DAT

I enjoy locking. I have been looking at a Han Mu Do and Hapkido school. I'm also looking at Aikijujitsu and Jujitsu. Has anybody taken both or been exposed to both? I'd like some feedback on whether someone out there thinks one style is better in terms of philosophy and technique than the other for REALISTIC joint locking. Thanks.

Tom Yum

Yes. I practiced Hapkido for 4 years and worked my way up to black-brown belt. I've also practiced jujitsu (brazillian) for about 1 year. Big differences in both styles.

Hapkido fighters learn how to strike to inflict damage while closing the distance. Once they close the distance, they try to finish with a joint lock or takedown. Traditional hapkido contains a small ground fighting component, which mostly involves a few simple locks, chokes and pins that you follow up once you've successfully taken down your opponent. I've heard of some modern hapkido guys incorporating grappling from BJJ - not a bad idea.

Hapkido guys usually don't fight for position on the ground - instead they try to use pressure points and vital strikes to get the opponent to release so they can reverse the hold, get their own finishing hold or stand up so that they can stomp or run.

Brazillian jujitsu is an awesome style that you will not regret learning. If it was more available when I started HKD, I would have gotten into it but back then the Gracies only had a small ad in black belt magazine about the Gracie challenge and that was all you heard about it.

BJJ works basic but effective takedowns and self-defense techniques against striking, kicking and wrestling type restraint moves. Once you get to the ground, BJJ fighters like to fight for position and can fight from their back on the ground just as well as being on top. Once they get control and position, they execute a lock or a choke.

IMO BJJ will give you a more realistic sense of your skills because you learn on the mat and you learn by applying right away, whearas in traditional hapkido you spend years drilling and gradually building up to a resisting opponent and then finally (after 3 years) limited grappling. In BJJ you are grappling against a somewhat resistive opponent in the first day. Grappling can get intense, but the focus is on getting control first so you can get that lock. A months worth of bjj training will make you a better prepared fighter than a year worth of traditional MA training.

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DAT

Excellent feedback although I was referring to traditional jujitsu. Still your comparisons to BJJ are great. I just hope someone can do the same for traditional JJ. Thanks.

TNT

looking into different styles as well, a bit overwhelming keeping it all straight...so please be patient....would I need TKD as a base to study hapkido? Would you say that hapkido and aikido are similar and differing that aikido would be used to quell an attacker and that hapkido would then apply undue force??? Am I making sense?Wait DON'T answer that question!!lol

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MADDOG

Hello DAT,

I have had the pleasure of studying in both the Japan and Korean arts.

This only my personal experience over the years:

The Traditional Japanese styles will teach in a very exacting method. Each technique will have an exact way of performing it and very little deviation from that standard. They have a great understanding of body dynamics and usually are, depending on the instructor, very detail focuses in there teaching method. They usually practice defense from ridged strikes that resemble sword strikes, unarmed. When you study weapons they usually will consist of sword for Akido and for Ju Jistu you will have a great variety of ancient weapons to choose from. If you wish to have a realistic self defense approach focus more on the Ju Jistu side of the Traditional Japanese styles. There are very good Aikido stylist for self defense but they are usually limited to the Yoshinkan style. The Tokyo police force does utilize Yoshinkan Aikido style in their training.

The Traditional Koran styles will teach in the ends justifies the means approach. They are a little more relaxed to how a technique is preformed. They too have a good understanding of body dynamics. They practice defense from a variety of strikes that could be classified as more modern strikes than the Traditional Japanese schools. When you study weapons in Hapkido you will focus on more modern weapons, such as the cane, rope and stick. For realistic self-defense focus on Hapkido vs. Tae Kwon Do.

[B] You cannot go wrong with either of the above styles[/B].

It really comes down to, what school has the best teacher. I have been very lucky over the past 21 years to have fantastic teachers from both styles. I have learn valuable techniques and martial theories from both sides and have found them to be equally effective for self defense – not because of me – but because I had great teachers who where passionate about their art and good really teach.

Good Luck, enjoy your journey.

Ed Barton