Hapkido Q&A's

[American HKD]

Hello all,

As I reflect why it is so hard for some to accept a single source for Hapkido (and here, I will say that this includes the Ji tradition because the only person we KNOW he trained with is Choi), maybe the answer is simple - becasue if there is a single source that passed away as late as 1986, and your tradition has NOTHING to do with CHOI (again, not Ji folks here) - and you call what you do Hapkido, I would think you would feel lied to and betrayed by whoever told you what you were learning was Hapkido...

Sincerely,

Kevin Sogor

Dear Kevin,

I'm not sure what you mean here, Ji followers and the vast majority of the Hapkido community beleive Ji coined the name Hapkido end of story.

( Now I'm only talking about the name HKD at this point ).

Choi called it Yawara or maybe Hapki Yu Sool, Hapki Kwan Yu Sool etc. I beleive it had a few names until Ji founded the name HKD and the name stuck universally.

That's the basis for Ji's traditions and that's why many would hold that Ji himself is the real Founder of HAPKIDO in name and in curriculum.
Choi's Art being a major source of the of the system as you put it.

The same thing happened in the same time period with Joo Bang Lee founder Hwarang Do and In Sun Hyuk founder Kook Sool Won. Re-organize the same material with a different flavor.

Check out He Young Kim and his Han Mu Do system, he did the same thing as Ji, Joo Bang Lee etc. right here in the USA. same material different name.

My point being is Hapkido is somewhat different from Hapki Yu Sool and although very close in thier roots "NOT THE SAME ART" so from this point of veiw Hapkido is Ji's Art alone and not a clone technique for technique of Choi's teachings as some claim.

With that being said that's all I'm doing is sharing my take on the subject, but I really don't one way or another care as Mike T said. We should all share what we can!

 

[glad2bhere]

My original post was to outline the possible options descending from a single source----- the very options you folks are beginning to debate. THIS is why such suggestions as Mike Dunn made some time back are not going to work.

a.) Its not that people cannot work together, its that their investment in a particular belief system eclipses their ability to tolerate another point of view.

b.) Its not that other points of view are not valid but that investment in a particular point of view takes precedence over trust and caring which would allow for sharing and exchange.

c.) Its not that people CAN'T share or exchange, but that folks seem to want the position of control over what they view as proprietary information so that THEY and THEY ALONE are identified as the source of that proprietary information.

d.) Flipping the coin over there are people who are not dedicated to the Hapkido arts who simply want to collect information on the cheap with as little expense to themselves as possible. That information is then compromised by being mixed with material from other arts or not taught in its original form.

I'm not pointing any fingers at anyone. All I am saying is that every so often folks ask why we can't all just get along. Here are the reasons its not happening and its going to take character and commitment to overcome this. To my way of thinking people are either willin g to address these issues or I think we need to quit kidding ourselves that we can work together in any meaningful way. Thoughts? Comments?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[iron_ox]

Hello Stuart,

Again, completely agree about sharing. The only points I make are based on documented comments from Ji and others - what they do in a dojang is quite seperate from that - but I do believe that what you say is at least as important as what you do.

From saying that, if we believe that Ji coined the term Hapkido, HE claims that he gave it to Choi to use out of respect. It is well documented that Choi used the term for YEARS. My point was more that the only documented source of training that we can find for Ji is Choi - therefore, Choi is the root.

Moreover, this is how I look at it, when I was looking for a source of protein in Korea, it was suggested to me I try SPAM (thanks, Todd...) so I did and liked it, now, was it SPAM because of the name? No, the name was irrelevant really. It was SPAM because of what was in the can - now, if you dump it out and dress it up with garnish, it is STILL SPAM - so, I'm less concerned with what it is called, (it is convenient for conversation to have a single name) and I don't really care how much garnish YOU use, it is still the same basic thing. E.G. I don't really care how you dress it up, lots of kicks, blah, blah, the root of Hapkido is Choi.

