Hapkido

[Korpy]

Ok I am going to be learning an MA soon. My choices are Hapkido or Taekwondo.

And I made this so maybe Hapkido fighters could give me info on Hapkido. Not just general, but a more in-dept info on Hapkido.

And this is my info.

I am 14 years old, 5'8, 157 lbs, and have a medium flexibility.

[Thomas]

Greetings!
Here's a few to check out:
Beginning Hapkido
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26399

Hapkdio MacDojang Quiz
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5506

What does TKD have that HKD doesn't?
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4280

Some school sites to look at:
http://www.americanhapkidostudios.com/
http://www.eastwesthapkido.com/site_index.html
http://www.ushankido.org/index.php?mode=news

[Korpy]

Thanks Thomas!

I'll check those links out.

Don't forget to check my thread in the General Discussion forum.

[Korpy]

So tough of a choice.

[American HKD]

So tough of a choice.

If you think clearly the choice is not very hard.

1. Do you want mainly a sport system with a limited self defense curriculum, than choose TKD. ( Mainly kick and punch, forms, point type sparring is popular in TKD )

2. If you wan't a system taught as a True MA complete self defense with weapons training than it's HKD. ( kicks, strikes, throws, locks, weapons, etc )

I think TKD is mainly for kids or people who don't like much contact, not that TKD is bad it's a totally different animal from HKD and thier is no real comparison betwen the two systems. Some try to make comparisons becuase thet're both Korean but that's all.

My logic is many people want to learn HKD after they learned TKD when they realize that they lack alot of over all MA skills.

[Korpy]

Well I certainly want to learn to defend myself, that's a given.

I want to be able to learn moves, cool moves, but let them be affective.

But I think the tournaments in TKD is cool, also TKD has all those powerful kicks that Hapkido doesn't.

I just don't know, I'm gonna talk to my friend today.

[traz]

Since when does TKD have all those powerful kicks that Hapkido doesn't?

Many styles of HKD have all of the main TKD kicks, plus the joint locks, throwing, etc.

IMO, I'd go with HKD unless you're looking for the sport aspect of TKD.

[Slindsay]

TKD doesnt have kicks that are more powerfull than HKD but it emphasises the practice of kicks more so its practitioners tend top have stronger kicks, I would agree with American HKD's analysis but I would say that it is entirely dependant on the school. You shoulkd go to them both and try them out befoire making a decision.

[zac_duncan]

I'm totally biased, being that HKD is my art of choice, but I think it comes down to a couple of questions.


Firstly, and I think this is a big one: Are you competitive? There's not much room in HKD for competitive attitudes (though some are starting to organize tournaments). In HKD you lend your body to your partner for them to practice with and vice versa. If competition were an element in that situation, injuries would quickly arise. HKD people tend to focus on improving one's technique in a non-competitive setting. TKD on the other hand, in most places is at least partly a competitive sport. If you dig that, then I say go with TKD.


Secondly, how much from a fitness aspect are you looking to get out of your training? In my experience, while conditioning is a big part of HKD, it's not necessarily going to deliver the cardio conditioning that TKD will. HKD is a complex and difficult art to learn, for the most part, instructors don't have the time to teach you the art and be your personal trainer. TKD, on the other hand, with it's emphasis on striking and forms, is by it's very nature a better fitness regimen.


Also, how are you with pain? In my limited TKD experience, you're only likely to encounter pain during the full contact sparring. A lot of schools don't even do this type of sparring. This is not to say that you won't get your bruises in TKD, you most certainlly will, but you're less likely to encounter pain on a regular basis in TKD.

In HKD, we practice extensive joint locking, attacking nerves and fair amount of throwing. These techniques are designed to be very painful, they're meant to end the fight immediately and even when they're not done at full speed or power, they tend to hurt a bit. If they don't hurt, they're probably not being done properly.


Finally, I feel that hapkido takes a long time to learn. Not that this isn't true for TKD, but my feeling is that with equally skilled instruction in HKD and TKD, the HKD would have a much longer time to proficiency. Not that you won't learn useful things right away. You probably will, but the rest of the system takes a lot of dedication, practice and above all, time to learn.



