Intro and Question

[hapki68]

Hap Ki, Everyone,

I found this site today and am pretty excited about it.

Although I just created a post on Meet and Greet to introduce myself and explain a little about me, I wanted to post a "hi" on here to my hapkido buddies.

So how did you all decide to practice hapkido? What do you think of it now that you're doing it?

Anyone in the general DC area?

 

[Davejlaw]

I'm in Columbia which is about 40 minutes north of DC and 30 minutes south of Baltimore. Glad to meet another local Hapkidoin! I train in Eldersburg which is about 25-30 from where I live.

 

[hapki68]

Hey there, Dave... nice to meet you. So how long have you been practicing hapkido? What belt are you? Do you know many hapkidoists in the area? What's your dojang like?

I started back in September, so I haven't been with it too long. And I'm not 100% sure hapkido is the perfect art for me and that my school is exactly right either. I love martial arts and can imagine doing them in one form or another til I die, but I'm not sure about hapkido.

I'm a pretty cerebral guy, and I haven't found as much written on hapkido as aikido. Plus, my instructor doesn't speak much English (although he's a very good teacher) so we don't talk much about philosophy and other stuff I like. I like the art aspect of martial arts just as much as the fighting, and I'm not sure how much of that hapkido has.

Finally, I was hoping for a little more comradarie/teammanship than I'm getting in my school. I think it's harder to bond with people in a sport that doesn't have competitions.

 

[Paul B]

Hi Hapki68..and welcome to the Hapkido section..it is truly great to have a person such as yourself stop by to learn. There is a ton of experience here so don't be afraid to load up on questions,whatever they might be.

I would also agree that there isn't really a ton of Hapkido books out there. One I might suggest is what's known as the "Hapkido Bible",but simply titled "Hapkido" and Hapkido 2"...written by Dr. He Young Kimm..they're pretty pricey(about $100)..but well worth their weight in gold.

I am sorry to hear that you might be having some problems with your Hapkido..everyone at one stage or another goes through it..so don't sweat the small stuff,eh? We do have a great bunch of guys on this forum..so feel free to jump right in.

 

[hapki68]

Thanks Paul... I appreciate the support. And I'm looking forward to getting to know other hapkidists.

Got back from my class about 2 hours ago. We're practicing low spinning back kicks -- among others -- and they're tough. My left leg feels like it's been through a few hundred squats.

We're also learning blocks, strikes and wrist locks to counter a punch to the face.

I'm wondering how closely what's required for belts at one school matches up with that of other schools. I'm doing this stuff to get a blue belt with red stripe.

Any sense of that?

 

[Paul B]

Got back from my class about 2 hours ago. We're practicing low spinning back kicks -- among others -- and they're tough. My left leg feels like it's been through a few hundred squats.

They're not my favorite,either..I'm just not built for 'em. They're useful to be proficient at,though.

We're also learning blocks, strikes and wrist locks to counter a punch to the face.

I'm wondering how closely what's required for belts at one school matches up with that of other schools. I'm doing this stuff to get a blue belt with red stripe.

I can't answer for others..but in my class there are no stripes. As far as Bhang Kwon Sool being taught at blue belt..that is right on the money in our class. That (blue belt/4th Gup)level is by no means our first look at punch defense..it's just when we're required to know it backwards and forwards.

I think you'll find out more as you go along that not every Hapkido Dojang follows the same curriculum..even within the same Kwan. People have their favorites and their own personal take on technique.All that's important really is that nothing gets left out in transmission.

 

[matt.m]

hello, I am Matt. I was in the Marine Corps from 92-97. I have been back in class since February. I am also studying Tae Kwon Do. A quick lineage for you guys.

Choi - Founder. Won-Kwang Wha and Ji han jae who were classmates of Choi. Lee H. Park learned from Won-Kwang Wha. My pop and my current instructor learn Hapkido from Lee.

 

[hapki68]

Hey there, Matt... that's quite a background. Guess Korean Martial arts are in your bloodstream at this point. How proficient are you in TKD or Hapkido? Have a preference?

 

[kelly keltner]

welcome

 

[matt.m]

Hapkido is in my blood man. I loved Judo as well, I have my Brown 2nd in Judo. However, hapkido is in my blood. I love Hapkido, working the modified, as well as the wrist and clothes techniques. I haven't formally started working the cane techniques yet.

However, I love Tae Kwon Do. As a martial art and physical therapy resource. I get an awesome workout just working the forms, getting the snap and pop of the technique. Tae Kwon Do is an excellent workout.

I don't have a distinct preference between the two. I would say I like them both the same for different reasons.

How long have you been training in hapkido? I find it interesting that there is no set cirriculum for the art. Not like in Tae Kwon Do, there you have the forms to pattern after.

However, it was structured to be a little unstructured. Choi, when he taught his 1st 11 students he wanted them to start different school names and be a little different so it wasn't the same old same old.

This last bit is from my teacher telling me what Great Grandmaster Park told him. That is why Moo Sul Kwan Hapkido is different from Kuk Sool Hapkido etc.

 

[Davejlaw]

Hapki68- I have been studying Hapkido for about 4 years total with a big injury break in the middle. I don't know many people at all studying Hapkido in my area as my school is 20-30 miles away from my house but all the folks at my school are very nice and into the art. I knew right off the bat that Hapkido was the right style for me. I knew that I wasn't looking for a sport martial art and there were an abundance of TKD schools around the area. Our school's federation is the USKMAF (US Korean Martial Arts Federation) and is headed by Grandmaster JR West. He is a friend and sometimes student of Dr. He-Young Kimm whose book was recommended to you. Dr. Kimm is usually at our seminars which take place in Jackson, Mississippi where GM West is based out of. My school has a few things I don't like about it but overall I'm very happy there and wouldn't trade it. I know a few schools that are good in my area but they would be a haul coming from Alexandria, VA.

 

[matt.m]

I am going to go with Dave on the anti sport TKD. Moo Sul Kwan is very traditional in the aspect of the forms and the way it is taught. We have a few that like the USTU and Jr. Nationals kind of competition. However, for the most part Tae Kwon Do is taught in the aspect that sparring is used as a training aid, not the class be taught to make good sparring competitors.

 

[Davejlaw]

We spar in class as a way of training for real situations. We don't have anyone representing the school in competition and I'm not sure that anyone in our school is even interested in that. We have a demo team and that's it for that kind of stuff.