Aikido and Hapkido

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[ATLdo]

I wanted to get some opinions on training in both Aikido and Hapkido at the same time.

Five or six years ago, I took a few Aikido classes, but for some personal reasons I quit. A couple of months ago, I decided I wanted to get back into it, and started looking for a dojo. At the time, I couldn't find a dojo in my area (Atlanta) that worked well with my work schedule...

So, I looked into Hapkido, and found a dojang that worked really well with my schedule, and started training there. It's a great place, and the work out is awesome... However, even though they are similar in some respects, Hapkido is *not* Aikido... so I started looking around again for an Aikido dojo that would work with my schedule..

I have found one, and have been going there for a couple of weeks, and I love it.. Great people, a lot of beginners like myself...

So here's the dilemma... I really enjoy them both, and want to train in both at the same time. I'm concerned though, that since I'm a newbie to both, that this might be a very bad idea.

People that I have spoken with in both styles don't seem to think it would be a problem, but I have yet to meet someone who started out learning them BOTH at the same time.

Anyone out there started training in them both at the same time? I'd like to know what the experience is/was like.

Thanks!

Please forgive me if I'm putting this in the wrong forum..

[alexevon]

Get a good base in one before starting another. If you start at the same time, your progress will not be where you would like in both. If in ATL (Lilburn area), look into this dojo, they offer both Hapkido and Aikido..

www.aikidoofgreater-atl.com

in Aiki,

Alex

[djleyva]

Get a good base in one before starting another. If you start at the same time, your progress will not be where you would like in both. If in ATL (Lilburn area), look into this dojo, they offer both Hapkido and Aikido..

www.aikidoofgreater-atl.com

in Aiki,

Alex

I agree. I think that if you were taking two totally different arts at once, like aikido and Taekwondo at the same time I would say it would be doable. Aikido and HKD are so superficially similar but drastically different in their philosophy, mindset and approach towards the material. I think that unless you were technically sound and fairly competent in one or the other, you would have a hard time. Alot of the details like footwork, angles, etc are so different. also the HKD mindset is very different than that of Aikido and that definitly makes the way the techniques are approached very different.

I say stick with Hapkido, or maybe seek out and IHF hapkido or Hankido school. The founder of the IHF, Jae Nam Myong, was very influenced by Aikido and came up with a nice hybrid style.

[Taliesin]

In what way is the mindset different??

[djleyva]

In what way is the mindset different??

I am not an aikidoka and am no expert on the art but between the semester of Aikido I took in college and 10 years of grazing through aikido reading material (books, magazines, online) I have made a few observations about the difference between the two arts.I a under the impression that Aikido is very spiritual with alot of emphasis on growing as a human being. That seems to be the way O Sensei wanted it. In HKD there is really no spititual element. There are some HKD teachers who have developed a "philisophical" component to their art such as Sin Moo HKD but for the most part HKD is a very uilitarian art. In Hapkido the ultimate goal is to be able to incapacitate an opponent in the most efficient way possible and that is all. Growth as a person is a secondary by product.

Now, the mindset when performing techniques. I am under the impression the goal of a technique is not always to injure the person and there is often a way out as the technique is dependent upon your oppenents committed attack. If the opponent stops the attack the technique stops working. This may not always be the case but the sensei in college explained something to this effect and is is something I notice while practicing the techniques. Once the technique is perfomed and the attacker takes ukemi that seem to be the end of the technique.

In hapkido the idea is if you attack me I will hurt you so bad you won't be able to attack me again. Once the attacker takes ukemi there is always a finsh that will usually end with some kind of joint break followed by a strike.

I'd say that is a totally different mindset. The intent behind the techniques and the "goal" of the arts seems totally different from hapkido, even if the "mechanics" behind the techniques are similar due to the Daito Ryu heritage.

Am I totally off the mark?

[dps]

http://www.judoinfo.com/tomiki2.htm
"If we generally classify the kinds of techniques (waza) in the ancient schools of jujutsu, there are four categories:

1. Nage-waza (throwing techniques)
2. Katame-waza (locking techniques)
3. Atemi-waza (striking techniques)
4. Kansetsu-waza (joint techniques) "

Aikido uses some techniques of atemi-waza and kansetsu-waza.
Hapkido uses techniques of all four categories with kicks added in.

Although O'Sensei was very religious and used his Aikido as a means of practicing his religious and spiritual beliefs he did not intend for Aikido itself to be a religion.

The extremes of the spirituality of Aikido practitioners can be seen in the schools of Aikido created by O'Sensei's students from Gozo Shioda and Professor Tomiki to Koichi Tohei.

David

[asiawide]

Aikikai sent some teachers to Myung Jae Nam's school in Korea to promote aikido. So his school(IHF) is quite similiar to aikido. One of his students, Koh Baek Yong, looks very much like aikidoka. However, generally Aikido and HKD are very much different. IMHO, HKD won't help you to do aikido better and vice versa. You'd better choose one. :)

[ATLdo]

I agree. I think that if you were taking two totally different arts at once, like aikido and Taekwondo at the same time I would say it would be doable. Aikido and HKD are so superficially similar but drastically different in their philosophy, mindset and approach towards the material. I think that unless you were technically sound and fairly competent in one or the other, you would have a hard time. Alot of the details like footwork, angles, etc are so different. also the HKD mindset is very different than that of Aikido and that definitly makes the way the techniques are approached very different.

I say stick with Hapkido, or maybe seek out and IHF hapkido or Hankido school. The founder of the IHF, Jae Nam Myong, was very influenced by Aikido and came up with a nice hybrid style.
Thanks for the response.

I think Hankido would be great, but I can't find a school anywhere in Atlanta that teaches Hankido, or an IHF Hapkido school.

The Hapkido dojang that I found was part of the US Hapkido Association. They seem to put equal emphasis on striking, kicking, throws, locks, grappling.. whereas I am more interested in the throws and locks..

I've decided to go with Aikido for now..

[MM]

Am I totally off the mark?

For the most part, IMO, yes.

Mark