Human Wrecking Balls
Encyclopedia
Human Wrecking Balls is an American television reality show that premiered on November 12, 2008 on G4
television network.
Craig
and Paul Pumphrey
demolish everything from boats and cars to houses using only their bare hands. For each challenge, they join forces with a team of experts in material science and engineering to review the object of their destruction from every possible angle before taking it apart, using physics
and know-how to determine the most effective approach. The duo also enjoys a little friendly competition throughout the challenges. Each Human Wrecking Balls episode reveals the final outcome of the Pumphrey’s ripping and smashing, as well as the various experiments they put to the test.
Each episode contains a "Challenge" in which the Pumphrey brothers compete to either do or not do the episode's "Big Break". The big break is what Chad considers to be the most difficult thing for a human to break. The only time the winner of the challenge got to do something other than the big break was in "Trashing Hotel California" when the winner got to throw the television out the window. The first Episode of Season 2 saw a different format, where the loser had to do the "Big Break". (Even though Paul lost the challenge, but due to an injury while breaking the big propeller Craig did it instead.)
The show has been renewed for a second season, featuring 10 episodes, which premiered November
said in a 2008 interview with Ken Tuccio that :
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
television network.
Details
Martial Artists and breaking championsBreaking (martial arts)
Breaking is a martial arts technique that is used in competition, demonstration and testing. Breaking is an action where a martial artist uses a striking surface to break one or more objects using the skills honed in their art form. The striking surface is usually a hand or a foot, but may also be...
Craig
Craig Pumphrey
Craig Pumphrey began his martial arts education when he was fourteen years old. He is a world-renowned award-winning martial arts expert and Guinness world record holding professional breaker. His first "big break" was diving off a shed and body slamming through 10 feet of ice...
and Paul Pumphrey
Paul Pumphrey
Paul Pumphrey is a martial arts professional and a world champion breaker. Paul began breaking at a young age and spent hours in his friend's warehouse breaking concrete with his brother, Craig. Paul developed a signature shoulder ram technique to perform impressive breaks. He has set world records...
demolish everything from boats and cars to houses using only their bare hands. For each challenge, they join forces with a team of experts in material science and engineering to review the object of their destruction from every possible angle before taking it apart, using physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and know-how to determine the most effective approach. The duo also enjoys a little friendly competition throughout the challenges. Each Human Wrecking Balls episode reveals the final outcome of the Pumphrey’s ripping and smashing, as well as the various experiments they put to the test.
Each episode contains a "Challenge" in which the Pumphrey brothers compete to either do or not do the episode's "Big Break". The big break is what Chad considers to be the most difficult thing for a human to break. The only time the winner of the challenge got to do something other than the big break was in "Trashing Hotel California" when the winner got to throw the television out the window. The first Episode of Season 2 saw a different format, where the loser had to do the "Big Break". (Even though Paul lost the challenge, but due to an injury while breaking the big propeller Craig did it instead.)
The show has been renewed for a second season, featuring 10 episodes, which premiered November
Filming
Each episode of Human Wrecking Balls takes roughly two full days to shoot, as Dawn SwainDawn Swain
Dawn Swain is a certified nurse currently practicing in Los Angeles, CA. She is best known for her role as the Medical Expert on the G4TV reality series Human Wrecking Balls.-Personal Life and Career:...
said in a 2008 interview with Ken Tuccio that :
"The actual filming of each episode takes 2 full days. There is quite a bit of editing that goes on to condense it to 30 minutes. The episodes that were filmed inside a building, like the office, the hotel, and the movie theater, take much longer due to the confined space. For each new area the guys "break," the cameras have to be re-arranged, the lighting re-configured, and the crew moved to get just the right shot. The office, for example, took just about 30 hours to tape."
Expert cast
- Paul Pumphrey - A martial artsMartial artsMartial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
professional and a world champion breaker. Paul was began breaking at a young age and spent hours in his friends warehouse breaking concrete with Craig. Paul developed a signature shoulder ram technique to perform impressive breaks. He has set world records for breaking 23 slabs of concrete, which he did on the Steve Harvey Show. Paul has cited his greatest achievement as winning back-to-back titles in the World Breaking Championships. Paul went to high school with former WWE wrestler Rob Conway.
- Craig Pumphrey - A world-renowned award-winning martial arts expert and Guinness world record holding professional breaker. Craig's breaking and martial arts interest began at a young age. His first "big break" was diving off a shed and body slamming through 10 feet of ice. His philosophy is a mixture of Jiu-JitsuBrazilian Jiu-JitsuBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
, PankrationPankrationPankration was a martial art introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC and founded as a blend of boxing and wrestling but without any rules. The term comes from the Greek , literally meaning "all powers" from "all" + "strength, power". Spartans were taught to use this ancient...
and a complete breaking system as well as a mental element. He was inducted into the USAFPA Pankration Hall of Fame and the International Karate and Kickboxing Hall of Fame. Craig is a police officer for the New Albany (Indiana) Police Department.
- Chad Zdenek - Returns for a 2nd season as the resident structural engineerStructural engineerStructural engineers analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants...
. With bigger, more complex breaks planned, he’ll have a much larger role this season. Chad will provide Craig and Paul with a methodical approach to the effective execution of each break. Chad’s professional resume includes 6 years at BoeingBoeingThe Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
in the Rocketdyne Division working as a structural dynamics/stress engineer. He has also given presentations to NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
engineers outlining various structural and mechanical engineering procedures he created.
- Abigail Tallman - A certified nurse and the newest member of the series cast. She is currently stationed in the critical care unit at Brotman Medical CenterBrotman Medical CenterBrotman Medical Center is a hospital in Culver City, California, USA.-History:The hospital was founded in 1924 by David M. Brotman.. On September 1, 2005, Brotman Medical Center changed owners. The new owners are a group led by Propsect Medical Holdings, Inc.Brotman Medical Center filed for...
in Culver City, CA where she takes part in surgeries and has no problem with blood or guts. Many times on-set she has been extremely concerned for the safety of the cast and crew due to the amount of destruction that occurs all around them. She’s been known to let out a sigh of relief when an episode wraps and the Pumphrey brothers get away with only minor injuries.
Season 2
| Episode Number | Original Airdate | Episode Name | Challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | 11 Nov 09 | "Chopper Crunch" | Dismantle a Helicopter |
| 1-2 | 18 Nov 09 | "Hometown Havoc" | Home Demolition |
| 1-3 | 25 Nov 09 | "Pain at the Pump" | Destroying a Gas station |
| 1-4 | 02 Dec 09 | "Carnival Calamity" | Level a Carnival |
| 1-5 | 09 Dec 09 | "Rock the Bus" | Trash a Bus |
| 1-6 | 16 Dec 09 | "Razing the Barn" | Bull doze through a Barn |
| 1-7 | 23 Dec 09 | "Lights! Camera! Destruction!" | Tear down TV sound stage sets |
| 1-8 | 6 Jan 10 | "Arcade Armageddon" | Flatten a game room |
| 1-9 | 13 Jan 10 | "Post Office Pummel" | Destroy a Post Office |
| 1-10 | 20 Jan 10 | "Fast Food Ferocity" | Put a Fast Food Restaurant on a diet |