Hapkido, or the Korean fighting system that focuses on grappling and ground fighting like its Japanese cousin jujitsu, was formed more than 1,000 years ago as a way to meld its practitioners' mind and body into a fighting machine. The name hapkido means the way of harmonizing your spiritual energy. The techniques used in hapkido are similar to those used in jujitsu in that they often focus on using your opponent's energy against him.
Throws
Hapkido practitioners are proficient at throwing their opponent to the ground while they remain standing. This often occurs as a result of the redirection of the attacker's momentum. The hapkido practitioner is effective at grabbing an arm or wrist and directing your weight into this small part of your body to throw you off balance. This can be the result of an attacker's momentum being redirected or a lever-type throw that uses a part of your body as a fulcrum to throw your opponent.
Joint Locks
Joint locks are performed by placing some of the smaller joints of an attacker under stress by using your body weight and/or larger muscles against a group of his smaller muscles. These techniques can be used to disarm an attacker and/or as a way to stop an attack. Joint locks are often used in combination with throws or other strikes to render an attacker harmless. Joint locks often bend a joint in such a way that places painful strain on the tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue of a joint. Joint locks can be applied to any joint in an attacker's body and aren't limited to his fingers, wrist or elbow.
Strikes
Like traditional karate, hapkido includes traditional strikes like punches and kicks. These techniques are often used when your opponent is at an adequate striking distance. Practitioners often forgo strikes and kicks when the opponent is closer, choosing instead to use locks, throws and the misdirection of the adversary's momentum.
Pressure-Point Attacks
Pressure points are neural junctions in your body that can cause severe pain if pressure is placed on them. The hapkido student is taught the location of these pressure points and how to use them in defensive manner. Pressure points can be attacked by striking the area with your hands and feet, or by incorporating a pressure-point strike into a joint lock or throw.
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