Using "qi" to break vs. physics (video)

[Syn7]

also, i would love to see w break of a small red brick that is suspended by a string... much better than simply standing up the 12 inchers on thier side... not that that is easy, just sayin... anyone???

[Syn7]

Whoa, I didn't even notice that before, probably because I watched the vid at like 3am. lol.

Possible explanations:

1) camera artifacts from Youtube's compression method

2) suspicious bottom brick that was flexible or somehow bendy (it did sort of appear to go from a little convex to a little concave when he pressed on them... but this was likely camera artificats)

3) there was a gap between them, and his qi actually went through the top brick, through the space, and into the bottom brick to break it. Short-distance no-touch KO!

But if you'll notice, the black gap didn't appear until after he was pulling his weight off of it, which leads me to believe it was a camera artifact. Watch when his hand is in front of the bricks. There are other black gaps that appear and redraw.


Serious question: why was the bottom brick red rather than concrete color?


Suggestion: next time show each brick independently, show that it is real, then put them on the stand, then break them. I only say this because you pressed on the edges of the bricks and they supported your weight. Nay-sayers will say maybe the middle of the bricks were modified somehow.

Or, set up the bricks and start stacking some weights on them, like weight plates or dumbbells or whatever, to show that they are real.


Not hating, I thought your breaks were good. Just giving some suggestions for next time.

mos def not an artifact... doesnt fit...

i think it prolly just snapped when he put his weight on it... but i dont think it was intentional and im sure he can still do it... i would like to see the same one done with the same kind of bricks... same color too...

[Lee Chiang Po]

Not to use the Bruce Lee "boards don't hit back" quote, but well...

If these "breaking skills" had any combat effectiveness, wouldn't there be some MMA fighters who would just break their opponents' outstretched arms, post-punch? I understand that the skills are dramatic... some are probably faked, but I mean, why would someone want to break a board in two inch increments, unless they were a carpenter?

I guess it has no real application except that I can still stick holes in a persons face with my finger tips. Actually, it was simply a show of technique. Besides, most MMA fighters do not have the concentration for this, and I am sure that there would be some sort of rule against breaking arms intentionally. And of course not everyone, in fact, few people can do such things. I have never seen it duplicated by anyone, no matter how good they were at breaking stuff.

[Lee Chiang Po]

also, i would love to see w break of a small red brick that is suspended by a string... much better than simply standing up the 12 inchers on thier side... not that that is easy, just sayin... anyone???

The problem I see with that is that a piece of cotton sewing thread will never suspend a large brick like that. You would have to use a stronger string, and that would not mean the same thing. When breaking a piece of wood, even something easy and linear with the grain, you can still not break it without breaking the thread. I can. But have not seen anyone else that could. With a brick the strength of the thread would have to be of such that any mug could bust the brick most likely. I do not doubt that there are those that could easily break a suspended brick of that size. In my day I think I could have done so easily, but not suspended from a piece of thread.

[mooyingmantis]

Easiest way to fake a break:
1. Drop one side of the block while hitting it.
2. Score the block before breaking.
3. Tap the block several times to cause small internal fractures before breaking the block.

Of the breaks that I have seen on YouTube, the Shaolin Monks seem to be the biggest cheaters.

Though these methods are legitimate, the easiest ways to break are:
1. Extra long blocks or blocks that are only 4" wide.
2. Blocks supported at the very ends.
3. Spacers between blocks and let weight do the work after breaking the top block.

Toughest methods for breaking blocks:
1. No spacers
2. Blocks lying on a flat, smooth surface.
3. Blocks held against a flat, smooth wall.

I must admit that when it comes to Qi, I am an agnostic. Though I received the qigong training that is considered necessary for breaking, I have doubts concerning its efficacy.

However, I am by no means an iron palm master. My skills definitely pale in comparison to Dale Dugas and Rodney Morgan. I have personally seen Rod and other members of the Iron Lotus Society do amazing breaks (three blocks no spacers and a block broken while lying on a smooth, flat concrete floor). I checked out the blocks ahead of time without their knowledge and they passed inspection. When I see their videos, I have no doubt that their breaks are real.

Whether Qi plays a factor in the breaks, I don't honestly know. However, their skills far exceed my own. Perhaps my lack of belief is the difference, perhaps not.

[PlumDragon]

There is so much Id like to say in this thread but at the end of the day its just not worth the time. I dont know if Im getting more lazy with age, or I just dont care to talk about it anymore.

But what I do want to mention, something I feel very strongly about, is that qigong is NOT...absolutely NOT necessary to condition or legitimately perform difficult breaks (via iron palm or some other system) successfully. Qigong is a mental facet of training, it can help with relaxation and healing, and I teach it to my students so they have the whole system. But it is NOT necessary. You should be able to walk up to a block (or 2) and break it without any warmup, any jow, or any mental pattycake. Or else what you are doing is worthless. Hope thats not insulting to anyone, its just a fact.

What is important is that you condition properly and safely, and what is important is that you realize that iron palm is JUST the conditioning. Iron palm has F*** all to do with fighting. Iron palm is like taking free throws in basketball; you cant use iron palm unless youve first learned how to deal with the intensity and pressure of a serious opponent. And even then most people wont be able to use it. Fact is, most peoples time is much better spemt training other facets and skillsets. You learn and take part in iron palm because its something you enjoy or are intrigued by.

But if youre anything like me, then you like martial arts...and you also just so happen to like the break s**t!

[teetsao]

Is this a good break?

3 bricks on the ground, no spacers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndA32...eature=related

LOL, no.this is a substance called "y-tong" it floats.it is "airated concrete" mostly air not much concrete. it is used in europe. 6 year olds break it.

