| Hapkido was first used by a group of Korean | | | | and should follow the basic principles of Hapkido, |
| nationals in the period after the Japanese colonial | | | | which are: Nonresistance or Hwa, Circular Motion |
| era of Korea. Choi Yong Sul and his students; Suh | | | | or Won and The Water Principle or Ryu. Hwa, |
| Bok Sub, who was the first student of the art, Ji | | | | means to stay relaxed and not directly oppose an |
| Han Jae promoter of the art, Kim Moo Hong, | | | | opponent's strength rather use his own strength |
| Myung Jae Nam who forged a the connection | | | | against him to unbalance him. Won, is the circular |
| between the art of hapkido and Japanese aikido | | | | principle, shows you how to gain momentum and |
| and then founded Hankido, were responsible and | | | | execute a technique in a smooth style. An |
| given the credit for developing Hapkido. The art | | | | example shows that the bigger the person is, the |
| was originated solely as a self defense martial art | | | | more energy a person has, the better it is for |
| and today can be learned by anyone who is | | | | the Hapkido student and Ryu, is the water |
| reasonably fit and the training helps students learn | | | | principle, thinking of soft, adaptable strength of |
| an effective self defense method whilst gaining all | | | | water. In Hapkido you do not rely on physical |
| the other benefits that martial arts training offers | | | | force alone. A Hapkido student must learn to |
| such as self confidence, improved health, along | | | | deflect an opponent's strike, in a smooth method |
| with increased fitness and stamina. As a self | | | | just like water being divided in a creek by a rock |
| defense method, Hapkido employs joint locks, | | | | then rejoining itself once round. The core |
| pressure points, throws, kicks, and other strikes | | | | techniques are made up of either gentle or |
| and is an authentic Asian martial art of total | | | | forceful throws and joint control techniques which |
| self-defense. Hapkido training teaches students | | | | were derived from aikijujutsu. Most techniques in |
| how to deal not only with countering the | | | | Hapkido work with a combination of unbalancing |
| techniques of other martial arts, but also of | | | | the attacker and applying pressure to specific |
| common "unskilled" attacks. Practitioners of | | | | places on the body. Hapkido uses over 700 |
| hapkido try to get the advantage over their | | | | pressure points in the body for total |
| opponents through footwork and body positioning | | | | effectiveness. Hapkido training is suitable for all |
| to employ leverage, avoiding the use of strength | | | | ages, adults down to young children. For the |
| against strength. Getting in close is the ideal | | | | children under 12, a modified form is taught. No |
| although long rang fighting techniques are taught. | | | | weapons can be used and all joint locking |
| As a martial art Hapkido is somewhere between | | | | techniques have been removed for these |
| the "soft" techniques of Aikido and the "hard" | | | | younger children's class and simple throws are |
| techniques of taekwondo, although, even with the | | | | aimed at self defense and anti bullying. |
| "hard" techniques more emphasis is places on | | | | Yoshi E Kundagawa is a freelance journalist. He |
| circular movements rather than linear. Some | | | | covers the mixed martial arts industry. For a free |
| different schools teach slightly different techniques | | | | report on Hapkido Training visit his blog. |
| but the core techniques are found in all schools | | | | |