DIVISIONS

1. Power Concrete
2. Creative
3. Power Wood
4. Combat Wood

Division: Power Concrete
Light weight: 199 lbs. & under
Heavy weight: 200 lbs. & over
Description: Competitors will break concrete patio slabs with one downward hand or arm strike.
Scoring Criteria: Scoring will be based on the number of slabs broken on the first and only strike.
Additional Rules:

• There is a 10 minute time limit from the time the first team member steps on the stage. The competitors will receive three warnings indicating elapsed time. The first warning will be given at 4 minutes. The second warning will be given at 8 minutes. The third warning will be given at 9 minutes. There will be an automatic disqualification if the break has not been executed in the allotted time.
• Setup and immediate clean up must be provided by competitor and assistants
• Any hand or arm technique may be used. Strikes must be delivered in a downward motion. Standardized materials consist of 2 x 8 x 16 (5.08 cm x 20.32 cm x 40.64 cm) concrete slabs. Slabs must be stacked lying horizontally in a vertical column supported equally on each end.
• Ties will be broken by determining which competitor broke the largest percentage of slabs that were set up (i.e. a competitor who breaks 12 of 13 would win over a competitor who broke 12 of 15).
• 1/4 (.635 cm) spacers will be provided.

Division: Creative (separate divisions for men and women)
Description: Competitors will perform a creative display of breaking skills executed in multiple directions, using multiple weapons and multiple materials.
Scoring Criteria: The Creative Breaking Division will be judged on the following 5 criteria points

• Creativity: Were the breaks unique in design and presented in a creative or innovative fashion? Judges will be looking for each competitor to bring their own unique signature breaks to their CREATIVE routine. They will evaluate and score creativity based on creative originality.
• Variety: Did the breaking demonstration feature a variety of techniques, directions, materials, and methods?
• Degree of Difficulty: Within the demonstration, how difficult was each break or breaking sequence (without consideration for quantity)?
• Realism: Was the demonstration performed with a rhythm and flow that is dynamic and exciting?
• Quantity: This evaluates the volume of materials broken with each strike, or during the demonstration as a whole.

Note: The combined qualities of Creativity, Fluidity, Variety, Degree of Difficulty and Realism are weighed more heavily then Quantity in evaluating a Creative Breaking performance.
Note: Missed breaks should lead to scoring deductions, but only in an inverse relation to the difficulty of the break that was attempted. Missed breaks that are then broken immediately with a fluid follow-up breaking strike should not cause as large a deduction.
Additional Rules:

• Setup and immediate clean up must be provided by competitor and assistants.
• There will be a total of 12 minutes for set up, break, and clean up.
• Time begins from the moment the 1st team member steps on stage.
• There is a grace period of 60 seconds between breakers. After the 60 seconds grace period has passed time will begin whether the next breaker has begun setting up or not.
• The actual breaking demonstration will last no longer than 3 minutes and will feature no more than 4 breaking stations. Each breaking station will consist of no more than 2 breaks (exception:  Stations that demonstrate the quick breaking of boards in multiple directions, using live holders may consist of no more than 4 breaks.)
• A missed or incomplete break followed by another attempt at the same break shall count as only one break.
• Two or more breaking strikes executed simultaneously shall count as only one break.
• A station consists of 2 breaks. Those 2 breaks can be 2 different materials. Deductions will accrue at .1 of a point for every station over the allotted amount.
• Deductions will accrue at .1 of a point per 15 seconds over the 3 minute or 12 minute time limits.
• Total point deduction will come off of total score from the 7 Judges.
• Breaking material that leaves the stage in a dangerous fashion may be grounds for penalization or disqualification. The decision to DQ a competitor will be made by the onsite ISKA representative. Factors such as velocity and distance the material travels off the stage will be considered as well as whether or not anyone is struck by materials leaving stage.
• Competitor must provide all breaking materials or purchase breaking materials from the promoter consisting of 1 x 10 x 12 (2.54 cm x 30.48 cm x 30.48 cm) pine boards or 2 x 8 x 16 (5.08 cm x 20.32 cm x 40.64 cm) concrete slabs
• Any materials provided by the competitor must be safe. NO glass or fire permitted. NO materials are allowed that may potentially injure surrounding individuals.

Division: Combat Wood Breaking
Description: Competitors will demonstrate breaking skills in a performance designed to simulate a fight against multiple opponents. Competitors shall break single or multiple boards with varying weapons in multiple directions (no downward strikes below the waist) for a period of not more than 8 seconds.
Scoring Criteria: Scoring will be based on the number of boards broken before time expires.
Additional Rules:

• Once the breaker steps on stage they have 5 minutes to complete their set up and break.
• Competitors must execute at least one break with each hand and each foot and those four breaks must be executed in four different directions at right angles (north, south, east, & west).
• After three strikes with the same weapon (hand for example) the competitor must change weapons (to foot in this example) for at least one strike before returning to the favored weapon.
• Competitors must continue to break in front of, behind, and to the sides of them, not in a straight line, even after the initial four directions have been met.
• Boards will be held in place by adult board holders.
• All breaks will be executed at belt level or above.
• Ties will be broken in favor of the competitor that broke the highest percentage of boards that they had held for them.

Division: Power Wood
Light weight: 199 lbs. & under
Heavy weight: 200 lbs. & over
Description: The US OPEN will provide a metal-framed, custom engineered unit designed to hold boards to be broken with forward, sideways, or roundhouse kicking strikes. (no downward strikes).
Scoring Criteria: Scoring will be based on the number of boards broken from a single strike.
Additional Rules:

• Strikes will be executed with the foot and delivered horizontally. The strikes allowed are: front kick, round kick, side kick, hook kick, or back kick. Any foot-work or delivery method (i.e. skip-in, spinning, flying, etc.) may be used but you are limited to a single step before delivering your strike.
• Each competitor will be allowed up to two breaking attempts.
• The competitors must decide immediately following their 1st attempt if they will make a 2nd attempt. Once they step off of the breaking platform they may only return to the stage in order to break a tie for first place.
• If there is a tie for first place it will be broken by determining who broke the winning number of boards on the earliest effort (1st or 2nd try).
• If there is still a tie it will be broken by determining who broke the largest percentage of the boards that they set up on the winning break (example: breaking 8 boards out of 9 set up would defeat breaking 8 boards out of 11 set up).
• If there is still a tie, first place will go to the tied competitor who broke the largest number of boards on both tries combined (If one of the competitors did not take both opportunities to break he will be allowed to return to the platform to complete his break attempts).

Division: Ultimate
Description: This is an “overall” breaking championship division.
Scoring: The winner will be determined by a cumulative score that reflects how each competitor placed in each of the four individual breaking events (power concrete, creative, power wood and combat wood)
“Ultimate” is considered an “absolute” division meaning that there is no regard for weight division placement in power wood or power concrete.
1st Place earns 25 points
2nd Place earns 12 points
3rd Place earns 7 points
4th Place earns 3 points
The competitor that compiles the most points over the four individual events will be crowned
“Ultimate Breaking Champion”
Additional Rules:

• Qualifying for the Ultimate Breaking Championship requires that a competitor participate in each of the four breaking events.
• Unbroken ties in individual breaking events will result in each tied competitor receiving identical ultimate breaking points as stated above.

US Open & ISKA World Martial Arts Championships FedEx/DHL/UPS: 6020 NW 4th Place Suite G  Gainesville, FL 32607, USA US Open Hotline: (352) 331-0260, (352) 331-3557 24-Hour Fax Line: (352) 331-2119 Email: help@usopen-karate.com