Now the other issue in that post that I raised is that (here is the SPAM analogy again) if I bought a can of SPAM and opened it to find horse droppings, I would be upset. SO, if I were involved in an art that Claimed to be Hapkido, but had no connection to Choi at all, not through a Ji root, etc. I would be very upset. My point is that there are lots of those types of "Hapkido" schools floating around in this country, with claims to so and so, but no real link - those are the students we should be protecting and identifying the fakes for who they are...

Once again, if the Ji curriculum works for you, fine. I am STILL constantly surprised at the comments made by Ji over the years. Now we are being told that he will leave no one in charge and everyone should take his material and make it their own. Despite this being contrary to his last interview, if this is the case then Sin Moo dies with him, and hail the raise of the garage version of Hapkido - more like Jeet Kune Hapkido...from Jeet Kune Do the style that never was and was never supposed to be - everyone will claim domain over their own bit of knowledge, with no real well spring. I have always believed that orgaization like a pyramid produced the best martial artists, and arts, with the death of Ji, if he indeed leaves no single head, there will be an unprecedented collapse in his branch of the Hapkido tree...

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Kevin:

".......Moreover, this is how I look at it, when I was looking for a source of protein in Korea, it was suggested to me I try SPAM (thanks, Todd...) so I did and liked it, now, was it SPAM because of the name? No, the name was irrelevant really. It was SPAM because of what was in the can - now, if you dump it out and dress it up with garnish, it is STILL SPAM - so, I'm less concerned with what it is called, (it is convenient for conversation to have a single name) and I don't really care how much garnish YOU use, it is still the same basic thing. E.G. I don't really care how you dress it up, lots of kicks, blah, blah, the root of Hapkido is Choi......"

This might be a fine analogy to use.

1.) So a quick thanks to Todd for introducing you to Spam. Fair enough. And apparently you have a keen taste for the brand of spam he introduced you to. Thats OK. I would point out that there are a number of brands of Spam on the market. Personally I enjoy the brand that I was introduced to.

2.) The making of Spam did not start with the particular brand that you were introduced to. In fact, processed meat has been around for a couple hundred years and preserved meat has been around for many thousands of years. I have no qualms with you teasing out a particular brand of a particular processed meat but I would reserve the right to view the brand I like as most satisfying for MY palate.

3.) Furthermore, I wonder if the overall quality of Spam and its enjoyment might increase if we got together and considered as a group of "spam afficianados" the relative merits of one brand against another, the inclusion or exclusions of spices, debate the relative merits of various cooking procedures and so forth.

4.) Now I also admit that there will be marketing thieves who will attend a few get-togethers and then rip-off some ideas and then market them as their own. However, I think the overall quality of Spam will benefit in the long run.

Back in a bit. Gotta go make a sandwich.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[glad2bhere]

"........Once again, if the Ji curriculum works for you, fine. I am STILL constantly surprised at the comments made by Ji over the years. Now we are being told that he will leave no one in charge and everyone should take his material and make it their own. Despite this being contrary to his last interview, if this is the case then Sin Moo dies with him, and hail the raise of the garage version of Hapkido - more like Jeet Kune Hapkido...from Jeet Kune Do the style that never was and was never supposed to be - everyone will claim domain over their own bit of knowledge, with no real well spring. I have always believed that orgaization like a pyramid produced the best martial artists, and arts, with the death of Ji, if he indeed leaves no single head, there will be an unprecedented collapse in his branch of the Hapkido tree..."

The only way this is going to happen is if we continue to pursue the Hapkido arts as some sort of proprietary information to be exclusively provided by only select or authorized sources. People seem to be fighting very strong for this and it has not been proven that this approach does the martial arts any good. TKD may still be around but look at the nature of its quality and practice. Commerce and marketing require that the original be modified in deference to what the public will tolerate. Passing the art along through less tightly controlled access maynot guarentee that the money will all go one way or another but at least the people who practice will care about the art. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[American HKD]

Dear Kevin,

Ji told me himself that what he teaches to us is the ROOT system. What we do with it is up to us and we'll be branches of the tree with Ji as the trunk. I think he feels that's his legacy or something to teach and inspire not control every move.

