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Friday, July 20, 2007

Taekwondo Board Break Test

PANAMA CITY - Lee’s Taekwondo is gaining quite a reputation for excellence with several students earning top accolades.

But it’s not just the sparring and styleforms that will attract your eyes.

The board break test is usually the event that brings out the most oooh’s and ahhhh’s.  On Friday, Master Chan Ho Kim put his class up to the test.

“If fear comes on, you cannot break it,” Master Kim said.  “If you visualize, yes I can do it.”

“Basically, you just have to have a lot of confidence,” student Kayla Collins said.

The class practices breaking boards as a way of concentration, power and speed.  It’s also a way to practice precision on a non-living object.

“If I use a person, I’d be a bad guy,” Master Kim said.  “I don’t want to be a bad guy, so I can use board.”

The class uses one-inch pine boards.

“It’s fun because it’s like the only time when you get to break something,” student Michael Mamicalcl said.

It can also be dangerous as Master Kim knows all to well.

“If I break it, I’m safe.  If I did not break it.  It’s bad experience.”

He broke his wrist three years ago trying to break five boards at once.

“Positive mind always can break,” Master Kim said.  “Curious mind can not break it.”

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