Hapkido

Hapkido is a Korean martial art. It is derived from the Japanese form Daito-ryu-Aikijujutsu. Initially Choi Yong Sul reintroduced it and developed it as Hapki Yusul but his students added to his techniques and included kicks and strikes to create the modern Hapkido. The idea was to get the perfect balance of defence and attack within each technique. Hapkido translates as “the way to harmony through body and mind coordination.” It is an eclectic art that has similarities and roots in many Korean and Japanese martial arts:

Principles:
Hapkido's main principles are Yoo (flowing like water), Won (the circle, the perfect geometric shape), Hwa (harmony in no resistance). It also considers Seang-Ni-Hak (physiology), Meom (body), Shin (mind) and Shim-Ni-Hak (psychology).

Weapons:
Students learn to defend against a variety of weapons including knives, canes, rope, the staff (short, mid and long length), swords and other bladed weapons. They are also taught how to use everyday items as weapons of their own.

Techniques:
Hapkido uses a wide range of striking, joint lock, pinning and throwing techniques to avoid any narrow specialization. Grappling is also taught but the emphasis is on escaping to regain footing.

Footwork is essential and used with hand strikes and low level kicks when at a further range to bridge the distance. Once at a closer range the practitioner takes control of the opponents balance to apply a joint lock or throw the opponent depending on the situation.

Hapkido makes use of people's pressure points which can be struck to produce unconsciousness or immobility of limbs or manipulated to create pain. Using pressure points allows one to unbalance their opponent more easily.

Strikes and punches with both hands and elbows are taught. "Live hand" strike is also part of the Hapkido syllabus. It is a strike that focuses energy to the hand and allows the practitioner to produce energy and internal strikes to the opponent. Usually hand strikes are used to weaken the opponent's balance before joint locking or throwing but sometimes are used as a finishing technique.

Although Hapkido contains kicks from Karate and Tae Kwon Do the emphasis of these movements is still on Won; the circle. There are many sweeping or hooking kicks and there is greater commitment to the attack than to quick retraction of the leg. As students advance they learn blade kicks which are sweeping kicks that make contact with pressure points on the opponents body.