If he's fine with that so why should'nt we as his students?

That's one reason I like him so much because he's non-judgemental and open to ideas, growth, and personal differances in people, abilities, body types just to name a few.

Ji's Sin Moo will won't collapse completely but the unskilled practioners will be weeded out quickly enough if they cant demonstrate the standard skills and requirements. Or some people will sart thier own Sin Moo Assocations.
The rest will find thier way into other Associations if thier good players.

All I can say is I'm learning alot from him so far.

 

[iron_ox]

Hello Bruce,

Continuing with the processed meat anaology (why did I start this...) I would have to disagree a bit. SPAM is SPAM, other processed meat is whatever it is. When I open SPAM, I know exactly what I am getting. Now, You or I could take that stuff and dress it up, or eat it plain (my preference), but it is STILL SPAM. SPAM is not pepperoni, or cotto salami, nor is it a jennie-o turkey breast, it is SPAM. My point was, it could be called PUKE for all I care, it would still be SPAM - and there is none like it...further, there was processed meat that came before and after, but SPAM is the same as it was when it was first introduced - it hasn't changed. It is a benchmark of canned meat...all that came before it was just processed meat, then there was SPAM...

Back to the real world, Ji claims the anem Hapkido was his and he gave it to Choi, cool. Other Choi students went on to dress their SPAM differently, and give it other names - here is where it gets complicated - the root is still SPAM, BUT when the flavor and the texture has been modified to such a degree that there is no similarity to the original product, then SPAM is only the main ingredient - but call it what you will, it ain't pork roast, only changed SPAM.

Lunch does sound good...

 

[iron_ox]

Hello Stuart,

Again, I'm not at all disagreeing with what he wants to do, that is totally his perogotive. I am again simply making an observation about what has been printed vs. this newer material.

Now, for my part, I will say that when the charasmatic leader of any system dies without leaving a single equally charismatic head, things in other styles have headed south very fast, with everyone claiming control of the mantle. Look at Wing Chun (or however you would like to romanize it) after the death of GM Yip Man.

Please don't misunderstand, I am not commenting on content of style, but the context of the statements that are made. Again, from the last published article, Chris Garland was supposed to assume some sort of figure head role, now that appears not to be true. Again, it is interesting, but very conflicting. My interest here is that the general population that may read our stuff is as completely informed as possible...that's all. It is important to note that I am not making distinctions about what Ji says to you during training or in private, but it is the public persona that we can all identify with - which is often at odds with the Ji you say you know.

 

[iron_ox]

Hello Bruce,

OK, if we as students of Hapkido do not have proprietary sources such as the small number of GM listed here then what do we have? A buddy collection that meets to pat each other on the back and say good job? I believe we must have proprietary sources that guide us with correct technique - but if not what do you suggest?

 

[SmellyMonkey]

Kevin and Bruce-

You guys are freaking nuts. :uhyeah:

This conversation isn't going anywhere. You have one side that sees the world in shades of gray. You have the other side that sees the world in black and white. You can't force someone who sees in black and white to accept the grays, just like you can't force someone who sees the grays to ignore the different shades and only accept black and white.

Interesting quote from Patrick McCarthy in the book Martial Arts Talk by Mark Wiley.

"Q: WHy do you believe contemporary practitioners of the arts feel a need to develop their own, "new" styles?

Aeople always find a need to reinterpret things in their own way, for varying reasons. However, I can assure everyone reading this that nothing new is ever created (relating to martial arts) that hasn't existed before with regard to applications of principles-there are just more improved ways to impart the same thing!

Q: You have been known to illustrate this point in a very real way during your seminars. WOuld you care to share with us your method for doing so?

A: In modern times we suffer from the proverbial "best style, best school, best teacher" phenomenon.

