Breaking

When I studied Isshinryu breaking objects was not part of those studies. The senior instructors did have a strong breaking demonstration they presented on occasion. I also remember them practicing for those demonstrations, one of which I was also asked to help, but not for breaking.

 

In those days at some of the tournaments we attended there were breaking divisions. I noted that often those working for the largest breaks were often unsuccessful. I realized their breaks most likely worked in practice in their own schools. But when in less tranquile locations, such as the stress at a karate tournament, they were often less successful there.

 

When I had to move for work, the only art in Scranton, at that time, was Tang Soo Do Duk Kwan. Ihe head instructor was big on breaking. I have seen him drive nails into boards and then place his obi over the nail and pull it out with his teeth. He also would break the tops off full bottles of whiskey with his knife hand chops.

 

 I joined the program, and they had testing days about every 3 months. A component of the testing were board breaks. I had never done them and then I was in a testing and had to punch through one board. I did no.

 

The boards they used were not terribly difficult to break, I never trained for those breaks, just did whatever I was told.

 

Then the instructor decided to hold a bit east coast TSD tournament. And of course we were to compete in all divisions, Form, Fighting and Breaking for the Green Belts.

 

Then everyone began practicing breaking movements. Most were using flying side kicks for their breaks. I was not much of a flyer so I was told to do a double break. A front kick through 2 boards and a back side kick to immediately follow breaking 3 boards. Just prior to the tournament we were given our boards, in my case 5 of them.

 

At the tournament all of the other green belts tried flying side kick breaks, ones they had successfully used in preparation at the school. And as I already observed there is a lot of difference between doing that and performing before a huge crowd.

 

As it turns out all of them missed their break.

 

Then came my turn, One student held my two boards before me, another 2 students held my 3 boards behind me. I threw my front kick, the boards shattered, immediately I looked back over my shoulder and threw my back side kick. My heel went though those 3 boards. My breaks worked.

 

As it turned out I took first place that day.

 

Drumroll.

 

Of course that day came and went, and in time was of no import whatsoever. Just a point in time.

 

At the evening show there was a black belt team who knocked of oranged being held above their heads on knives. Their group kicks splitting the oranges.

 

Before long I became a red belt at the school (their equivalent to a brown belt).

 

One night I was called up before  the class.

 

The instructor handed me a cindercap with a towel wrapped around it.

 

He then told the class I would break it with my head.

 

He explained how to hold the cindercap so the towel was over the center, Then how to prepare myself, and the way to make the impact with my forehead occur.

 

I remember holding that cindercap thinking ‘I am going to do this?’

 

I inhaled, preparing myself.

 

Then I put my forehead through the cindercap.

 

The cindercap broke, not my head.

 

Applause from the peanut gallery.

 

The truth was the next day I had a huge headache. My own price for listening to an instructor.

 

I then made a vow that I would not let anyone  else ever tell me to do something as foolish.

I kept that vow to myself.

 

 

Sidebar about the time I was promoted in TSD to Red Belt, Charles Murray moved to Scranton. I completed my contract to train another year in TDS (eventually becoming a 1^st red there) but simultaneously resumed my Isshinryu training with Charles,

 

I gained much from the hard physical workout in TSD.That training also increased my kicking ability.

 

But there were differences in how I was being trained.

 

And Isshinryu always meant more to me, of course I started it first.

 

Breaking, been there, done that, then I moved on to more important things for me.