How to Break Boards with Your Head Really Neat!

• Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Okay, we need a one of those obligatory disclaimers, maybe one like check with a doctor before you attempt this death defying stunt. Or maybe one of those psychology doctor types. Or maybe just make sure you’ve seen to backing up your skull and intelligence on external hard drive.

It was back in 1969, and I had just start Kenpo Karate, one of the early Edmund Parker versions of that fine martial art, and the head instructor decided to put on a breaking seminar. I don’t really know what was passing through his mind, maybe he intended to start up a side business selling insurance or something. At any rate, the potential for catastrophe was a sure thing.

On a saturday morning a dozen students entered the school and big stacks of freshly cut pine boards were waiting for us. As a group we were taught all the fine points of focusing your energy, of punching through the target, and all that sort of thing, and we were all truly excited. Then we took turns breaking short planks of lumber, one at a time, as the head instructor watched carefully.

One of the guys, a fellow named Jeff, asked if it was possible to break a board with your head. The answer was yes, but it shouldn’t be attempted until one was well trained. We then went into another room to break boards, and none noticed that Jeff wasn’t with us.

We were in group discussion, and suddenly there was a tremendous thocking sound. It was such a unique sound that we all stopped what we were doing and stared at the door to the other room. The other room, where the sound came from, where Jeff had remained behind.

Suddenly, Jeff appeared at the door, he was standing aslant, and the look in his eyes was like little birdies singing. We all held our breaths as Jeff crossed the room, walking aslant, the birdies circling his head in a neat, little circling pattern. Jeff settled, well, sort of plonked, into a zen seated position, and the head instructor, with an eye on Jeff, continued his speechifying.

Now, if you’re going to break a board with your head, and I don’t care if you study Uechi or Tae Kwon Do or Choy Li Fut or whatever, work up to it. Start with skinny boards, even an eighth of an inch, then work your way through a quarter, through 3/8s, and so on. Heck, even wear a some kind of protective helmet the first few times, the potential for injury is that great.

Oh, and at the end of that seminar that I was at? Jeff came up to the head instructor after it was all over and asked, is it possible to break a board with your head. Maybe he should have worked on having the hardest punch instead of just a hard head!

Al Case has analyzed martial arts for over over 4O years. If you want to learn how to Matrix your Martial Art, pick up a free ebook at Monster Martial Arts.

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