I think that people might be using "trick" in two different senses. There's a "trick" to legitimate breaking in that the practitioner is choosing materials and

I think that people might be using "trick" in two different senses. There's a "trick" to legitimate breaking in that the practitioner is choosing materials and techniques that lend themselves to breaking, but that doesn't mean that the actual break is faked. On the other hand, it's also possible to fake a break. For example, you can cut a piece of ice in half, put some water on each end of the cut, and stick them back together in the freezer so that the ice appears to be solid but actually has a weak spot. There can also be an element of showmanship. Even if a martial artist has done a break dozens of times, during a demo they might make a show of having to hype themselves up for the break, tensing their muscles with a dramatic hiss of their breath, etc.