As someone who has dabbled in martial arts, breaking blocks is not done by anyone serious. Thoae are all barely above stage clowing to anyone into the art. No offense to your friends, feeling powerful is valid too.
I'm not sure in which martial arts you dabbled or on which circuits; could you clarify there? Different martial arts are very different in on what they focus. Some don't really spar, some do. That doesn't make them better or worse, that means they are different styles with different foci.