Hapkido is a Korean martial art. It is a form of self-defense that uses joint locks, pressure points, throws, kicks, and strikes. Practitioners of Hapkido train to counter techniques from other martial arts. There are also traditional weapons such as the short stick, rope, nunchaku, and sword. Hapkido focuses on both close and long-range combat. Through good footwork and effective use of the body, the goal is to overcome stronger opponents.
History of Hapkido
The birth of modern hapkido can be traced back to a group of Korean nationalists in the post-Japanese colonial period of Korea led by Choi Yong Sul. His most prominent students were Suh Bok Sub, Ji Han Jae, Kim Moo Hong, and Myung Jae Nam. Choi Yong Sul was sent to Japan as a young boy and returned to Korea with techniques resembling a precursor to Aikido. A controversial story claims that Choi was adopted at age 11 by Takeda Sokaku. He lived and trained for over 30 years with the master in a dojo on Mount Shinshu. This story is disputed by those who say Choi was merely a servant in Takeda’s household. The truth likely lies somewhere in between, as always.
Choi’s first student was Suh Bok Sub, who was the first to open a dojang. In 1948, when Suh Bok Sub was still in his 20s, he had already earned a black belt in judo and graduated from Korea University. After seeing Choi successfully defend himself against a group of men, he asked Choi to teach him this martial art. In 1951, Suh opened the first real dojang and named it the Korean Yu Kwan Sool Hapki Dojang. The first symbol, designed by Suh, used to represent this martial art was an inward-pointing arrow. During this period, Choi worked as a bodyguard for Suh’s father, who was a congressman. Suh claims that in 1959 he and Choi decided to shorten the name to hapkido.
Principles of Hapkido
On the hard/soft spectrum of martial arts, hapkido sits somewhere in the middle. It uses the soft techniques from Jiu Jitsu and the hard techniques from taekwondo. Hapkido is an eclectic martial art, and different hapkido schools apply various techniques. Some core techniques are used in every school, and all techniques must follow the three principles of hapkido:
- No resistance (Hwa)
- Circle principle (Won)
- Water/harmony principle (Yu)
Hwa, or no resistance, is the art of relaxation. If an opponent pushes a hapkido student in the chest, the student will not resist but step back and use the opponent’s forward momentum to bring them down.
Won, the circle principle, is a way to gain momentum and then execute techniques naturally. If an opponent attacks in a straight line, the hapkido student catches the attack and uses a circular pattern to redirect the opponent’s force against them.
Yu, the water principle, can be explained as the power of water. Hapkido is a soft art and is not 100% dependent on strength. Like water, it is soft to the touch. Like water, hapkido is adaptable.
Techniques
Hapkido is a comprehensive fighting style that aims to be as broad as possible. Training deliberately does not focus on specific techniques. Many tactics are taught regarding strikes, throws, and joint locks. Some styles also focus on ground fighting, mainly on escaping holds.
Kicks
The wide variety of kicks in hapkido make the sport truly Korean. Taekwondo kicks closely resemble many of the kicks found in hapkido, although the emphasis is on circular motion. In contrast to most modern taekwondo styles, many kicks target below the waist and include sweeps. The most common kick is the low heel kick. Kicks are delivered with the intent to generate power rather than quickly retracting the leg. Traditionally, kicks targeted only the lower body, but with the rise of other martial arts, head kicks were also introduced. Most forms of hapkido include a series of double kicks used to maintain balance. An example of a double kick series:
- forward kick -> side kick
- forward kick -> backward kick
- forward kick -> roundhouse kick
- forward heel kick -> roundhouse kick
- low side kick -> high side kick Hand strikes
Like many other martial arts, hapkido uses many punches and hand strikes, as well as elbow strikes. A distinctive technique in hapkido is the knife-hand strike, which can transfer a lot of energy. This strike is often used to weaken the opponent before applying a joint lock. Strikes with the fingernails targeting the eyes and throat are also used. Conventional training also includes pulling on the groin.
Joint Locks
Many of the control techniques in hapkido are derived from aikijujutsu. They are taught similarly to aikido but the techniques are more streamlined. Hapkido applies locks to both large joints (elbow, shoulder, neck, back, knee, and hip) and small joints (wrist, fingers, toes, and jaw). Most techniques use the principle of applying force to the joint against its natural direction. Hapkido is especially known for its use of wrist locks. These techniques are derived from Daito-ryu aikijujutsu, although the exact execution may vary. Elbow locks are also frequently applied.
Throwing Techniques
In addition to throws performed after unbalancing the opponent with a lock, there are also throws executed without using a lock. Some of these techniques are found in judo. Many of the first hapkido practitioners had a judo background.
Weapons
As a hapkido student advances through the ranks, they also learn to handle various weapons. The first weapon trained with is the knife. Another weapon is the short stick. Then techniques and defenses against the long staff and rope are taught. Many hapkido organizations also train with the sword, nunchaku, and other weapons.