If I have eight or ten different styles there, I'l take a volunterr from each group and a guinea pig-usually the guy most clouded by narrow visioin. I blindfold him and tell him to prepare himself to withstand controlled impacts to the chest, the stomach, and a joint lock. I call one of the volunteers to strike, kick, and joint lock him. I then removed the blindfold from teh recipient and I ask him "what style punched you first? What style kicked you second? What style bent your joint third?"

Invariably, the answers are always the same: "I can't answer the question because I wasn't visually stimulated.""

Great quote, I believe.

I don't care if Choi "invented" hapkido or someone else "invented" hapkido. I just care that hapkido, as taught by master, makes SENSE to me. I believe and agree with its theories and "mission statement". That is all that matters to me.

Jeremy

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Kevin:

"....OK, if we as students of Hapkido do not have proprietary sources such as the small number of GM listed here then what do we have? A buddy collection that meets to pat each other on the back and say good job? I believe we must have proprietary sources that guide us with correct technique - but if not what do you suggest?...."

I will suggest and continue to suggest what I have always suggested--- the use of the traditional Kwan approach to passing these traditions along. The only value to proprietary information is to make sure that people get their rewards for managing it. Thats what it is. Proprietary information = Rewards.

1.) Proprietary information does not allow for development.

2.) Proprietary information does not allow for change.And in case people have lost sight of this the very strength of Korean Martial tradition has been adaptability and change.

3.) What proprietary information does is assures the person who has authority over that information that they get their fair compensation.

4.) It sounds like to me that what you are actually making an arguement for is to have bragging rights to the most authentic lineage so that you have a reasonable claim to having the most reasonable flow of money in your direction.

Now I don't have a problem with this last point except that you must admit that such motives are more than enough to keep you from examioning what we are talking about in an objective way, yes?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Jeremy:

Perhaps you have not been keeping up with current events, so you may not realize what you are looking at in this string. Please allow me to enlighten you.

For the last two decades people have been arguing about Hapkido. Most of what they have focused on has been oral traditions and personalities. The reason that they debate these points is that its easier to do and no one can actually hold another accountable for simply having an opinion.

If however, you begin at the start of this string you will notice some very telling patterns both in what is said and what has not been said. With the advent of the Internet we can almost discuss these things in real time. Furthermore the responses can be bumped up against each other in black&white.

Now, there is an attitude that comes along with frustration at these sorts of strings, and the rejoinder to that frustration is "I don't care" or "who cares".
Fact of the matter is that people who stop caring about this side of the MA wind up being defrauded by people who come along and misrepresent things.
When this happens you will read things like "Korean martial traditions died out a long time ago" or "Kumdo is just the Korean name for Kendo" or "if it weren't for Japan Korea would have no martial traditions". Part of the responsibility of training in KMA is taking responsibility to maintaining the integrity of the arts. Kevin has this take on the subject and I have mine and Todd has his and Michael has.... well, you get the picture. Where we get into trouble is when people STOP talking and into the vacuum comes a guy talking S*** and there is nobody to care that he is doing that. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[iron_ox]

Now, there is an attitude that comes along with frustration at these sorts of strings, and the rejoinder to that frustration is "I don't care" or "who cares".
Fact of the matter is that people who stop caring about this side of the MA wind up being defrauded by people who come along and misrepresent things. ...
Part of the responsibility of training in KMA is taking responsibility to maintaining the integrity of the arts. Kevin has this take on the subject and I have mine and Todd has his and Michael has.... well, you get the picture. Where we get into trouble is when people STOP talking and into the vacuum comes a guy talking S*** and there is nobody to care that he is doing that. FWIW.

Hello Bruce,

Bravo! Here, I will agree 100%! It is when people stop talking when the BS starts to rise...I make no claims to greatness, but I will add my perspective based on the evidence others produce - we all should.

Jeremy, (don't take this personally - it is more a global statement) to not care about the martial art you study in all its facets, I would just say quit now while you are ahead. A martial art (any of them) is more than ways of knocking out an opponent - it is a philosophy, mental discipline, physical discipline and a root to guide life. To simply throw your hands up and say "I don't care" means you are either learning wrong or being taught wrong. The best anaolgy I can come up with is when someone is asked if they have ever done a martial art and the answer is "yeah, Karate" - then asked "what kind" they say "the punching and kicking kind..." - they missed the whole point here I think.

