Example 1-This technique is an example of a one inch break performed with a vertical fist. This one inch break is performed by rikd. *Warning-These techniques shown here are not intended for the beginner. The board being used is a black re-breakable martial arts board rated at 2.25 boards. The board's color indicates belt level. If you have not been trained in breaking I do not recommend you try these breaks without the personal supervision of a qualified Martial Arts instructor. Beginners should use either re-breakable boards recommended for their belt level or board sizes recommended by their instructors. Breaking can lead to injury when techniques are performed improperly. Consideration and care should also be taken in the hardening of the hands to help prevent injury. It is not necessary that you attend a martial arts school where these techniques shown here are being taught but that you receive the basic training needed to prevent injury to yourselves. These techniques are attempted by the viewer at their own risk.
The fore knuckles rest on board creating the one inch spacing. The hand is closed into a fist immediately before striking. This is not an example of a 1 inch punch from JKD. This break's technique finds it's roots in the ITF of TKD. The hip snap utilized is a sine wave technique. I modified the technique for this strike. It is a misconception that TKD does not employ a vertical fist strike. A Vertical punch in Korean is Sewo Chirugi. Wrist is snapped down on impact instead of up. I use this strike for coming over the guard or when striking from a slightly downward angle. This technique favors a taller martial artist. The hand being open at the beginning of the strike is not an essential part of the technique. It merely shows the 1 inch spacing. However the strike can also be performed using the fore knuckles instead of the fist adding to the reach. I recommend for the beginner that the hand be completely closed into a fist before striking. Do this in order to prevent injury to the wrist. Injury can occur because of improper alignment of the wrist behind the fist prior to striking.
This strike or break is performed with the lead hand or the one you would jab at an opponent with. The strike begins with the M.A. (Martial Artist) in a fighting stance with the knees slightly bent. The hips snap inward and the weight is placed
on the ball of the front foot. When the hips, torso, shoulder, elbow, and wrist are in line with the fist the torso is then snapped forward and down slightly with all momentum, and power projected behind the fist which is snapped downward through the target. The feet can also be used to add power to the strike as the weight is shifted forward and down on the front foot with the back foot pushing forward raised slightly onto the ball of the foot.
