Give me the heads up here.

[searcher]

I pm'd a member asking something similar to this question.

First a little background, I have been training since childhood and I have moved to BB rank in several styles(6th Dan is my highest). Now I have been kicking around the idea of taking up another style, not for the rank, but for the new material. I have decided to check out Hapkido as a possibility. Now I have seen some glimpses of this style, btu I want to know what I can expect, from a material standpoint? And anything else that might be of relevance. I am intrigued by the video footage I have seen on youtube, but I want to know more.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Gordon Nore]

Just keep your eyes open. There are TKD schools that say they teach Hapkido, but really just teach a few S/D techs. That said, some HKD schools to only close-quarter stuff -- others punch and kick as well. It's a pretty broad spectrum.

 

[searcher]

I plan on finding out more about the instructor before I make a go of it.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Hapkido involves striking, grappling, and joint locks, as well as rolls and falls. At advanced levels, weapon techniques are introduced as well. Our school's weapon curriculum is cane, belt, escrima sticks, long bo, spear and sword. To a great extent, hapkido is itself a mixed martial art.

Since I don't know what sort of training you have had specifically, I can't say how much brand new material you'd be picking up. It may depend on who the instructor is and what org, if any he or she is with.

Daniel

 

[arnisador]

Hapkido looks like jujutsu plus TKD (karate). All HKD schools strongly emphasize grappling; how much emphasis is placed on kicks varies from style to style, and org. to org.

 

[CDKJudoka]

Think more traditional jujutsu, as in the predecessor to Aikido, with lots of kicks. Some of which, IMHO, are flashier than TKD. It is a style I have always wanted to really learn.

 

[searcher]

Think more traditional jujutsu, as in the predecessor to Aikido, with lots of kicks. Some of which, IMHO, are flashier than TKD. It is a style I have always wanted to really learn.

So more like Aiki-jujitsu?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

So more like Aiki-jujitsu?

Yes. Hapkido and Aikido both have their roots in Daito ryu aiki-jujutsu. The strikes in hapkido were introduced by one of Choi's students (Jae Han Ji, I believe).

Daniel

 

[searcher]

Works for me, I understand the Aiki-jujitsu side of things.

 

[matt.m]

If you look at the most readily accepted history then the following is true: Choi, Young Sool and Moreiya Ueshiba both trained under Takkeda. Where is problem lies is that no one in Takkeda's camp wants to agree that Choi and Ueshiba trained under him. They accept Ueshiba wholehearted of course but not Choi.

However it does beg the question that is "Why does hapkido seem so similiar to Aikido. Well Takkeda taught Daito Ryu Aiki JuJitsu.

Daito Ryu and hapkido are quite similiar. I have seen many film footage of youtube where a direct similiarity between the Daito Ryu and Moo Sul Kwan Hapkido are the same.

On a side note* I have always wandered if Choi taught hapkido to everyone then why does Ji Han Jae his student get the credit for hapkido? It just seems wierd that yet the translation Choi used was Hapkiyusool and Yaharawa. However it was what he learned from Takkeda? So if there are so many borrowed techniques or applied differently then why all the fuss?*

This one thing seems to be a big reason why a lot of hapkidoan have their infighting politics I believe.

 

[hapkidonet]

Hapkido just might be the last style you ever study. It's a vastly comprehensive art with enough material to keep you learning for a lifetime. Though my understanding is that some of the Korean masters in the USA have abbreviated the curriculum because American students don't devote the kind of time necessary to learn 3,000 techniques.

 

[zDom]

Yes. Hapkido and Aikido both have their roots in Daito ryu aiki-jujutsu. The strikes in hapkido were introduced by one of Choi's students (Jae Han Ji, I believe).

Daniel

Daito ryu aiki-jujutsu has SOME striking.

Ji Han Jae and Mu-Hyun Kim (aka. Mu-Wung Kim, Moo-Woong Kim, Moo-Moong Kim) developed the dynamic kicking. The process involved visiting some temples.

 

[howard]

...my understanding is that some of the Korean masters in the USA have abbreviated the curriculum because American students don't devote the kind of time necessary to learn 3,000 techniques.

I'm skeptical of that 3,000+ hapkido techniques number (the number 3,808 is often quoted).

Even in Daito-ryu, today, to reach the menkyo kaiden level (complete transmission of the system - very few men hold this) requires knowledge of fewer than 1,000 techniques (856 to be exact, divided across six scrolls).

GM Lim Hyun Soo of the Jungkikwan told us that he performed 26 techniques for his 1st dan test under Choi Yong Sul. Similar in Daito-ryu - the 1st dan curriculum consists of 30 techniques (the ikkajo set).

 

[howard]

Daito ryu aiki-jujutsu has SOME striking.

Ji Han Jae and Mu-Hyun Kim (aka. Mu-Wung Kim, Moo-Woong Kim, Moo-Moong Kim) developed the dynamic kicking. The process involved visiting some temples.

Hi Scott,

Daito-ryu actually has plenty of striking. A lot of it fell by the way in Aikido as that art evolved over the years. Striking (atemi) in Daito-ryu is one of the seven basic methods of applying what they call "aiki" (unbalancing the attacker).

Choi clearly taught a wide variety of hand strikes. You're right about Ji and Kim adding the kicking, though. Choi taught a pretty limited number of kicking techniques (we do ten), mostly to targets below the waist.