The purpose of board breaking is to build self-confidence, increase accuracy, and to show the effectiveness of your strikes. In competition, students display their skill at board breaking with others of the same approximate age and level of experience. Usually each board is held by two adults so that all four corners of the board are immobilized. The student's job is to strike the center of the board and break it.
The lower the level of experience, the fewer the number of boards students are entitled to break in competition. Typically white and yellow belts are allowed to break one board. Orange, green and blue belts are usually allowed to break two boards. Brown or red belts may break three, and black belts usually have an upper limit of four boards to break.
Students should choose in advance which techniques and tools they wish to use to perform their board breaks. Foot techniques include front-snap kick, side kick, reverse side kick, hooking kick, axe kick, spinning wheel, tornado kick, as well as jumping kicks of all kinds. Typical hand and arm techniques include palm strike, elbow strike, knife-hand strike, ridge-hand strike, and punch.
The tools that may be used to break boards with the foot include the ball, heel, top, instep, and knife edge of the foot. For hand techniques, the palm, knife-hand, ridge-hand, back fist, and fore fist are all reasonable tools to use. In addition, safe breaks may be performed with both the knee and the elbow. Head breaks are discouraged as an unnecessary risk to the student's health.
Advanced students tend to perform more difficult, creative, and unusual techniques. These include power breaks (multiple boards with one strike), speed techniques (boards which are held only by the top or bottom edge), self-held board breaks, un-held board breaks, multiple board breaks while jumping through the air, and blindfolded board breaks.
As in forms competition, board breaking competitors are judged by a panel of black belts. Each competitor may earn a score from zero to ten points for their performance. Judges look for good technique, speed, power, grace, accuracy, and effectiveness. In addition, the more difficult and creative the technique is, the higher the score will be.
Generally students are allowed two or three attempts to complete each board break. Their score drops with each unsuccessful attempt. A student should receive a score of zero if their boards do not break after all attempts. Students should not receive a score of nine or higher unless they walk on water, and a score of ten should be impossible.
Board breaking competition is a learning experience. Students should watch the techniques of their fellow competitors, as well as those of more advance students, and learn from them. When you see an impressive technique that you had never thought of, then you have found something new to work on. You should use competition with others to push yourself and expand your horizons.