| Setting Up Your Break |
| Setting Up Your Board Break When you are ready to break your boards, you must do so with confidence and enthusiasm. Master Edel has established a goal for us to set up our boards and be ready to break in ten seconds. This requires some planning, preparation and practice. You need to know ahead of time: ~1) The names of the techniques you will break with ~2) The direction of each of the boards (are they held with the crack horizontal or vertical?) ~3) The appropriate stances for your holders ~4) How you will "flow" from one break to the next It is not a bad idea to find the people ahead of time that are going to be board holders to give them a "heads up" on what you will be doing when you break your boards. If they know ahead - what station you would like them at, what technique you are doing, and the stance they will need to be in - it can really speed up the time it takes for you to set up your breaks. When it is time to do your set up, grab the board where the crack or the split in the board is - if you grab the other part it makes it difficult for the board holders to get a proper grip. Make sure that the front of the board - the part you will hit - is toward you. Step up and hold out the board where you want to do the break. THEN, call out "Board Holders Please!" When the board holders step forward, quickly tell them what the name of the break is and what stances you want them in. When the board is set correctly, move to another station or move in front of the judges to ask permission to break. Asking Permission You must ask permission to break any boards. When you are all set up and ready, stand in front of the judges table, along with the floor judge. Make sure that you are "standing like a black belt" with your toes, heels and knees together, back straight, shoulders back, eyes forward, a BIG smile on your face. Your hand should be raised in the traditional taekwondo fashion - right arm straight forward from the shoulder, elbow bent at a 90 degree angle. Wrist and hand straight, fingers straight and held tightly together. The left arm supports the right, with the left hand held underneath the right elbow, palm down toward the floor. The floor judge will bow you in to the judges and will say "Sir, first attempt!" This is your cue to ask permission to break. You will say: Sir! My Name is (your name). My instructor's name is Master Larry Edel. With your permission, I will break these boards using (say the name of your breaks here). Sir! If you have done everything to the judges satisfaction, they will say "Yes you may." This is your cue to begin. Bow and say "Thank you, sir!" and proceed to break your boards. If your boards have moved or you don't feel comfortable with the placement of the board, speak to your board holders and tell them how to move the board to where you want it. DO NOT touch the boards to move them. DO NOT reach out to the boards to aim or check the distance. This will be counted as a failed attempt at breaking the board. After breaking your boards (whether they all break or not), be sure to step to the front, bow to the judges and in a loud, clear voice say, "Thank you, sir!" If you don't thank your judges, you run the risk of receiving a "no change" for being disrespectful, which means you don't advance to the next rank. If for one reason or another you don't break one or even all of your boards - after thanking your judges, hurry to set your boards up again. You do not have to break stations again that were already broken - unless - it is a break with a continuous motion like 2nd degree decided #4. After you are set up again, step up to the front with your hand raised. Your floor judge will say "Sir! Second attempt!" You will say "Sir! Permission to break!" (You have already introduced yourself). Once again, thank your judges when they give you permission to break, and go out there and break those boards with confidence. Thank the judges and then thank your board holders. A good board holder is a big part of a successful break. Take your boards and sit down so your friends can congratulate you on a job well done! Keys to Successful Board Breaking ~Work closely with your instructor to learn the proper techniques for your particular break. If you are having any problems or apprehension over your break, set up a personalized lesson with an instructor. ~ Be sure to concentrate and set yourself up mentally and physically before breaking. ~ KIAI loudly when breaking your boards. This strengthens your core, makes sure you are breathing and gets your adrenaline pumping. ~ Practice, Practice, Practice! How to set up your boards, what you will say to your board holders, and how to ask permission to break. The more you practice, the easier it will be when it is time to break your boards. ~ After all of this have confidence in yourself, and think positively. Being unsure and thinking negatively is the biggest detriment to your ability to break your boards! Have fun with it! |