[teetsao]

i actually have been working on setting up a video.
fuji film makes a substance called "tactile pressure film" it is 4 mil. thick and sandwiches micro beads that burst under different ranges of pressure and turn the film different colors depending upon the force exerted.i contacted a supplier and he sent me some samples and i am going to demo the pressure exerted to break a 4inch block which home depot and lowes rates at 2000psi to break. we are not sure how much force we are exerting and this will be a good measure. i also have other vids of me breaking a coconut laying on my back,i may redo it. i would post them on here but i do not have time to explain them to some of the people on here,as they seem to have no grasp of what they are seeing when things are demonstrated before them.so i will prob just post them on youtube. my answer to this is,if you doubt something go set it up yourself and try it. dont use a hammer,however i do know the kid from autralia that set those up and he conceded to me he couldnt even think about doing it with his hand,(comparing my hand to a hammer is quit a compliment to me)and also the brick on top was much shorter than the rest of the bricks on the bottom,so it was just a shape charge effect,not the same,
then report back with your findings. use bricks from lowes or home depot ONLY,no crap,this is what we use. try it all different ways,flat on the ground,against a wall,throw it in the air,1-2-3-4 stacks,a 4 inch ,a 4inch plus 2inch on top of it,and we have it all on video.
prob. is most people doing "iron palm" do not have all the training.they have ,"apply jow hit bag,reapply jow"and think this is iron palm. no way. much more to it. and if you think it is just the prior and not the latter, fine by me.if you think it wont help you in combat,also fine by me.
this subject as been debated waaay to much,it is no debate,either you beleive it is beneficial or you dont and prob. no one will convince the other,however i have made beleivers locally once they saw me demo in person. not bragging,just saying it is different in person. most look at videos and say"thats b.s. ,i can do that" but they dont,cause they cant.

[teetsao]

didnt mean to get off subject
qi is not the effectig force. vibration is.
the chinese have an axiom "qi does not effect the man made of wood,stone or glass"

[Pk_StyLeZ]

sorry just had to come and put in my 2 cent

qi = energy
you need energy to break the bricks...as you need energy to do a lot of stuff...so yes qi is involved in breaking the bricks....even if they did lift up the bricks and cheat...still need energy.... (yeah i know MOST people probably do not think of it thats way...but thats fine...) (i have a weird way of thinking)

a lot of the qi qong acts are physics though i do agree...some are jus retarded...eatting/biting/chewing glass?? LOL who would even think of that!

using a towel over the brick...i do not understand how is that iron palm? isnt iron palm when you condition skin/hand does not get damage? or hurt? so if you cut ur self, that mean you do not have iron palm.....

[IronFist]

LOL, no.this is a substance called "y-tong" it floats.it is "airated concrete" mostly air not much concrete. it is used in europe. 6 year olds break it.

So are European buildings ****ty?

[Grumblegeezer]

Easiest way to fake a break:
1. Drop one side of the block while hitting it.
2. Score the block before breaking.
3. Tap the block several times to cause small internal fractures before breaking the block.

Of the breaks that I have seen on YouTube, the Shaolin Monks seem to be the biggest cheaters.

Though these methods are legitimate, the easiest ways to break are:
1. Extra long blocks or blocks that are only 4" wide.
2. Blocks supported at the very ends.
3. Spacers between blocks and let weight do the work after breaking the top block.

Toughest methods for breaking blocks:
1. No spacers
2. Blocks lying on a flat, smooth surface.
3. Blocks held against a flat, smooth wall.

A couple of other tricks to make breaking easier include:

1. Heat treating or firing bricks and tiles in a way to make them more brittle (actually underfiring is the easiest).
2. Inserting small, concealed shims between bricks or pavers to direct the force where you want it.

3. For breaking flat breaks, you can exploit very minor irregularities in the brick or the supporting surface so either:

a. Place a long brick or paver or other very brittle object on a slightly yielding or fliexible surface. The subtle flex in the support on impact allows the more brittle object on top to break.

b. The brick or paver is supported by the ends creating a slight, almost imperceptible gap under the center, or...

c. The brick sits on a slight bulge and rocks a bit. Then by holding don one end at the moment of the break, the other end lifts up a tiny bit and then slaps back down and snaps.

Here's some examples that may use method 3b... using a slight gap under the middle of the paver... although such a break could equally be done with the 3a method as well. You'd have to check out the supporting surface to be sure. Watch the center of the paver drop and the edges lift when broken. This couldn't happen on a truly flat, solid surface as concrete doesn't compress that way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKLprlpfstI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FRGq...eature=related

Now here's another impressive, "selective" flat-break clearly demonstrating method 3c Watch how the demonstrator presses down on the right edge of the bricks with his fingers as he performs the break. Now watch how that causes the bottom brick to rise up a bit on the opposite side and then slap back down... a really good trick!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgFVD...eature=related

Now I know these methods work since I've succeeded pulling them off myself, and even wrote an article about them back in the '80s. I never got very good at them though, and my hats off to guys like Dale who can do these things well.

[EarthDragon]

sny7
this is close as I can get to your request, this is John newberry my kung fu brother perfroming a extremly diffucult break forma blck hanging by a string

Attachment 6364

[HumbleWCGuy]

There is something to breaking in terms of the conditioning, practice, and technique. An untrained breaker is not as good as a trained one, but all this qi talk is just talk.

I think breaking can be a nice confidence builder and a small demonstration of technique, but sheesh. Let's stop fooling ourselves and the paying public and move on.

[EarthDragon]

when will people understand qi is everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you need qi to tie your shoes, its not mystical its not super powers its called "energy" the simple life force,

the more you practice and concentrate it the stronger it becomes and the more it flows plain and simple, so YES you use qi to break, you also use to to get up in the morning.