Biography

Dan Netherland is an author, a teacher, a motivational speaker and world traveler. He has been called “Hands of Thunder” and “King of Breaking”. At 5’ 6”, Often weighing over 300 pounds of solid muscle, he has been aptly described as having the stature of a “Bank Vault”.

Netherland, a former polio victim, is a 10th Degree Black Belt (the highest rank obtainable in the martial arts). He has been awarded the title of “Hanshi” or High Master. He has been actively involved in the martial arts for over 55 years, holding black belt ranks in Aiki Jujutsu, Aikido, Jujutsu, Judo, Kempo, Karate, Kobo Jutsu and Batto Jutsu. Dan Netherland is not a martial artist in the modern sense. He follows a more ancient warrior path known as Shugyo (see Legend of the Stonebreaker by Dan Netherland).

Netherland has been officially declared a “Living Legend” and has been inducted into both the “United States Martial Arts Hall Of Fame”, and “European Martial Arts Hall Of Fame”. He is recognized as 10th Dan by the “European Association of Diato-Ryu Aiki Bujutsu”, 10th Dan / Soke by the “World Jujutsu / Aiki Bujutsu Federation” and “International Martial Arts Council”. He holds “Professor of Martial Science” by “European Samurai Jujutsu / Aiki Society”. He is recognized as Grand Master by the “World Center for Real Aikido”. He was honored by the Russian Martial Arts Community as World Champion Breaker.

Dan Netherland is the “Undisputed World Power Breaking Champion”. He has broken river rocks, granite slabs, stones, bricks, poured cement, padlocks, combination locks, chains, metal wrenches, files, 2 x 4s, violent prisoner maximum restrain straps, handcuffs and other seemingly impossible objects. He achieved the “Greatest Break in History, 1 ton with 1 strike”. The weight actually came to 2, 210 lbs of poured cement, 1,400 PSI, consisting of 30 slabs of cement. He has broken 19 commercial red house bricks to date with a single strike. He has broken through brick walls by hand and broken brick support columns by hand. He has broken 380 lbs of vertical standing concrete through a S.W.A.T. issue, class 3A Bullet Proof Vest with a steel trauma plate insert, this with a single strike. Netherland has performed documented inclined bench press with 650 lbs from the dead bottom position, no bounce, a foot up tricep dip in excess of 1,200 lbs, a leg press in excess of 2,400 lbs.

Dan Netherland is a decorated veteran police officer, having served as a patrol officer, patrol division captain, juvenile division captain, S.W.A.T. team commander and trainer. He was director of security / diplomatic executive protection, for the “World Arab / U.S.A. Trade Association”.

Dan Netherland represented the United States in the 2008 “Martial Arts Olympics” held in St. Petersburg, Russia, drawing a claim for his amazing breaking ability. He received special awards and honors from the Russian Martial Arts Olympic Committee.

Netherland received further international honors from the “2008 Beigeing Summer Olympics in China, as he has chosen to appear on the “Wushu Commemorative Olympic Stamp Set”. Out of 3 Million Practicing Martial Artists World Wide, Only 17 were chosen to be on the Stamp Set, Both Dan and his Son, Chad Netherland, were chosen.

Netherland is a published author. He has written books on martial science, martial training, philosophy, theology and poetry. He has several works of action adventure and mythology. He has been featured in martial arts trade magazines, the New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and numerous others. Netherland designed for Tiger Claw, their new “Netherland Signature Edition Rebreakable Boards. He endorses the Tiger Claw Breaking Material and also Plymouth Pine Wood Breaking Boards.

 

World Records
Dan Netherland's official World Records

• Most concrete slabs broken by hand with a single strike.  30 slabs. 7 / 16 / 2007
• Most Locks Broken In 60 Seconds By Hand
  32 Yale Padlocks. 5 / 25 / 2008
• Most Locks Simultaneously Broken With A Single Strike. 4 Yale Padlocks. 5 / 25 / 200
• Most Concrete Broken in 60 Seconds By Hand
  3,014 lbs in 17.45 seconds. 2 / 26 / 2003
• Most Concrete Blocks Broken in 60 Seconds By Hand. 55 Slabs of Poured Cement. 2 / 26 / 2003

• Most Concrete Broken Through a Class 3A Bullet Proof Vest With Steel Trauma Plate By Hand With A Single Strike. 380 lbs of standing concrete. 6 / 26 / 2007
• Most bricks broken by hand with a single strike
  19 bricks. 5 / 25 / 2008
• Most Tiger Claw Black Extra Strong Re Breakable Boards With a Single Strike By Hand.
  10 Black Extra Strong Boards. 8 / 23 / 2007
• Most Weight Lifted In An Incline Bench Press While Weighing Less Than 300 lbs.
  650 lbs with body weight at 281 lbs. 1 / 11 / 2005
• Most concrete slabs broken by hand with a single strike.  2,000 lbs (1 ton) 7 / 16 / 2007