Presently, martial arts board breaking is a common constituent of the curricula found in sanctioned martial arts training programs. Despite advancements to training, sport evolution, and technological advancements, there remains a high risk for injury in martial arts board breaking. Through years of training and practice, advanced-level martial artists obtain the skills necessary to perform the board break without suffering injury. The problem statement of this research study was the following: It was not known how martial artists psychologically experience non-injury-resulting board breaks. Ten advanced-level Kajukenbo Tum Pai practitioners in the Northwest region of the United States were interviewed for this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study. The General Aggression Model, Anxiety Direction and Intensity Theory, PETTLEP Model of Motor Imagery, Model of Mental Toughness, and Buddhist Psychological Model guided the rhetoric of interview questions, and, provided the theoretical foundation for data collection in this study. Data collection consisted of in-depth, semi-structured interviews, researcher observation, and demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the description phenomenological method of analysis. The results of this study uncovered a collective psychological lived experience of martial arts board breaking, which was conveyed by the following eleven key themes: pre/post event analysis, focus, distractions, physical awareness, confidence, Zen state, intensity, relief after event, imagery, self-talk, and, desire to represent Master or self. Furthermore, additional research is necessary on the psychology of competition board breaking, belt-test board breaking, and power breaking. This study may serve to enhance the mental training of martial arts curricula on board breaking.