Bruce, about the commercial aspect of proprietary information, I have never mentioned money, it is only a real issue to you. I believe that strong lineage does mean that I can advertise better and grow a stronger school, but the frauds seem to raking it in a whole lot faster than me...

Funny thing is that the guys with strong lineage never seem to question about money...

I would also add from my perspective that the thought that proprietary information does not allow for growth and change is a stilted view - technique RARELY changes - application can always be adapted - but only if the correct technique is learned...so I see proprietary knowledge of technique as very important.

 

[American HKD]

Hello Stuart,

Again, I'm not at all disagreeing with what he wants to do, that is totally his perogotive. I am again simply making an observation about what has been printed vs. this newer material.

Now, for my part, I will say that when the charasmatic leader of any system dies without leaving a single equally charismatic head, things in other styles have headed south very fast, with everyone claiming control of the mantle. Look at Wing Chun (or however you would like to romanize it) after the death of GM Yip Man.

Please don't misunderstand, I am not commenting on content of style, but the context of the statements that are made. Again, from the last published article, Chris Garland was supposed to assume some sort of figure head role, now that appears not to be true. Again, it is interesting, but very conflicting. My interest here is that the general population that may read our stuff is as completely informed as possible...that's all. It is important to note that I am not making distinctions about what Ji says to you during training or in private, but it is the public persona that we can all identify with - which is often at odds with the Ji you say you know.

Dear Kevin,

I understand what you mean and I don't know whats in Ji head in fact I dont talk about politics at all with him very much I don't feel it's my place but sometimes he will just make comments.

Most likely one well respected person or several people will try to start thier own Sin Moo Associations, like what happened when Ed Parker died or Yip Man and others.

Hopefully someone or maybe more than one person will emerge with the people skills and the technical skills to make it happen, if not it will be a mess.

 

[greendragon]

Sin Moo will be just fine... there are plenty of good guys that train very hard.. guys like Sean Bradley, Rick Nabors, Javier Agosto, Mike McCarty, Todd Deninger, Tony Pak, etc. etc... and when we get together we train hard and have fun... there is a brotherhood that is based on hardcore Hapkido with lots of sweat and respect. the best thing Doju Nim Ji could do is teach us Sin Moo and then push us out of the nest so to speak..he wants you to fly on your own... we have a good solid curriculum and plenty of knowledgable points of view.. and lots of guys who want to train hard without being the chief... what could be better than that. I will say that over the years there has been some controversy between what is real and what is not..just know that from our end that is in contact with Ji there is NO successor and like I say that was told to us in May along with about 15 other people there. The successor thing is really comical because everyone who has claimed to be a inheritor or sucessor so far are people who have only trained with Ji once and then wrote huge articles about the experience... hillarious. you guys have to understand that Doju Nim Ji never even looks at those magazines and has someone tell him who wrote what later,, he is totally unaware of all the junk out there flying around....the one person who has actually trained with Ji Han Jae the longest is GM Yung T Freda and he NEVER claims or acts like that in any way...as a matter of fact I just got word he moved to Latvia with his wife, he is a class act and VERY good in Hapkido.

Michael Tomlinson

 

[glad2bhere]

Well, then Kevin, if money or recognition or reward are niot a factor then I would start to call your reasoning strongly into question.

If Choi taught a Japanese tradition,

and

Dojunim Lim states that he teaches a Japanese tradition

and you have strong feelings about having the source being as pure as can reasonably be expected,

then I am not sure why you are bothering with Hapkido as you are framing it.
Why not simply study DRAJJ and be done with it?

