Breaking Boards

Last night my son Alex tested for his next belt level in the Korean Martial Art, Ho Kuk Mu Sul. He's gotten pretty far already progressing from white to yellow to green to blue. Now he's going for the intermediate between blue and red belt, his ultimate goal being black belt. After they go through all the kicking, punching, falling and forms they finally get to break a board. They get to choose what kind of kick to do.

You have to really concentrate and be accurate with your kick, otherwise it doesn't land in the center of the board so it doesn't break(or even worse gets the instructor holding the board for you.)
I know Alex was worried about this kick because he has an injured big toenail and it hurts a lot to walk around for him. But he kicked with that foot! I asked him afterwards and he said "duh Mom the kick isn't with your toes, it is with the ball of the foot." He just loves knowing about something I don't. I have to agree, it is cool.

Look at that leap! I love seeing how high he can jump. I love how his hair looks in this shot. I used the pets/kids setting on my camera which shoots much faster so you don't miss fast moving action.

After that leap he makes contact and that board is broken, *BAM*. Breaking boards is quite cathartic for the kids, they have to put a lot of effort into actually doing it.. This school really emphasizes working on focus and concentration. Sometimes the board doesn't break on the first, or even third tries, but the audience cheers them on and goes wild when the board finally breaks.