Breaking Fundamentals

Aim

With any, strike moving straight at the target, most common, you should hit the target dead center. Strikes approaching from the side of the target, such as an outer forearm elbow strike or a round kick, should strike in the vertical middle of the target but horizontally slightly closer to the edge closest to you. This is important to protect the not striking areas of the attacking weapon, such as the wrist bones when using the elbow strike.

Breaking Procedures

• Always ask an instructor to watch.
• Inspect boards for knots or defects that may cause injury. Do check your material. Wet, sappy boards, or improperly cut boards will make breaking more difficult. 
• Make sure board grain is going the right way. When the grain is vertical, the board will not collapse on your arm or leg as much. Align vertically for a side kick, front kick, round kick, or punch. Align horizontally for hook kick, knife hand, or ridge hand. Look at the board from the side, if it is bowed, place the bowed side outward toward you.