Hapkido

Hapkido is a Korean Martial Art. Its name translates to "The art of coordinated power". Hapkido is directed by the same 3 principles around the world:

  • Water theory
  • Non-resistance to force
  • Circular motion.

These principles are actively taught and explained during classes. Hapkido involves:

  • Punches, hand strikes and elbows
  • Kicks and knees
  • Joint locks
  • Throws
  • Chokes
  • Pressure points
  • Self-defence
  • Traditional weaponry
  • Breathing exercises and meditation.

Origins of Hapkido

Hapkido's direct ancestors were the Japanese art of Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jitsu and the Korean art of Tae Kyon. Hapkido has also borrowed techniques from other native Korean Martial Arts.

The Japanese art of Daito-Ryu contributes mainly to the self-defence techniques of Hapkido.

Techniques from the Minamoto clan were improved by General Yoshimitsu to create Daito-Ryu. General Yoshimitsu studied music, the way praying mantises would fight, and dead bodies from battlefields to discover what techniques were most deadly and to understand the human anatomy. General Yoshimitsu techniques became known as Daito Ryu which translates to "the art of the closed room" as many of the techniques were kept secret. Daito Ryu is also credited with contributing heavily to the techniques of Aikido, Japanese Jujitsu, Judo and so Brazilian Jujitsu. It is mainly concerned with joint locks, joint and pain throws.

Daito-Ryu was used to create Aiki-In-Ho-Yo. Soemon Takeda taught Aiki-In-Ho-Yo to Tanomo Saigo. Saigo also learnt Misoguchi-Ryu a sword art and Koshu-Ryu.

Tanomo Saigo changed his name to Hoshina and became a Shinto priest and taught Shiro Shida. Shiro Shida was an excellent martial artist and was involved with the establishment of Jigoro Kano's Kodokan (Judo School).

Tanomo Saigo also taught Daito-Ryu to Sokaku Takeda who was Soemon Takeda's grandson.

Sokaku Tekeda is reputed to have taught Tatujutu Yoshida a Korean in Japan whose Korean name was Choi Yong Sul, but he has no formal records of his training, and it is unclear exactly how much training he received especially as a Korean living in Japan. What Choi Yong Sul learnt was called Daito-Ryu Aiki Jutsu. Choi Yong Sul returned to Korea from Japan after Sokaku Takeda died. Choi was forced to prove his techniques in Korea in an altercation with some men trying to steal his spot in a line to work at his brewery on the 21st of February 1948. Sokaku Takeda Sensei also taught Morihei Usheba, the founder of Aikido.

The manager of the brewery, Suh Bok Sup, witnessed the fight and asked Choi to teach him, which Choi did in the dojang in the brewery offices. Choi taught Suh for money and grain and the use of the dojang to teach other students. Choi called what he taught Yoo Sool.
The Founder
Grandmaster Ji, Han Jae - Do Ju Nim translating to "the founder of the way" is the founder of Hapkido.

Grandmaster Ji, Han Jae was born in Andong, Korea in 1936. His family fled Japanese-occupied Korea for China, but returned to Korea after the war. Grandmaster Ji trained full time in Yu Kwon Sul with Grandmaster Choi, and is considered one of Choi's top students.

Grandmaster Ji learnt the Bo, the Korean short stick dang-bong, Tae Gyeon kicks, meditation and other mental training from Taoist Lee. He also studied for 5 years with a monk know as "Grandma" who he learnt power from.

During the reign of President Park Chung Hee, Grandmaster Ji was the chief presidential bodyguard and the chief trainer for 300 Korean secret service bodyguards, the Korean police and the Korean Special Forces. He held the position in the Korean presidential security services until the death of Korean President Park in 1979. He instructed President Richard Nixon's secret service bodyguards, the F.B.I. and O.S.I., and received awards from both Presidents for excellence in training specialist personnel.

Grandmaster Ji instructed most of the top Hapkido masters of the world today, such as Kwang Sik Myung, Tae Man Kwon, Bong Soo Han (Billy Jack movies), He Young Kim, Myung Jae Nam, Oh Se Lim, and Jin Pal Kim (Jackie Chan's Instructor).
Grandmaster Ji appeared in the Game of Death (with Bruce Lee), trained, choreographed and instructed many Martial Arts stars in Hong Kong at the time, including but not restricted to, Bruce Lee, Samo Hung (Jackie Chan's partner), Angela Mao and Carter Wong (Big Trouble in little China).

In 1984 Grandmaster Ji moved to the United States and added more mental and philosophical aspects to Hapkido, re-naming it to "Sin Moo Hapkido". "Sin" meaning the higher mind and "Moo" meaning the fighting or Martial Arts. Therefore "Sin Moo Hapkido" means the "Harmony and Coordination between Mind, Body and Spirit.

The name Hapkido was chosen in 1959 by Grandmaster Ji and has been used ever since.