Hi, my question is when one recieves a black belt in Combat Hapkido is it just a plain black belt? Some arts when one gets to black belt it is just a black belt while in other arts the first black belt to recieve is a 1st degree black belt. What is Combat Hapkido's? Thanks
Combat Hapkido uses a dan system as well - 1st dan to 9th dan. Some students wear belts and some don't. Some wear a plain black belt, some have names on them and some use stripes.
You say some students don't wear belts. I thought belts were required to recieve certification. Are belts optional or does it depend on the instructor? Also would you tell me why Combat Hapkido is called 'The Science of Self Defense'? What science is in Combat Hapkido? Thanks.
Belts worn or not and the course of study are under the direction of the Instructor One can have a belt color or rank and not have to wear a Belt in training. Many schools teach Combat Hapkido as a secondary system to their other arts,so wearing of a belt may not be mandatory,but belts are not needed to learn and advance in an art are they? In aikido,we have white and black Belts only,we have Kyu/Kup ranks in between not indicated by colors,so is a Belt truely needed? Most Combat Hapkido schools do teach under a Belt system,with Belts,colors and rank designations. Seminars ,no rank is worn as it is instructional and all who participate share knowledge all are there as students of the Grandmaster. What makes any thing a "Science"? Lets see the dictionary defines Science as KNOWLEDGE GAINED THROUGH PRACTICE. Since we Train in and Practice Combative forms of pure self Defense,pure as it is not used for sport but for street and military application,we can therefore Clearly and most Definately be called the Science of Self Defense. Why is Boxing called the "Sweet Science"? The Sweet Science of What? Is it the Science of Sweets? (LOL) The art and Science of Self defense as defined By Dr George Petrota (roughly)says: An Art used to protect ones self by causing injury to an attacker. Not defined as wearing a uniform,belt,bowing or competing in sport. It should also include knowledge and training within the laws under which we are governed. He says most ,so called arts of self defense fail on many of these points. Surprisingly to many not in Combat hapkido,CH fills the esential needs of the good Dr's definition.
I read that it is called 'The Science of Fighting' because it has a lot of nerve centers, pressure points, psychology and anatomy in it. I was asking about belt requirments because I am interested in Combat Hapkido if it is a PURE self preservation art, with no formalities etc. but my philosophy is not having a belt. So if I could be certified in it without a belt great, but if not I'd cross train in it.
Belts and formalities are dependent upon the Instructor. Cross training in it is possible under the GM through seminars and or through instructors. The Course and core of combat hapkido,is hapkido,which is a pure self defense art,not developed for sport. The art of Hapkido covers distance,kicking,knees,hand strikes,elbows,close up grappling,standup and can be used for the ground for survival ,to allow one to get up quickly and escape or carry on defending ones self. It employs weapons like short stick and cane. Trains in pistol and knife disarms. Combat hapkido offers all of these core elements and also offers further training in Cane (under GM Mark Shuey)Filipino Martial arts (under Meligrito) Ground Survival(now under Master Rivas,formally under Carlson Gracie Jr) and Anatomical Striking(Master Gridley) If you are interested in Combat Hapkido,find a school,watch it,try it,talk to the instructors,tell him/her what you want from it and see what happens.
At our school, for example, we offer both options. The curriculum is layed out in a belt manner (you can see the various videos at www.ichf.com) and the material is fairly well sprialled to make the beginning materila expand and branch out to the higher ranked stuff. It makes for a nice way to teach it. As a school we like to have students follow the rank system and test for the various ranks because it makes it easier for the instructors to know what people are/should be working on. We have a few students who don't wnat belts. They wear regular clothes and basically follow the curriculum in the same way, just without ranking. The only real downside is that if they decide later on that they "want the rank", they will need to pay for/test for all the rank up to their point. Otherwise, it's not a problem for us.
A can of worms?! Better question what is Combat Hapkido? isn't hapkido about combat anyway so why call it combat hapkido, I do just plain simple Hapkido, is it no good for combat?
TDDHKDAVE, your question is not really a can of worms,lol. All Hapkido is combat effective(as long as it is trained that way) because Hapkido is not used in sport. It has not been watered down in any way that would cause confusion for the participant in time of need. Many people,it is said to say,have never heard of Hapkido. The word Combat used in connection with the word Hapkido was used as a draw to people outside of the Martial arts,as well as those within,to differentiate it from sport. Many schools of Hapkido are affiliated with TKD schools and the attitude of Hapkido may be confused with what has become the sport attitude of TKD. When Hapkido technique is sparsely added to TKD training and not a stand alone program it is taking second place to sport,when needed it may not be the course of action taken in its priciples as one may decide to square off and exchange kicks and strikes rather than close the gap,neagte the opponents ability,soften the oppenet and then end the conflict quickly as WE want. Any art ,Trained for the Majority of its use as Combat can be effective as long as it is done to scenarios of threat and response,as Hapkido does. Hapkido is the immediate resposne to threat,physical confrontation with its specialization being off the close combat of the Grab,as it was primarily worked to allow a defense against Judo/Yudo practioners. In Combat Hapkido,the word Combat is a clarifier as well as a draw,it is also used to differentiate it from purely traditional Hapkido,in that we use JKD/wing chun hand technique,offer alternatives to high kicks and High throws,which may not,for most,be street reliable or useful.
