Breaking in the Martial Arts

“Boards don’t hit back!”. One of the most famous sayings by Bruce Lee in the film Enter the Dragon. And of course what he was referring to, is that breaking boards does not automatically mean that a fighter is good. Time can be better spent by sparring with real men or perfecting passing the guard. But is breaking boards always a waste of time?

Some think not. Many things can be leant by breaking boards. First you learn which materials are the strongest and most suitable to put on your house. LOL. Also you learn that in order to break the board etc, you need a certain positive mental attitude. By believing in your own abilities you can sometimes be amazed with things you can do. If you think to yourself that the item being struck will not break then chances are it wont. You must try and block out all thoughts of failure and empty your mind, and when your mind is in this state, then you strike the item. This is the calmness and self belief that you also need in competitions, ring fights and on the streets. You must try and block out thoughts of losing in competition or getting hurt on the street to be successful. If you don’t, the consequences could mean you losing the competition or maybe worse in a self defence encounter, so in this sense breaking practise or Tamashiwara is useful.

Time should not be dedicated solely on this type of training, but every now and then it can sometimes benefit you as a martial artist.

Marks