rezbot2000

Hi,

I've recently been checking out Aikido schools when I came across a Hapkido school. The instructor described it as Aikido w/"teeth." Meaning it was more devastating and didn't care much about keeping the opponent safe. It also seems to have a much smaller learning curve (whereas everyone says Aikido takes a considerable amount of studying). Having said all this, I'm trying to decide b/n hapkido or aikido. If anyone can answer the following questions I would appreciate it.

1. Would hapkido work well against multiple attackers?
2. How long does it take before you can effectively use hapkido in real life?
3. Is there a lot of competitive sport with hapkido?
4. If you study hapkido, why did you choose it?
5. Can you really turn a belt into a weapon?

Thank you.

Tom Yum

1. It ultimately depends on whether or not you train to face multiple attackers and if that training has any elements of realism in it.

Tactically speaking, you would find yourself locking another guy - staying on your feet and using him as a shield against others and using your kicks to protect your uncovered side. If a broom or short stick is available you would grab it and use it as you would a staff etc.

2. It depends on whether or not the school emphasizes combat aspect of hapkido or the traditional aspect. If its a combat aspect, it can be used faster than aikido and probably as fast as karate, tang soo do or japanese jiu-jitsu -> meaning you should feel comfortable after studying it for about a year.

It also depends on how athletic you are and if you have any previous MA experience -> that'll shorten the time.

3. Its not very competitive. There are hapkido tournaments that allow punching/kicking/sweeps/takedowns and hapkido guys compete in open style, full-contact tournaments as well.

4. I studied it years ago. It was the closest school in the area, so I enrolled.

5. I took a more traditional style that required you to pay your dues before they taught you sword, belt and other weapons (you had to be a 2nd dan BB). But starting at brown belt and going into 1st dan BB they will teach you the long staff and short staffs -> depends on the school and instructors.

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Love it, leave it or fix it.

bmcgonag

I agree with the above statement, if you train to fight multiple attackers, than the art will serve you well against multiple attackers.

i like hapkido, have a 1st dan in it, and i love that it employed all the punches, elbows, sweeps, kicks, and so on of TKD, but once I started studying Aikido, it enhanced my abilities in Hapkido 100 fold.

Don't discount one art for another, but use the one to enhance the other.

Best,

Brian

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www.simplesurvivalmoves.com

WildWest.

1. Like Tom said, if you train to deal with multiple attackers then yes it can. But then almost every style can if you train it to deal with multiples.

2. Depends on your ability to learn the style, the instructors effectiveness at passing the information over to you, your learning ability, your athleticism, whether you have trained in other styles before. Some techniques are quite simple and you will pick up the gist of it in the first class, others need more practice. Maybe 6months to 2 years depending on how you fare with all of the above.

3.Where I come from, no.

4.I chose it because I wanted to learn restraint techniques, "dirty" techniques and some close in fighting. I also get a lot more out of it such as throws, grappling, ground fighting, breakfalls, pressure points and defences where you are dependent on your environment. It is an eclectic style.

5.Yes. Anything can be a weapon if you are creative.

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"Too much weights, not enough speed work"

JStinson

I guess I can qualify for this question...

Hapkido fairs well against multiple attackers, as long as you are set in your mindframe, break one person and go to the next. In other words, don't try to "spar" all opponents.

How long does it take, depends on what you want to do! If all you want to do is get away, you can learn to do that in a few months. To disable the attacker, few years.

There are a few little isolated groups that do compete with Hapkido, but not many, we do so much stuff they do not allow.

I chose Hapkido because from what I personally saw, everything else did not have what I wanted. Or as my instructor graciously says, Why Hapkido? cause everything else sucks.

The belt or "rope" is a weapon that is used in most Hapkido curriculums, but at advanced levels. It can be a belt, rolled up T-shirt, purse strap, neck tie, scarf, etc... Very effective weapon.

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J Stinson
Stinson's Korean Martial Arts Academy
Glasgow, KY