet spot with the mind/body connection, it's unforgettable.

Yeah, I agree. I was tired and about to give up when I did my first break. And it felt like a lot less power than the others; it was different; I went through it like it wasn't there. The kind of thing that makes you rethink whether or not 'chi' is real.

 

[seasoned]

Yeah, I agree. I was tired and about to give up when I did my first break. And it felt like a lot less power than the others; it was different; I went through it like it wasn't there. The kind of thing that makes you rethink whether or not 'chi' is real.

I think whatever it's called, the next time you try to open anything with a twist top, take your mind off the twist top and put it 2" below your navel. Might have nothing to do with the navel thing and more to do with thinking else where, don't know. But, when I direct the though process somewhere else, things happen.

Kind of like punching a focus pad, don't think surface but beyond, oh what a feeling.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I think whatever it's called, the next time you try to open anything with a twist top, take your mind off the twist top and put it 2" below your navel. Might have nothing to do with the navel thing and more to do with thinking else where, don't know. But, when I direct the though process somewhere else, things happen.

Kind of like punching a focus pad, don't think surface but beyond, oh what a feeling.

Off topic, but regard to twist tops; I learned a trick a long time ago with those. It's mental, might be related. I noticed that I was always applying all my force in an immediate 'grab and twist'. I changed my mentality. I get a good grip, settle myself, and picture the power being slowly applied for a longer period of time. I try LESS hard to turn the top and think instead about TIME and try to apply power for longer. Does that make any sense? It's hard to explain. But now I open most twist tops without straining or tearing up my hands. I just gradually ramp up the power and wait for it to happen instead of forcing it, and most of the time, it works.

 

[seasoned]

Off topic, but regard to twist tops; I learned a trick a long time ago with those. It's mental, might be related. I noticed that I was always applying all my force in an immediate 'grab and twist'. I changed my mentality. I get a good grip, settle myself, and picture the power being slowly applied for a longer period of time. I try LESS hard to turn the top and think instead about TIME and try to apply power for longer. Does that make any sense? It's hard to explain. But now I open most twist tops without straining or tearing up my hands. I just gradually ramp up the power and wait for it to happen instead of forcing it, and most of the time, it works.

Yes, makes sense.

Also the part about immediately grabbing and twisting. I found that placing the bottom of the jar in my no-dominate left hand while grasping the lid side with my right hand, and squeezing the hands together, while applying your progressive power in the twisting phase works for me. We might almost be saying the same thing, but different techniques. Back on topic, all while placing our mind into the lower abdomen (hara).

 

[Dirty Dog]

I just ask my wife to help with the tough twist tops...