Dwi Chugi
Orange Belt
Hello all. After reading a lot of great threads here on martial talk I have decided to start my first thread.
I have read several threads on what is true Hapkido vs hybrid Hapkido. I was going to call this "what is traditional Hapkido" but I am thinking that is too broad due to the fact each school has its own traditions. Anyways, I know it is said by Hapkidoin that Grandmaster Choi, learned aiki-jujitsu from Takeda Sensei in Japan for 30 years and was one of the only students of Takéda to learn all 3000 moves. GM Choi moved back to Korea in 1945 or 46 after being gone for 30 some odd years and starts teaching Yawara or Aiki-jujitsu. He later started calling his art Yu-Sul and it took several other names as well until the name was given to the art we so dearly love.
Now, under the umbrella of Hapkido we have different federations and associations. Within the federations and associations we have different kwans or schools. There was only one Choi Dojunim. He had a lot of students that became masters who had lots of students that have become masters and so on. A lot has been added to the art.
My linage goes Choi to Jung Hwan Park to Ron Berry to Me. Now, I have learned directly under Park, the majority of my Hapkido has come from Master Berry. I know there are people on this thread that are closer to Choi in linage then me and that is fine. I am proud of where I come from.
Both my master and grandmaster have served in the special ops in conflicts around the world. I worked as a bouncer and as a body guard for different groups performing here in Daytona. My grandmaster and master's preform their Hapkido very simular. My Hapkido is a little different. I'm a lot taller with longer limbs than my masters and so I have to adapt my technique but my principles are the same as theirs. I have also taken into affect that even though the human body has not changed, how they use the body as a weapon has. Judo as we know it today, is the the same Judo in the 1950's or 60's. Taekwondo today has changed. Karate is not the same. Fighting is not the same.
Master Park has admitted to adapting his Hapkido. Master Berry; I know has adapted his art, though his HKD looks more like GM Parks than mine. I have added techniques to my Hapkido and taken out the techniques that do not work as well now a days. I work on ground techniques because I am more likely to be attached by a wrestler or a BJJ fighter today than I would have been in yesteryear.
I call what I do, "MuSool Hapkido" because I feel like I use the principles of Hapkido but I add other martial techniques "MuSool" into what I teach. How many other schools add/take way techniques? Has Hapkido changed over time? Is what some of us teaching really hapkido? I know it may not be Choi's Hapkido but is that ok? If its not ok, should we come up with a different name or the Kwan we teach enough?
By the way, MuSool Hapkido is not a Kwan and is more of what I teach at my dojang because I know it works for me.
I would like to keep this friendly. I'm just raising some questions that have been implied on this Forum.
I have read several threads on what is true Hapkido vs hybrid Hapkido. I was going to call this "what is traditional Hapkido" but I am thinking that is too broad due to the fact each school has its own traditions. Anyways, I know it is said by Hapkidoin that Grandmaster Choi, learned aiki-jujitsu from Takeda Sensei in Japan for 30 years and was one of the only students of Takéda to learn all 3000 moves. GM Choi moved back to Korea in 1945 or 46 after being gone for 30 some odd years and starts teaching Yawara or Aiki-jujitsu. He later started calling his art Yu-Sul and it took several other names as well until the name was given to the art we so dearly love.
Now, under the umbrella of Hapkido we have different federations and associations. Within the federations and associations we have different kwans or schools. There was only one Choi Dojunim. He had a lot of students that became masters who had lots of students that have become masters and so on. A lot has been added to the art.
My linage goes Choi to Jung Hwan Park to Ron Berry to Me. Now, I have learned directly under Park, the majority of my Hapkido has come from Master Berry. I know there are people on this thread that are closer to Choi in linage then me and that is fine. I am proud of where I come from.
Both my master and grandmaster have served in the special ops in conflicts around the world. I worked as a bouncer and as a body guard for different groups performing here in Daytona. My grandmaster and master's preform their Hapkido very simular. My Hapkido is a little different. I'm a lot taller with longer limbs than my masters and so I have to adapt my technique but my principles are the same as theirs. I have also taken into affect that even though the human body has not changed, how they use the body as a weapon has. Judo as we know it today, is the the same Judo in the 1950's or 60's. Taekwondo today has changed. Karate is not the same. Fighting is not the same.
Master Park has admitted to adapting his Hapkido. Master Berry; I know has adapted his art, though his HKD looks more like GM Parks than mine. I have added techniques to my Hapkido and taken out the techniques that do not work as well now a days. I work on ground techniques because I am more likely to be attached by a wrestler or a BJJ fighter today than I would have been in yesteryear.
I call what I do, "MuSool Hapkido" because I feel like I use the principles of Hapkido but I add other martial techniques "MuSool" into what I teach. How many other schools add/take way techniques? Has Hapkido changed over time? Is what some of us teaching really hapkido? I know it may not be Choi's Hapkido but is that ok? If its not ok, should we come up with a different name or the Kwan we teach enough?
By the way, MuSool Hapkido is not a Kwan and is more of what I teach at my dojang because I know it works for me.
I would like to keep this friendly. I'm just raising some questions that have been implied on this Forum.