Hapkido is a Korean martial art that is often taught alongside TaeKwonDo as a complimentary style. The name Hapkido literally means the "way of harmony of the spirit." Hapkido is often considered a "soft" martial art because it uses techniques designed to divert an attack to turn it against the aggressor, giving a smaller person the skills necessary to protect themselves against a larger attacker.
Benefits of Hapkido Training
Hapkido practitioners tout the discipline's ability to provide physical conditioning and improved balance. They also note that martial arts practitioners develop improved mental clarity and more energy. Hapkido lessons also have been found to reduce stress levels by providing an outlet for aggression. Practitioners also say that they find themselves more at peace with the world around them after several years of practicing the martial art.
Techniques Involved
While TaeKwonDo focuses on high kicks and hard punches, Hapkido is more focused on joint locks, breaking an opponent's balance, throws and pressure points. This style of martial art isn't designed for sport or as an outlet for flashy techniques, it is more focused on self defense techniques. These involve turning an attack against an attacker and a rapid switch from defensive techniques to techniques designed to incapacitate an attacker.
Hapkido Classes
Classes in Hapkido generally begin with a warm-up designed to loosen your muscles and get your body ready for the workout to come. After the warm-up, instructors generally break the class into different groups based on their knowledge and experience. This allows students the time to practice their most advanced techniques under the watchful eyes of the instructor. The class is then usually brought back together to practice self defense techniques with a more-advanced partner in a structured setting.
Hapkido Organizations
Like most martial arts today, there are numerous sanctioning bodies that oversee the instruction of Hapkido. One of the most well-known is the World Hapkido Association based in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Other associations that oversee Hapkido include the Korea Hapkido Federation and the Jungki Kwan Hapkido and Kuhapdo Association. Check with the instructor to find out which group his school is associated with.
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