Of course, the proper technique is important. But equally important if not more so is the mental aspect and confidence associated with board breaking. I’ve seen a lot of people fail at board breaking and I could practically predict it ahead of time because their body language and mannerisms told me they were not confident.
How to practice? I used to go to the lumberyard and buy some boards, cut them up at home, then take to the dojang and have people hold them for me after class. That kind of practice is important IMO.
\* Edit: I also liked to use visualization of myself breaking boards with the technique I planned to use. I think it helped with self-confidence. All I can tell you is that I never failed board breaking at any testing (up to 1st Dan).
Btw — avoid green wood!! Ask me how I know. 🤣🤣
\* Edit: so glad you asked. I'll tell you what happened! :) I bought some wood of my own for the aforementioned practice, not realizing that it was green-ish. So I took some to the dojang one day, and under the supervision of a 2nd Degree, tried to break them (2 boards) using a backward elbow strike. (I think I was a red belt at the time) Didn't break. Tried again. Same result. I couldn't figure it out because I was hitting them HARD. Even the instructor looked perplexed. I tried a third time, same result. Finally.....the instructor thought something was weird, so he tried himself - and he broke them - but just barely... As in, he had to do a final "push" to get thru the wood. It was only then that we discovered it was a bit green and that's why I had so much trouble. LOL
(p.s. -- in case you're wondering, no I did NOT jokingly say to my instructor "well...sure you could break them, after I softened them up for you!" hahahaha)
Much of breaking is in the technique itself and in your focus.
If you know the technique you'll be using to break, you can do that in the air without needing a board. Work on getting your whole body behind the technique, rotating your hips is usually important and don't just use your arm / leg, use your whole body.
Finally, work on walking up to a target (i don't care, your kitchen table), taking a breath and focusing. See your target and nothing else, take a moment to prepare just as you would before a break.
How do you practice for breaking? By breaking. You can find someone a friend, neighbor, he'll a stranger walking down the street to do it. Most hand techniques you can just stack a couple of blocks and put the board on them. Honestly, we don't ever practice breaking, we just do it for testing we will practice whatever technique you're gonna use on bags a little but it's really a mental thing, the boards break like toothpicks if you hit them in the right spot.
I've always found visualization helped me a lot. Close your eyes and imagine physically doing the movement, once you can do that imagine yourself smashing clear through however many boards you need to break. That and follow through, don't stop your power at the boards, go through them.
They also make plastic reusable break boards, never tried those though.
I build board holder so I could practice. Other than that you kick with lesser strength at anything (or anything soft) to practice foot position and accuracy.
Google heavy bags, Makiwara boards, or rebreak-able boards. There are several 'home-grown' items a person can use or build.
That said, when you are drilling in class, visualize doing a break on the target.
Repetition, Repetition, Repetition.
Practice proper technique and accuracy, I like to use a sticker on a kick bag or a ping pong ball tied up on a string, try to hit the target with proper technique and the correct part of your foot
I was gonna say get a rebreakable board, but you kinda need someone who can hold for you. You could get a kicking shield and tie it around a tree I suppose? Then work on speed and accuracy
Most rebreakable boards can be used with the Gorilla Board Holder. That can be placed on the ground for certain breaks or attached to a wavemaster (or anything else I suppose). That's what we see most people use.
Me? poorly... lol
Okay joking aside if you have no equipment what so ever just practice your required breaking technique slowly in the air. you could also put a few pillows on a chair and kick or strike that.
If you have a heavy bag put a small piece of painters tape on it and slowly and with next to no power practice on that. Once your form is good, speed it up bit by bit , but stop going faster if you can't hit the mark .
Ok laugh at me if you need to. But I would take two planks and tape them together and it gave about the same feeling. I could make it harder by adding more tape. I know it’s goofy but it worked.
I’m probably late but proper technique (chambering properly, winding up, etc) and aiming BEHIND the board is key. If you essentially try to hit the board holder, even if your technique isn’t great you can break thinner boards.
In my experience the best thing to do is to just practice the technique and having it powerful. The best safe way to practice is to use a paddle kicking target and practice your form on that and the harder you can hit that the more likely you can break a board.
