Sizes
Length: 25.5cm
Width: 30cm
Depth: 0.6cm / 0.9cm / 1.2cm / 1.5cm / 1.8cm / 2.0cm / 2.5cm / 3.0cm (0.9cm depth is
the most popular one) One of the four elements fo taekwondo (besides sparring, styleforms
and self-defence) is the breaktest. It is a obligatory part of the
black-belt exam and is a popular element of taekwondo
demonstrations. Breaking an object is a good way to practise concentration, power,
focus, speed and precision on non-living objects, without injuring
oneself or another. It is very important to realise that a proper
technique is needed and a breaking technique within your limits,
because without it you can easily injure yourself, sometimes even
permanently! Practising breaking objects helps you to realise that your body
itself is a very strong weapon. It also helps you to understand
that during practise with a partner, you have to be very careful. The material that is most often used for breaking techniques is
wood since it can be easily broken with either hand or foot. Other
materials include bricks, tiles and sometimes even baseball bats! Breaking objects can be performed with any rigid part of the body.
In taekwondo, the most common are the hand or the foot, but
breaking can also be done by using the elbow, the knee and even the
head. (The photo show GM Moon of the Hwalmoo Hapkido federation,
performing a break-technique with his head) In order to break an object, it is best to start light. Use an
object that is easy to break, instead of directly trying to break a
thick board, and start with a technique in which you feel
confident. Use your techniques as they are taught to you and try to
be as releaxed as possible. When starting practising breaking
techniques, it might help you to focus a few inches behind the
actual point of impact. The physics behind a breaktest:
Dry board are more brittle than wet ones and will break more
easily.
If a board does not reak, a large force is transmitted back to your
body for a relative long time. This might hurt: O) Break boards
with the grain. It is much easier! When breaking a board, make sure
that the persons who hold the board have a firm grip. If the board
moves during your technique, it will soften your technique. Other factors not coverd: Angle of strike, size of attacking tool. | 
