Martial Arts - How to Break Boards and Cement Blocks Using Science

Using Physics to Learn the Secret and Mastery Behind Breaking Boards and Blocks

Some people dream of being on TV, breaking cement blocks with single knife hand strikes like the world's greatest martial artists. There are many professional martial arts competitions where the strongest fighters break boards and concrete using different techniques. The average person wonders how they can make it look so easy. People that aren't overly large or muscled can still shatter bricks and wood.

The secret to such ability is not in strength. Strength matters to a degree but it is the pure manipulation of strength that determines whether or not you will break that block or the block will hurt something fierce. The secret behind breaking boards is in technique - speed, impulse, and kinetic energy.

Physics is yet again the power that determines whether or not you can impress the opposite sex by learning ground-breaking techniques. But it's not so rare; everyone can do it. Bruce Lee was very good at using physics to manipulate how much power he can exert on boards, and of course, people. The one-inch punch is a legendary example of mind over matter.

What is Impulse?

You see, when we say something exerts a force - for example, Jackie Chan executing a spinning kick on his opponent, or when a bullet is fired into a wall, there is one factor everybody forgets to remember.

Time.

If you were in a speeding car, unable to brake, but were given a choice of hitting a haystack or a brick wall, you don't have to be genius to pick the haystack.

If you had to jump off a cliff to avoid an explosion, would you rather jump off the side leading to jagged rocks or the opposite side leading to a lake down below?

It's obvious; we don't even have to think about it. Impulse is the product of force and time.

Impulse = Force x Time

The haystack would increase the time of impact, lessening the force over a longer duration. The water does the same to save us from a devastating fall. Even airbags in cars increase impact times to save your life in a highway collision. In martial arts, the gloves are used to decrease the force dealt by punches that are too dangerous to be done bare-knuckled.