Breaking Boards & Makiwara

One of the hallmark activities within martial arts such as karate and Taekwondo is board breaking. Board breaking can be used as repetitive training for building force and power and also as an artistic impression when breaking numerous boards at once or in rapid succession.

Breaking boards can be considered as a form of martial arts target practice, because this act teaches students to focus on a specific point with full power. Even the most powerful students will fail to break the boards if they can’t hit the right spot. Likewise, hitting something in the right spot but with no power will also lack the desired effect. Therefore, board breaking is more about technique than power.

The makiwara is used by karate practitioners to practice strikes in much the same way as a boxer uses a heavy bag. The makiwara develops one's striking ability by letting them experience resistance to punches, kicks and other strikes. It is a padded striking post used in various styles of traditional karate. It allows users to practice punches and other strikes similarly to how a boxer uses a heavy bag. Breaking boards are