How do Martial Arts experts smash stone and wood?

[toadspittle]

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A good piece of wood to use is 3/4 in. plywood, roughly a foot square. Break WITH the grain (side of foot/side of hand/knuckles parallel with grain of wood). Almost anyone, trained or not, should be able to break such a piece of wood by hitting. The training keeps you from getting bloodied.
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I thought plywood was laminated and would not split easily parallel to the grain esp. a foot square 3/4 inch thick piece of the stuff. I would be mighty impressed if I saw a Karate Expert put his hand through a 3/4 inch piece of real plywood. Standard wood boards yes -plywood no. I think the karate expert’s hand would break before a 3/4 inch piece of plywood would split.
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Doh. Pine. Pine. Pine. Soft white pine. Christ, I just built some shelves with the damn stuff last week.

Pine is what was in my brain. Plywood just came out my fingers.

Sorry.