Sin moo hapkido is a martial-arts form established in 1984 in the United States by Grandmaster Ji Han Jae. Principled on self-development and inner balance, Sin moo combines traditional methods of Korean self defense with a spiritual approach centered on social responsibility. There are five degrees of proficiency a student must master before becoming a dan--one who has surpassed all fundamental levels. Although an honored position, dan is also graded into many stages of achievement. Rank is identified by the color of belt a practitioner ties around the waist of his dobok, the uniform of Korean martial artists.
White To Green
All students begin with a white belt. Graduating from any level requires a practitioner to demonstrate functional mastery of certain techniques and principles, inherent in his current position. To obtain the next belt from white, green, one must exhibit: an understanding of the nine essential rules of Sin Moo Hapkido; a knowledge of traditional courtesies; proper warm up; proficiency in two meditations (palms pressing and concentration); 1st level dan jun breathing; 25 basic kicks; 1st level hand striking and basic 8 hand techniques; proper falling; 1st level blocking, movement and grab defense.
Green To Blue
Graduating from green to blue requires an understanding of: the history of Sin Moo Hapkido; 8 organ meditation; 2nd level dan jun breathing; low kicking, spin kicking, 25 basic stomping techniques and 2nd level footwork; side, back and forward break falling; 2nd level punching, blocking and hand strikes; cross hand maneuver; the air roll; body grabs and holds.
Blue To Red
Moving from blue to red entails comprehending: the foundations of Sin Moo; basic power meditation and complete dan jun breathing; twisting fall and bridge fall; the cross hand top technique, elbow striking; basic fake kicking, left and right long-kicking, kick blocking; sit down and lie down defensive techniques.
Red to brown
To go from red to brown, one must know: the ki concepts; the moving meditation; choke defense, knife defense; the thumb-down hand technique; head strikes; 1st level jumping, 25 basic kicking combinations and 180 degree turn kicks.
Brown Belt To 1st Dan
Applicants for position of first dan are required to demonstrate an understanding of: the sound power meditation and advanced dan jun breathing; advanced wrist grabs, judo blocking, point strikes, and 4 direction throws; 2nd level jumping techniques; special kicking, including the 25 basic limping and Ju bal yung techniques.
Dan Stages
From 1st to 2nd dan, one must perform: walking hand techniques; sleep meditation, bowing meditation, the 6 and 8 Elements; stepping techniques, hapkido counters and swing throws; competence in the short stick and handkerchief.
2nd dan to 3rd: staff, cane and sword; two person grabs, one side and both side two hand grabs; Won Hyo Meditation; 2nd level advanced movement.
3rd to 4th dan: revival techniques and healing concepts; throwing and breaking techniques; the long belt; climbing and 30 attacking hand techniques; color differentiation; the infinity meditation.
Master Levels
7th dan Stuart Rosenberg, a master instructor in Sin Moo at the American Hapkido Studios in Pennsauken, New Jersey, trained directly under grandmaster Ji Han Jae. He affirms that the process of going beyond 4th dan is a personal one. 5th dan is the first level of master. Getting there requires one to substantiate, to the senior instructor, his intentions of evolving and furthering the art of Sin Moo Hapkido. Each student's journey into mastery is further individualized by combining aspects of his own personality, with insights from the ranking master.
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