If I sound like I'm trying to talk you out of HKD, I'm not. I love hapkido. I will practice it for the rest of my life. But because it works so well for me, I recognize that it doesn't work for everyone. I suggest looking at both, meeting with the instructors (and senior students) and seeing which one meets your needs. That said, TKD is vastly more popular than HKD and that's for a reason.

Good luck and happy training,
-zac

also TKD has all those powerful kicks that Hapkido doesn't.

Just a note, in the Ji lineages of hapkido there are something on the order of 60 different kicks. Choi lineages, I believe have signifigantly less. The kicks are powerful as many a bruised practioner will attest.

[Korpy]

I talked to a student of the school today. He is a black belt in TKD and higher belt in Hapkido.

He said he likes both. He said Hapkido is too slow. Him and my black belt friend said that Hapkido teaches the moves really, really slowly, and they said it could possibly help you in a fight.

[BackFistMonkey]

I talked to a student of the school today. He is a black belt in TKD and higher belt in Hapkido.

He said he likes both. He said Hapkido is too slow. Him and my black belt friend said that Hapkido teaches the moves really, really slowly, and they said it could possibly help you in a fight.

Good lord almighty ....

How can you be a high Dan in HapKiDo and think its not effective or helpful !?!?!?

* deep breath *

never mind

* deep breath *

maybe try a different Dojang it sounds like that one is broken ......

[Legless_Marine]

maybe try a different Dojang it sounds like that one is broken ......


I second that sentiment. Something sounds "off" with this school.

[wild_pitch]

yea i would say look elsewhere. that does not sound like a good school to me.

[zac_duncan]

I'm gonna have to second what BackFistMonkey said... too slow??? Too Slow??? I'll remember that next time I'm thrown by my freaking ear.

"This is all going too slow. I don't have to jump and high fall in order to keep that little piece of my face. No!! I can just leisurely roll over."

Don't get me wrong, the techniques should be practiced gently when they're first learned and much faster as you get a better feel for the joint locks. Too fast when you're just starting and it's an ambulance trip for someone. But it should not be too slow. Especially not at a higher dan rank.


Oftentimes, though not always, dojangs that teach TKD and HKD water down the HKD. Why? I can't say, but it happens. Sounds like perhaps this school has that issue.

Good luck.

[Korpy]

No, you guys are wrong.

The school is excellent. I went to the school, and it was awesome. And the master is very qualified.

The student who said Hapkido was slow, is also a black belt is TKD, and seems to have a way better loving of TKD then HKD.

[BackFistMonkey]

No, you guys are wrong.

The school is excellent. I went to the school, and it was awesome. And the master is very qualified.

The student who said Hapkido was slow, is also a black belt is TKD, and seems to have a way better loving of TKD then HKD.

* shrugs * ( this equals I am not argueing something this silly, HapKiDo is based on combat and combative situations while TKD is mostly sport, note MOSTLY, some schools have good self defense classes ... usualy based off Hapkido .... )

ok

Be well and train hard

BackFistMonkey

[zac_duncan]

Well then, we're wrong, but slow isn't an adjective I've heard used for the art before.

But obviously we can't judge having never been there before.

[Korpy]

I asked my black belt friend.

He said that when you learn it, that it is slow.

But like I said he is bias, cause he like TKD alot more.

[blessed_samurai]

I think what your friend is referring to is that the movements when a beginner starts out are taught slowly....because....well, do you expect to just get thrown around and be able to fall without hurting youself in the first couple classes?

Joint locks, chokes, etc cannot be taught at full speed right off the bat, it is something that the student has to work up to. Learning the technique comes first, then a little resistance is added, it is sped up a bit, and this continues as the student progresses in their training and ability.

It's the same at the TKD schools, the students is taught to bring the knee up and chamber and then release. No one gets out and just starts executing perfect kicks, strikes, grappling, etc...the student has to work up to a higher level before things start to get "dynamic".

[Korpy]

Thank you samurai.

That's probably what he meant. :)