I have Kung Fu in my Hapkido :(

[BackFistMonkey]

I have some concerns and strange observations based on my expirances in my hapkido class . I am falling in love with Hapkido but I have aslight issue with the system so far .
.. well I cant seem to do them wrong . I kick with a Kempo and Shaolin flavor ( and havent been corrected after three months and a yellow belt test that I passed ) I have seen on these boards over and over again Hapkido kicks should be done a certain way something about "with a straight leg"
I spend most classes helping the instructor teach things I just learned myself.I am just worried that I am excelling so quickly becouse of my previouse training . I am there to learn Hapkido ... a style completely new to me ... but I end up teaching the basics to the other begainer students ?
Is that commen in hapkido ? Should other Martial Arts carry over so well and give me what apppears to be a large advantage over the TKD students in my Hapkido class ? Should I be throwing Shaolin Kung Fu kicks in Hapkido ? Should the Kempo hand/finger strikes carry over so well ?

[moogong]

Stop anylizing thing. If your kicks from your previous school become a problem, rely on your instructor to correct you. Relax, enjoy your training. :)

[BackFistMonkey]

moogong....
wow ... umm * deep breath * relax .... I think I could try that ...I am remembering an old saying now ... " Dont make problems " .... hell... " Keep it simple stupid" might even apply here .... thank you ... * chuckles *

I think I may be insecure about the quality of my instruction becouse I have no real knowledge of Korean Martial Arts except from what I am learning at my Dojang . I rarely trust just one source of info which I am begaining to see means I have to actually go see other TKD and HKD schools ... I hate it I when I end up talking myself through things online but maybe my ramblings will help someone else .

[MaxG]

Maybe your style of Hapkido just uses a different style of kicks? If you were kicked to the side of the head with either style.... does it matter how you did the kick or does the fact that it works be more of a concern? If you search the forums you will see that Hapkido originally DID NOT have kicks. Kicks were added in later and the various students of Choi added their own flavor to the style. You should ask your teacher what kind of kicks your particular style uses.

As to your question about whether techniques should carry over... that's actually a very common phenomenon in martial arts. There are only so many ways one can do something. I'm sure many different styles have kicks that are very similar to Shotokan kicks for example. So like the other poster stated don't worry so much about overlapping of techinques.

[Blade3]

Hello Backfist Monkey, I don't know what to tell you about your school but I'll say this, IMHO I think that your instructor should make it clear that there is a slight difference in styles even if your kicks are similar. He should make that clear to you & all the students even if he doesn't mind you helping out.
Where I train I am only a brown belt after moving around to a few different cities & training in different schools that have different systems, (6 Years)
so most GM's or Masters will lower your rank if your previous style is not taught like theirs from white to red, now usally black belts will keep their rank, but still will usally have to train with some yellow through greens for a few months to atleast get the foundation of that particular system of HKD.
I started with a school out in W. LA back in 98 & trained there from white through W,Y,& P belts, & the Master there had to take time with me to correct my TKD kicking, & Shotokan punching, & show me how it was done in HKD,BUT he explained that HKD is not (Supposed to be) robotic & that after you get the basics & foundation of the systems that you are encouraged to fight like YOU & your body type so that it works for you.
When I moved to Rancho Cucamonga, CA I started training in a system in a little small school with only about 7 students, since they were struggling the owner had to get a regular job & close up ( I came there as a Purple belt & he kept me there) & reffered me to a school in Fontana, CA so I looked them up & started training there but they had me & the other students who were able to join there start as white belts. ( after 2 schools & a year I was a wb again) no problem I really liked their system, but when my work schedule changed I went to the system that I currently train in for the time I was on the 3 month schedule rotation on my job & I didn't like it much because people were telling me that they were teaching it wrong. (I see now that they were'nt it was just a different system) but to shorten this thing I 've been in a few systems I've sparred with a few others but there's two schools in LA South Bay area one in Redondo Beach & the other in Torrance run by the Kwon Brothers, I've been to the one in Torrance & have sparred with
those guys but the way their system is taught is with forms & they have techniques such as Eagle Claw, Tiger Paw, Iron Fist, Lion's (fill in the blank)
It seemed too much like Kung Fu, I've asked some Masters & they said that they know them but they pretty much do their own thing, (So I guess that they rather agree to disagree)
So you may be at a school that produces some great fighters or a school that claims they teach HKD but it may be a TKD school where the instructor has a background in TDK & some other style & about 6 months of HKD & is trying to pass his system off as such.
I really would get one on one & ask him everything you've asked us..After all it's your $$$.
Take care.

[BackFistMonkey]

Thank you very much for your input . Since the original post my instructor has sat down with me and explained that he has seen me adapt my kicks to emulate his during the forms we practice, it is only when I spar and freestyle that the shaolin king fu and my kempo comes out , but at the same time he stated that he also sees the hapkido coming out more frequentlyand naturaly so he says he is not worried and doesnt want me to lose any of the previose skills I have picked up .

So I do twice the roundhouse kicks as everyone else ... x amount of the roundhouse kicks hapkido style ( more hip motion and I feel may be a more powerful kick) using the shin and then x amount again of the kung fu style roundhouse (faster for me and my build but less powerful ) using the ball of the foot, his reasoning is and I quote "' I would hate for you to get rusty ."
and I am a sucker for self abu.. ... :love:

.... umm.... :confused: wait that looks really bad


My front kicks , side kicks , chicken kicks ( inverted side kick) , and back kicks appear to be be acceptable or he is just withholding comment until my self-esteem is lower so I will shoot myself . :eek: :cry:

[Lame Leopard]

It sounds to me like your instructor sees some very good qualities in you and has put much trust in your teaching abilities. I would be extremely loyal to this man and constantly pick his brain about techniques and what he expects from both you and the other students. Some instructors lean to the purist side of things and some take a more eclectic approach. I personally like the more eclectic approach taking what works from many styles. Just my two cents worth. :)

[HearWa]

I hate it I when I end up talking myself through things online...

Story of my life, pal. :) Most intellectuals end up doing so.

I seconds all the previous posts.

[d33pthought]

Martial arts do tend to lend themselves to each other. I studied kung fu for six months before TKD and I'm progressing really well. Well, I was till I got to green belt. Then things got difficult. Aanyway, it could be that you're just learning the motion, and your teacher will reveal little nuances you've missed once you get pretty good. After 5 months at kung fu, they finally told me I was doing my turning kick wrong, and after 2 months and three belts at TKD, they told me how I could improve my axe kick.

[Tribalweapon]

"I think I may be insecure about the quality of my instruction becouse I have no real knowledge of Korean Martial Arts except from what I am learning at my Dojang "


I had the same problem with a local martial arts instructor. He was trained in a Chinese art and I was trained in an eclectic art(see journal) and within a few weeks he had me running classes. This kind of threw me off since I had been out of training for about 4 years.