The source of the material is non-specific in that Chois' background cannot be documented.
The current host of resources and personalities have all put their own spin on things so that Chois' tradition is no longer available. What exactly is it that you are championing? It can't be Chois' tradition because nobody is sure what that is. It was never documented in its entirety and nobody can prove what it was that he learned.His material bumped up against Jangs or Takedas' is not the same, and neither does it resemble Kondos'.
Its can't be Korean martial arts because you and Todd and even Dojunim Lim agree that the material being taught is Japanese.
If You are saying that you are not representing Chois' material as proprietary and doing that for some sort of recognition or gain what is it you are wanting to declare? So we have a person, now deceased, who learned "something", taught "something" and then died. His heirs are all teaching their own take on whatever it was that THEY think was what they learned and what they want to teach. What exactly are you positing?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[iron_ox]

Hello Bruce,

Well let's see, I run a commercial school, so yes, I need to get paid for that. I need to eat, and since I teach Hapkido for a living, I need money for that purpose...so yes, i guess I need money, but you make all this sound like a demonic enterprise - sorry if past experiences have jaded you, but getting paid a reasonable sum for training someone I think is quite normal.

Grandmaster Lim does not refer to himself as Dojunim, never has.

The recognition I seek is personal, when I tell someone that I teach Hapkido, I want to know in my heart that what I am teaching is as authentic as I can make it. Now, I am certainly of the belief that Choi spent 30+ years in Japan and came back with a huge martial repetoire, this is without question. He never studied in Korea, SO what he taught was Japanese in its origin. Maybe you ought to except the fact that what you have been taught is Japanese, not ancient Korean, not mystical Chinese. Now is it DRAJJ, no, not the version you see today. I accept Choi's story, which means he was with Takeda longer than anyone - hence it is going to be different given the teaching style and lifestyle of Takeda.

Who says Choi's tradition is no longer available? Sorry, wrong again. Grandmaster Lim carries on the Choi tradition. I mean, you just spent 12 days with Kim, Yun Sang who also claims to teach the Choi tradition - is he also not telling the truth? How do you figure that Choi's tradition is not documented - maybe in your training experience, not mine.

How do you invoke Jang, Im Mok or Takeda's material - have you seen either? Doubt it seriously. Even the modern DRAJJ admit they do not know all of Takeda's material - I suspect Choi learned more than current DRAJJ know today.

You are the ONLY person that is concerned with making Hapkido more Korean than it is - more than the Koreans do I feel. You seek to link martial traditions from China and Korea but can document no persons or arts that create a link. You want to link Chin Na somehow, well its only a little older than Hapkido, never spread to Korea in any meaningful way, and what I have seen of it is only a crude version of what I have been taught in Hapkido.

Bruce, how did Choi know who Takeda was? Because he was there. You struggle so hard to reconsile your own training experiences where you were not told the truth, I'm sorry for that, but the reach to create Chin Na, Mantis, and Kwon Bup links from 500 year old books to the art that was taught by Choi is futile.

Everyone you have EVER trained with traces back to Choi - no one else. Now if I try to get as close to the source as possible through the longest training students of Choi to ensure that I am teaching the tradition I claim where is the harm there - just giving folks value for money. You might be able to bluster your way past many with long posts and emotional calls for "train in DRAJJ", but I've seen this response for years - it comes from the people who unfortunately are really insecure with their training and ability, have been taken advantage of financially and lied to about the lineage of their art and their instructors. To this, I can only be sad and hope they find a way that satisfies them.

Bruce, all I have ever said is simple: Dojunim Choi taught an art that became known BY HIM as Hapkido (with all deference to Ji's involvement with the name). He learned this art in Japan, he did no training in Korea. He taught what he learned to his students, some stayed longer (and learned more than others). Lots of offshoots started, with many names and a variety of additions. Good for them. I have always been interested in the original teachings - which the founders of the offshoots got. That is what I know I am teaching now. I don't care what "country of origin" or "country of benefit" Hapkido comes from. Choi was Korean, taught in Korea, mostly to Koreans, hence, Hapkido, Korean art of Self-defense.

Get my reasoning? Quite simple really.

