What Hapkido Is:
So what does this mean? Hapkido is a "soft" art, using an attacker’s momentum and strength against them. While we will use punches
and kicks, we prefer to deflect and redirect an attacker's momentum and energy, instead of using brute force to attack them directly.
Hapkido is an excellent art for people who don't like wasting energy; it is designed to efficiently use as little energy as possible, for as
much effect as possible. It also means that in Hapkido, if there is no attack, then there is no need to defend. If there is an attack,
however, then an active defense is not only a good idea, but one that is morally acceptable, as well.
Hapkido is a Korean martial art. However, its lineage can be traced to the Japanese art of Aiki Jutsu, which is one of the major arts that
Morehei Ueshiba studied; after which he founded the art of Aikido. There are noticeable similarities in the mechanical principles behind
many of the techniques in Aikido and Hapkido.
The founder of Hapkido was Grandmaster Choi Yong Sool. There are a number of different stories of how exactly the name "Hapkido" was given
to the art, and who added what moves----however, most agree that in general, Grandmaster Choi initially started the art around 1950.
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What Hapkido Does:
Hapkido is like Aikido and Tae Kwon Do mixed. Does that mean if someone takes an Aikido class and a TKD class simultaneously, that
someone will be doing Hapkido? No.
In Hapkido, you are taught to defend yourself. (I am NOT saying that Aikido or TKD won't teach you to defend yourself.) But what is
important is HOW you are taught to do this. TKD is fun and I think Aikido is a beautiful art. However, after 10 weeks in an Aikido class
or TKD class, will you know the basics of self-defense, and have a glimpse into the correct mind set for keeping yourself safe? Probably
not. The reason for this is the emphasis of TKD and Aikido. They aren't lesser arts, not at all. But that isn't their MAIN emphasis. In
Hapkido, what we do is build character and our OUTWARD EXPRESSION of that character is learning how to defend ourselves. There are
no tournaments in Hapkido like most (but not all) TKD, and we concentrate on the concepts of keeping control of our lives through
defending ourselves, as opposed to the concepts stressed in Aikido.
The style of Hapkido that I teach has no forms, unlike many other arts. Instead, I teach many reactions or techniques to many situations. Many arts do this, but not to the extent in Hapkido.
Different arts are for different things. None better, none worse just different. Hapkido isn't a sport art; isn't a "blending" art, though
we do that; isn't an aerobic workout or exercise program, though it certainly works your body. The focus of Hapkido is specific:
self-defense.
Hapkido is for building character; that is done by defending ones self.
Designed By: Joseph Dunston
Last Updated: 07/25/05