How is it possible to karate chop a brick

You use the part of your hand that is on the opposite side of the thumb between the base of your little finger and the start of your wrist to strike your opponent with. The big advantage of striking someone with these areas of your hand is that you are unlikely to do any serious damage to your hand when you make contact. The hand is full of tiny and fragile little bones and when you punch someone in a more traditional manner, there are 14 of these bones that can end up badly broken. The karate chop eliminates most of this risk.

The first and most plausible reason is that the karate chop appeared in an endless amount of s movies. And then once, the blow had landed, the person on the receiving end would be either dead or out cold. These movies were very entertaining, but they may have misled the public as to the effectiveness of the karate chop. So, there are two plausible reasons that people doubt the existence of the karate chop. However, the karate chop remains quite real. Yes, absolutely. Chops can be delivered from almost any angle and from any position.

They can be completely effective when laying on the ground or when towering over an opponent. This can help quickly remove an opponent from a fight. A well-thrown fist, he found, reaches its maximum velocity when the arm is about 80 percent extended.

To deliver the maximum power, you want to make contact before the slowdown begins. What happens after contact is also very important. All materials are at least slightly elastic: Whack them in the right spot and they will start to oscillate.

In other words, they break. Hands and feet can take even more abuse, because skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage absorb a great deal of impact. A well-kicked foot can absorb about 2, times as much force as concrete before breaking. Feld has never fractured a finger in karate, even though he once broke eight one-inch-thick boards at a time. If students want to break boards, they have to not only increase their speed and improve their aim but also toughen up their hands and feet by striking them against a post wrapped in foam and canvas.

The important lesson for would-be black belts is that physics needs a little help from perseverance. Register or Log In. Did you ever imagine yourself chopping a brick in half? Following these steps and you can quickly learn this fun and famous karate move, the karate chop! Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue.

No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article Steps. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Author Info Last Updated: April 22, Place the wood or brick on two stable chopping blocks, with the wood grain running in the same direction as the way your hand is facing to chop. Chopping with the grain makes the wood easier to break.

Don't try to chop anything that is too thick or hard 3" maximum is suggested to start. A cinder block may be possible if you have been training for a few weeks and yell very loudly when making contact. Get into the stance. This involves either standing up, with legs shoulder-width apart or kneeling with your knees vertical from your shoulders, two feet from the chopping blocks.

Prepare for the strike by staying calm. Freaking out will not help since the key to successful striking is the mind, you want to stay as calm as possible before you strike. Imagine your hand going through the wood or brick. If you can't see it happening, chances are it won't happen. This could be bad if it doesn't. Remain positive. Be one with the chopping motion. Bend your fingers slightly to the left if you are right-handed or right, if you are left-handed. Lift your arm high up into the air, ready to slam down and strike.

Shoot your hand down, thrusting farther until you break the block. Do not remove your hand from the chopping blocks immediately——your hand needs to go all the way through to make the break.

If you don't chop it, check on how you feel. If you feel very little pain, try to improve your speed. A little extra strength is also helpful for successful karate chopping.

However, as a learner, it is best to have someone mentor you or, if that is not possible, to bring down your hand gently and with repeated practice, increase the force. If you feel great pain, stop for the day. If any serious damage to your body has occurred, see a doctor immediately.