In some threads around the site, the idea of Hapkido not being a style such as TKD, Judo, Karate, etc, but as a philosophy more like JKD has arisen. Is Hapkido still 'Hapkido' if you teach Hapkido + whatever tickles your fancy as you stumble upon it, or is this something different? -Kraen
The only "style" I might be willing to say "this is a philosophy, not a concrete art" would be JKD. MMA I don't count, as I don't think it is it's own, codified style - each person's MMA is different. Hapkido is a Korean style of martial arts, you can't take a bunch of stuff from Thai Boxing, stuff from Krav Maga, stuff from Judo, etc. etc. and mix it all together and call it Hapkido, anymore than you could call it Aikido or Karate or Kung Fu. Now can you take a bit from other arts and add them to your Hapkido (or Aikido or Karate or Kung Fu)? Yes, I think so. I recall koyo saying something a while back along the lines of "when you cross-train, everything becomes part of your base/main art" (apologies if I got that wrong at all), and my Coach made the comment "I relate everything back to Aikido." But there is a point you have to separate things; what if if someone decided that a bazooka fits the definition of Hapkido?? Oh, on a slightly related note; we see JKD guys including stick work, knife work, etc. what about sword and staff? Sorry if this is rambling, I only got like 3 hours of sleep.
Simple Question what is Hapkido? How and what made it Hapkido? Kraen is 19 how long has he be studying Hapkido 4 years 8 years 15 years? Too many look at Martial Arts as styles it is really only moves no one can say it is only this style comes from here or there. Krav Maga just pulled many things from many arts making it what it is a very good Art with many mixes. Is it Krav Maga or many styles? I look Martial Arts as Moves and Posititions at one time Martial Art came from some first place and Was one thing not many things. I feel that a dead art that is not living is really dead and my 10th Dan Grandmaster feels the same way. To say this art or that art in wrestling there is moves like a Gillateen but in Ju-Jitsu it is something else but they have the Gillateen it is called a twister, point im making is many styles have many of same kinds of moves that are the same thing to say it is that arts move is wrong im saying from a Philosophy stand point it is all one thing and you could call it True move or something else im just calling it Hapkido.
And to call a dog's breakfast Hapkido would also be incorrect. You chastise many martial arts schools in your videos for not teaching real self defense - well Sir, I find that totally hypocritical as you are CLEARLY not demonstrating real Hapkido in your videos, and appear to have only a very base understanding of the art at all. Your way of teaching may be excellent, and may work for your students, but it is not Hapkido. Hapkido is not just a philosophy, it is a very specific art. Perhaps you have been misled, but to continue to call your catch-all art Hapkido in the face of the truth seems very much against all the high moral objectives you espouse on your videos. And for what it is worth, I have 30 years of Hapkido training, and have been lucky enough to train with and meet some of the best instructors in many styles from around the world - and the only "holes" in my technique are from my own shortcomings, and they do not need a "patch" from another martial art - just more training in the one that I have dedicated my life to.
Kevin, I asked what made Hapkido it was some Masters that came together and with the styles and ideas they had wanted to make a type of Martial art. Was the ones that created Hapkido only Hapkido or was it other Styles? We do Hapkido but not just few things you teach that I teach, I bet in my classes I teach everything Respectfully that you teach It is just I have other skills in other arts and styles that add to my understanding. I personaly over my years of Martial Art training is just under you, I have 29 years but I will bow, sorry sir. Im very happy you say you are a great Martial Artist. In the videos we are just explaining some ideas of Good self defense if you have better ideas im really happy to say nice please show me and teach me something. I dont know everything so teach me so I can Add it to what is true. I will add it to cordinated Power way Hapkido. If you dont have anything to show but just say so's I will be very disapointed. In Another post they ask this ''Gongkwon Yusul is a modern Korean martial art system founded by Kang Jun in 1996.[citation needed] Its main influences include the martial arts of Hapkido(Yoo Sool Kwan and Hwarangdo), [[Hakko-ryu]] jujutsu, Judo and Kyuktooki (Korean style Thai-boxing) [1]. Gongkwon Yusul is a system which emphasises the application of striking, locking and throwing techniques in practical, free-flowing fighting situations, rather than the static applications, more in common in traditional styles of Hapkido. It also varies from Hapkido in that many of its hand techniques are strongly influenced by Western boxing and that a significant part of Gongkwon Yusul training is in groundwork applying techniques more akin to Judo or Brazilian Jujitu, than most Hapkido styles.'' If you do a search this is Korean Hapkido respect and really think Highly of Kang Jun and feel what I teach in our system of Hapkdio is like twins. What is your thinking on this Understanding Kevin?
