▪ To be considered a complete break, all boards must be broken in succession (first to last)

▪ If at any time you do not break a board, you must stop immediately and not continue to the next board. Any boards that have been broken must be reset and broken again. Example: If in a 4-station break you break all but the 4th board, you must reset the other 3 boards and make another attempt.

▪ When resetting boards that you have broken, the holders must slam them on the floor to ensure there are no gaps.

▪ You MUST setup the stations close enough to each other so that you do not take more than a double step to reach each board

▪ Breaks should flow smoothly from one to the other and should be performed in a combative style.

▪ NOT COVERED IN VIDEO – If the judge deems the stations too far apart, the break will be counted as a failed attempt, and you will be required to break all stations again.

▪ If you are 60 years of age or older, you ARE permitted to wear safety gear when breaking.

▪ If you are 59 years of age or younger, you are NOT permitted to wear safety gear when breaking.

i. If you are 59 years of age and younger and feel you require a medical exception to this rule in order to perform your break, please first consider selecting techniques that you can safely perform without gear.

ii. If you do request a medical exception, you must do so in writing. ATA Headquarters may request medical documentation before making a decision.

▪ NOT COVERED IN VIDEO – Board holders are only required to wear their helmet with face shield and chest protector when holding. All other gear is optional

▪ Males 59 years of age or younger are required to break brown boards.

▪ Males 60 years of age or older can break either brown or blue boards.

▪ Females 59 years of age or younger are required to break blue boards.

▪ Females 60 years of age or older can break either blue or green boards.

▪ If you attempt to break something above your minimum requirements and are not successful, you will be required to stay with that choice for the remainder of your attempts at that testing/mid-term.

▪ A “Completed Break” is defined as breaking all stations in succession during a single attempt.

▪ Completed Break – First Attempt = 3 Points

▪ Completed Break – 2nd Attempt = 2 Points

▪ Completed Break – Third Attempt = 2 Points

▪ Any boards left unbroken = 0 Points

▪ It is traditional to ask permission before breaking. In addition to providing structure for this element of testing, it ensures that the judges are focused on your presentation and are ready to score you.

▪ Stand close to your first station

▪ When the floor conductor bows you in...

i. Attention

ii. Bow

iii. Loud “ATA”

iv. Raise your supported right hand

1. Feet together

2. Hand higher than your head

3. Supported hand under chin so it does not obstruct your voice

v. Announce name/ask permission: “Scott Skiles, permission to break, first attempt, sir/ma’am!”

There is NO NEED to announce the names of the techniques you are planning to perform.

▪ When given permission

i. Once you are bowed in, you may not touch the boards. If the board holders move a board, immediately raise your hand, wait to be acknowledged by the judge and ask to readjust the board. You will then repeat the bow in procedure

ii. Bow

iii. Reply “Thank you sir/ma’am”

iv. Take position and break

▪ After you break

i. Come to attention

ii. Bow and say “Thank you sir/ma’am”

iii. Immediately turn to face all your holders, bow and thank them. Please refrain from shaking their hands immediately after you break. This approach will keep the testing moving efficiently. Once everyone has finished breaking, you are encouraged to shake hands with the holders.

iv. Replace the next person to break (helmet/face shield & chest guard are required when holding boards)

▪ Once you have bowed in, you may not touch the boards. Touching the boards in any way without asking to readjust first will count as an attempt. If the board holders have moved a board while you were bowing in, immediately raise your hand, wait to be acknowledged by the judge and ask to readjust the board. You will then repeat the bow-in procedure to break.

▪ Demonstrate how prepared you are by not taking an extended amount of time to measure/adjust each station multiple times.

▪ Checking the height, distance, and positioning of your board stations more than one to two times is not encouraged.

▪ Judges are not permitted to change elements of someone’s board breaks such as board height, technique selection etc. Any questions or concerns regarding these topics should be noted on the back of the score sheet and brought to ATA HQ staff immediately after testing.

▪ Judges are encouraged to keep the safety of everyone involved in mind. Loose boards, or dramatic size differences between breakers and holders are just two examples.

▪ The only judge who should be communicating with the participants is the one whom the senior rank at the table has designated for board breakers to address when asking permission to break.

▪ Although it is not mandatory that you avoid positioning your board holders with their backs to the judges, you are strongly encouraged to position them so that the judges who are directly in front of you can see the boards.

▪ Regardless of the number of boards you are required to break, it is not required that they be positioned as if they are separate attackers. Boards can be placed close together as if striking the same attacker multiple times in succession.

▪ When selecting techniques to break with, consider combinations that can be done in rapid succession and can be performed in close proximity.

▪ Holders should refrain from giving any instructions on how to set up, or from making adjustments while someone is breaking or preparing to break.

▪ Holders are encouraged to motivate board breakers with encouraging comments like “You got this!”, “Smash them!”, etc.