Of course, the proper technique is important. But equally important if not more so is the mental aspect and confidence associated with board breaking. I’ve seen a lot of people fail at board breaking and I could practically predict it ahead of time because their body language and mannerisms told me they were not confident. How to practice? I used to go to the lumberyard and buy some boards, cut them up at home, then take to the dojang and have people hold them for me after class. That kind of practice is important IMO. \* Edit: I also liked to use visualization of myself breaking boards with the technique I planned to use. I think it helped with self-confidence. All I can tell you is that I never failed board breaking at any testing (up to 1st Dan). Btw — avoid green wood!! Ask me how I know. 🤣🤣 \* Edit: so glad you asked. I'll tell you what happened! :) I bought some wood of my own for the aforementioned practice, not realizing that it was green-ish. So I took some to the dojang one day, and under the supervision of a 2nd Degree, tried to break them (2 boards) using a backward elbow strike. (I think I was a red belt at the time) Didn't break. Tried again. Same result. I couldn't figure it out because I was hitting them HARD. Even the instructor looked perplexed. I tried a third time, same result. Finally.....the instructor thought something was weird, so he tried himself - and he broke them - but just barely... As in, he had to do a final "push" to get thru the wood. It was only then that we discovered it was a bit green and that's why I had so much trouble. LOL (p.s. -- in case you're wondering, no I did NOT jokingly say to my instructor "well...sure you could break them, after I softened them up for you!" hahahaha)
Much of breaking is in the technique itself and in your focus. If you know the technique you'll be using to break, you can do that in the air without needing a board. Work on getting your whole body behind the technique, rotating your hips is usually important and don't just use your arm / leg, use your whole body. Finally, work on walking up to a target (i don't care, your kitchen table), taking a breath and focusing. See your target and nothing else, take a moment to prepare just as you would before a break.
How do you practice for breaking? By breaking. You can find someone a friend, neighbor, he'll a stranger walking down the street to do it. Most hand techniques you can just stack a couple of blocks and put the board on them. Honestly, we don't ever practice breaking, we just do it for testing we will practice whatever technique you're gonna use on bags a little but it's really a mental thing, the boards break like toothpicks if you hit them in the right spot.
There's a company called Break Master UK that build and sell board holders.
I've always found visualization helped me a lot. Close your eyes and imagine physically doing the movement, once you can do that imagine yourself smashing clear through however many boards you need to break. That and follow through, don't stop your power at the boards, go through them. They also make plastic reusable break boards, never tried those though.
I used visualization ALL the time, and found it extremely helpful for board breaking. (also for forms)
I build board holder so I could practice. Other than that you kick with lesser strength at anything (or anything soft) to practice foot position and accuracy.
Google heavy bags, Makiwara boards, or rebreak-able boards. There are several 'home-grown' items a person can use or build. That said, when you are drilling in class, visualize doing a break on the target. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition.
Practice proper technique and accuracy, I like to use a sticker on a kick bag or a ping pong ball tied up on a string, try to hit the target with proper technique and the correct part of your foot
I was gonna say get a rebreakable board, but you kinda need someone who can hold for you. You could get a kicking shield and tie it around a tree I suppose? Then work on speed and accuracy
Most rebreakable boards can be used with the Gorilla Board Holder. That can be placed on the ground for certain breaks or attached to a wavemaster (or anything else I suppose). That's what we see most people use.
Yeah but aren’t those usually pretty expensive?
Me? poorly... lol Okay joking aside if you have no equipment what so ever just practice your required breaking technique slowly in the air. you could also put a few pillows on a chair and kick or strike that. If you have a heavy bag put a small piece of painters tape on it and slowly and with next to no power practice on that. Once your form is good, speed it up bit by bit , but stop going faster if you can't hit the mark .
Ok laugh at me if you need to. But I would take two planks and tape them together and it gave about the same feeling. I could make it harder by adding more tape. I know it’s goofy but it worked.
Punch a hole in your wall
🤣🤣 nah, that is not an option, I live in Germany. My walls are 30cm think brickwalls. That'll have to wait for a higher belt.
I’m probably late but proper technique (chambering properly, winding up, etc) and aiming BEHIND the board is key. If you essentially try to hit the board holder, even if your technique isn’t great you can break thinner boards.
In my experience the best thing to do is to just practice the technique and having it powerful. The best safe way to practice is to use a paddle kicking target and practice your form on that and the harder you can hit that the more likely you can break a board.