How Hapkido is a Philosophy First trying to make sure you and other people understand what im mean as philosophy. It is not the bazooka that is hapkido it is how well the person is using the bozooka. It is not the styles im talking about I dont look at styles as in Judo, Jui-Jitsu, Karate etc. I look at what they teach and the ideas around the conspets they show. I look at what true consepts are what exactly they are teaching. I have find when you study enough styles they have some of the same points, some of the same exact moves it is just they are named differently. I found that you come up with some idea and seem to think you made it up only to find it is in some other style and most likely already a Consept. So when im explain the idea of a Philosophy I look at every part as Hapkido. You use it in Training, in Busness, really you can use it in everything you do. If you are good at something most around me would say that is very nice hapkido. So going to explain the idea of Philosophy in every day life: You have some guy that is angery at you or saying things in typing or on the phone. He attacks you with this it is using energy, so with hapkido you redirect it using simple understanding. Redirect, drop your level, and Circle. or Circle, drop your level, and Redirect whatever way it is just using Hapkido understanding. So back to guy talking bad at you in forums, you look over the issue, you (Redirect) using this I understand how you are thinking that way, I'm sorry or so what your saying is your better and that I dont understand this or that? no problem. (droping your level), then you circle by telling him how you can help him and that you want to work with him. Like this, "so your very good at teaching or know more than me?", Great help me! Teach me so can help others! This is also Hapkido as a Philosophy. Teach love and helping others it really is all im trying to do. I want to teach the best Self defense and help others be safe.
Mr Hatfield, I understand what you are saying, I have heard people try to say the same thing about Aikido. The problem is, when you define "Hapkido" in the way you just did, it loses all practical value as a definition relating to martial arts. We are talking about martial arts, and need a way to define the different systems developed at different periods in time, by different people, in different countries, etc. I have no problem with your philosophy of working hard, loving others, that's great. However, I disagree with calling this Hapkido. I consider Hapkido to be the system developed by Choi Yong Sul, just as Aikido is the system developed by Morihei Ueshiba.
Spin, I look at the Hap" meaning harmony, coordinating or coming together "Ki" meaning life energy or force "Do" meaning the path or way So hapkido is the path or way of coordinating or comming together of energy or force So hapkido is Concepts and Ideas of Choi Yong Sul and everyone he Trained with a mix of many understandings. I explain it though concepts (Circle, Disrupt, and drop your level) I dont care what move if it is true it uses this formula. I understand what your saying but I look at Aikido as a Philosophy also it is something that is hard to explain. Choi Yong Sul was a Master in what style? He used all his understanding to make what he called not hapkido at the time it was called Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. When Choi was eight years old. It is said that while in Japan Choi became a student of Takeda Sokaku and studied a form of jujutsu known as Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu. He returned to Korea at the end of the second World War and in 1948 began teaching his art at a brewery owned by the father of his first student Suh Bok Sub. He first called his art Yu Sul or Yawara later changing it to Yu Kwon Sul and Hap Ki Yu Kwon Sul and eventually name became Hapkido. So what im saying is some very Well Trained Masters got together in a Brewery and thought out the concepts they would put into a form or style of understanding. They Named it a name but it is just a form of moves and positions. They got the moves and positions from everything they knew at the time. This system was later combined with kicking and striking techniques of indigenous and contemporary arts such as taekkyeon and tang soo do. So need to say I respect your view of Hapkido but like to see it like that but amost all the Arts can be defined im just saying Hapkido, Aikido, and Kung Fu are not as easy to define in my opionion. I look at them is a form of Philosophy.
