What is Hapkido?

Hapkido

The word "HAPKIDO" derives from 3 Korean words:

The Purpose of Hapkido

• To protect and defend one's self;
• To protect and defend one's family;
• To protect and defend one's community;
• To protect, defend and serve one's country; and, through this practice, the ultimate goal is to develop a well-rounded character.

The Method of Hapkido

The method of Hapkido is to take advantage of the opponent's force so the smaller, weaker person can defeat a larger, stronger attacker through the use of leverage, vital strikes, joint locks and throws.

Three Principles of Hapkido

Hapkido rests on 3 universal principles:

• The principle of Water: teaches the student to penetrate the defenses of an attacker by "flowing" in, around, over and under
• The principle of Circular Motion: teaches the student to redirect (vs. directly opposing) an attacker's energy by moving in a circular direction and controlling the attacker's balance and kinetic energy
• The principle of Non-resistance (Harmony): teaches the student to remain relaxed and flexible and not to meet force with force

A Brief History

The historical facts regarding Hapkido's development are lost. Years of military occupation by the Japanese who invaded in 1910, forced the Korean martial arts to go underground in order to survive. It was only after WWII that Hapkido became available to the man on the street. From its beginning only selected Buddhist monks and members of the royal family were allowed to learn Hapkido's deadly techniques.

Its beginnings, however, date back to the 7th century A.D. during the Silla Dynasty, when young members of the noble families formed an organization known as the Hwa-Rang-Do (literally translated as "The Way of the Flower Youth"). This movement closely paralleled European knighthood in many ways. This was the era during which martial fighting techniques were formalized. The Hwa-Rang-Do ultimately disappeared and its martial fighting techniques disappeared from mainstream noble society as well. The teachings survived, however, in isolated monasteries. It was during this time that exchanges between Korean monks and their Chinese counterparts brought the Chinese influence to the Korean martial arts. This influence is noted in Hapkido's circular blocks, its spinning kicks and the emphasis on focus and control. It was during this period also that the Korean fighting arts became known as tae kyun.

Shortly after the Japanese occupation began, Choi Yong Suhl, a master of tae kyun emigrated to Japan where he studied a Japanese system called daito ryu or dai ju-jutsu (systems which are credited with being the forerunners of Judo and Aikido. At the end of WWII, Master Choi returned to Korea and founded the first school to teach Hapkido (1951), an amalgam of tae kyun and ju-jutsu. With some devoted disciples, Master Choi refined the system technically and theoretically. Master Choi died in 1987 but his work was carried on by his top student Ji Han Jae. Ji Han Jae served as the trainer for President Park Chung Hee's Secret Service body guards. After President Park died, Master Ji emigrated to the U.S. and established a school in the San Francisco area.

Is Hapkido Korean Aikido?

No. The Korean characters for Hapkido translate in Japanese as Aikido and vice versa. However, although there is a similarity, there are many more differences both technically and philosophically. Similarities involve the use of the attacker's force against him by blending with his energy. The similarities end with what happens next. The aikidoist will continue the soft blending motions until the opponent gives up in exhaustion, confusion or frustration. The hapkidoist follows up with counter measures that result in control, incapacitation, or even death. These arts are not the same. They were founded at different times, in different countries by different masters.

Martial Art vs. Street Fight

Hapkido is the Korean martial art of self-defense. It is practiced best when practiced traditionally as an art as opposed to informal practice as street style self defense. Of course, there are those who will disagree with this position; and certainly, a good argument can be made for straight-forward defense techniques. After all, the best techniques are simple and straight-forward.

However, our position is that there is substantially more to Hapkido than merely street-level self-defense. There is, for example, the development of:

• a state of physical well-being through physical exercises performed in harmony with the nature of the body's physical structure and the mechanics of movement
• a disciplined economy of motion that refines itself with continuous practice over time
• a critical assessment of an aggressive mind and/or body in motion toward oneself
• an ability to truly listen to another without challenging/provoking and to respond appropriately to another likewise without challenging/provoking
• an ability to seek and find solutions which are non-combative both verbally and physically
• a judgment (discretion) which informs an appropriate response delivering not too little and not too much energy
• a deep sense of self worth that won't allow one's self to be a victim, while at the same time not taking undue advantage of another
• an ability to blend one's energy with an opponent's (as opposed to meeting force with force where, undoubtedly, the "stronger" will prevail)
• a respect for all persons, places and things

Good self-defense is first of all a positive state of mind which is backed up by the ability to take appropriate and measured action.