Hapkido

Hapkido (also spelled hap ki do or hapki-do; Hangul: 합기도; Hanja: 合氣道) is a dynamic and eclectic Korean martial art. It is a form of self-defense that employs joint locks, techniques of other martial arts, as well as kicks, punches, and other striking attacks. There is also the use of traditional weapons, including a sword, rope, nunchaku, cane, short stick, and staff (gun, bō) which vary in emphasis depending on the particular tradition examined.

Hapkido contains both long and close range fighting techniques, utilizing kicks and percussive hand strikes at longer ranges and pressure point, strikes, joint locks, or throws at closer fighting distances. Hapkido emphasizes circular motion, non-resisting movements, and control of the opponent. Practitioners seek to gain advantage through footwork and body positioning to employ leverage, avoiding the use of strength against strength.

The art evolved from Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu (大東流合気柔術) or a closely related jujutsu system taught by Choi Yong-Sool (Hangul: 최용술) who returned to Korea after World War II, having lived in Japan for 30 years. This system was later combined with kicking and striking techniques of indigenous and

contemporary arts such as taekkyeon and tang soo do. Ji Han-Jae (Hangul: 지한재) was undoubtedly the prime mover in the art of Korean Hapkido and in many ways considered the “Father” of Modern Hapkido. It is due to his physical skills, technical contributions, promotional efforts and political connections as head hapkido instructor to the presidential body guard under Korean President Park Jeong-Hee (Hangul: 박정희) that hapkido became popularized, first within Korea and then internationally.

Hapkido is rendered “합기도”  in modern Korea. The art’s name can also however bewritten “合氣道” utilizing the same traditional Chinese characters which would have been used to refer to the Japanese martial art of Aikido in the pre-1945 period. The current preference in Japan is for the use of a modern simplified second character; substituting 気 for the earlier, more complex character 氣.

The character hap means “coordinated”, or “joining”; 氣 ki describes internal energy, spirit, strength, or power; and 道 do means “way” or “art”, yielding a literal translation of “joining-energy-way”. It is most often translated as “the way of coordinating energy”, “the way of coordinated power” or “the way of harmony”.

Although aikido and hapkido are believed by many to share a common history, they remain separate and distinct from one another. They differ significantly in philosophy, range of responses and manner of executing techniques.