 

[SmellyMonkey]

Jeremy, (don't take this personally - it is more a global statement) to not care about the martial art you study in all its facets, I would just say quit now while you are ahead. A martial art (any of them) is more than ways of knocking out an opponent - it is a philosophy, mental discipline, physical discipline and a root to guide life. To simply throw your hands up and say "I don't care" means you are either learning wrong or being taught wrong. The best anaolgy I can come up with is when someone is asked if they have ever done a martial art and the answer is "yeah, Karate" - then asked "what kind" they say "the punching and kicking kind..." - they missed the whole point here I think.

What "I don't care" about is who exactly founded the art. Which governing body has the write to say what is and what is not hapkido. What happens if Joe Schmo down the street opens a "hapkido" school as a 1st dan and doesn't have a clue how to do basic techniques. And the other politics that go with the art.

These things are not hapkido to me. I find them interesting, but I don't CARE about them.

What is hapkido to me?

It is a "do" or "way" art. I believe that if I continue to train and learn and work hard, I will fulfill my potential. Not just with the martial art, but with life.

It is an art, not a sport. I can learn very effective fighting techniques that will be useful in a street fight. I can use hapkido to control an drunk friend, to restrain a mentally unstable (but mostly harmless) person on the train who is hitting someone with an umbrella, or to break the neck of someone who intends to kill or maim me.

It is spiritual. Behind all the "motions" is a philosophy of ki and how to use your ki. This isn't something I as a westerner am used to, but something that amazes me every day.

And hapkido is huge. I can learn about punchs, ridge hands, kicks, throws, ground techniques, wrist locks, arm bars, weapons... I can spend my life learning and never learn everything there is to learn.

Hapkido is my art. I think about it all day at work. I train as often as I can with work and family. I read books that are related in some way to hapkido or other martial arts. I lift weights specifically to gain a higher or stronger kick. I wake up in the mornings to stretch.

And in another ten years or so I hope to open a school of my own. I am saving enough money so I don't have to worry about the school being anymore than a break-even operation.

You say that you weren't directing the comment specifically at me. Yet, in some way, you have judged me.

I may not care about the same things you do. I may not have trained as long as you have. I may not agree with all of your ideas. But I deserve to call hapkido my art. And I don't care what other people say about that.

Respectfully,

Jeremy

 

[SmellyMonkey]

Dear Jeremy:


For the last two decades people have been arguing about Hapkido. Most of what they have focused on has been oral traditions and personalities. The reason that they debate these points is that its easier to do and no one can actually hold another accountable for simply having an opinion.

If however, you begin at the start of this string you will notice some very telling patterns both in what is said and what has not been said. With the advent of the Internet we can almost discuss these things in real time. Furthermore the responses can be bumped up against each other in black&white. ".

I've tried point to a born-again Christian the logical flaws of his belief that the bible is the word of God. You know what? I didn't get anywhere. He got pissed off and I got pissed off.

I've said this before. People build a belief system with martial arts like others build a belief system with religion. You can't fight a belief system like this. So why try?

Now, there is an attitude that comes along with frustration at these sorts of strings, and the rejoinder to that frustration is "I don't care" or "who cares".
Fact of the matter is that people who stop caring about this side of the MA wind up being defrauded by people who come along and misrepresent things.
When this happens you will read things like "Korean martial traditions died out a long time ago" or "Kumdo is just the Korean name for Kendo" or "if it weren't for Japan Korea would have no martial traditions".

Until martial arts governing bodies are given "trademark" protection (God help us!) over the use of an art's name, this can't be stopped. Besides, people have been defrauded (relating to martial arts) for thousands of years.

I've heard Koreans say that martial arts first past on to Japan through Korea. So, therefore DARJJ is actually a KOREAN martial art. Probably someone in China would argue that arts first past to Korea through China, so DARJJ is actually a Chinese martial art. And so on.

Off to class I go to learn whatever the hell is I am learning. I just know that it ROCKS

Jeremy

 

[greendragon]

Very well said Jeremy.....knowing is in the practice...
Michael Tomlinson