Thread: Hapkido
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Old 10-22-2008, 06:08 PM   #3
Cady Goldfield
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,035
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Re: Hapkido

I trained briefly in HKD, maybe 2 years of it as part of a larger TKD curriculum, many years ago. At the time I was also practicing aikido.

HKD, as I learned it, was more nearly like the more direct forms (i.e. "combat" oriented) of Japanese jujutsu or Chinese qin-na than aikido. There was emphasis on locks, takedowns requiring breakfalls rather than large, loopy ukemi, chokes, some groundwork, and an arsenal of TKD-type kicks, punches and strikes.

In retrospect, there was no resemblance to Daito-ryu in the Hapkido, certainly nothing like the curriculum as presented by mainline Daito-ryu and its "offshoots" of Kodokai, Takumakai, etc. And since DR is the progenitor of aikido, I'd expect that if Hapkido had any real relationship to Daito-ryu, it would have at least a vestigial remnant of DR "flavor" in its kata and individual techniques.

Last, but definitely not least, there is no discernable internal component to HKD, at least not the mainstream type of HKD that I trained in. If Yong Sul Choi had had any genuine relationship with Takeda Sokaku, I'd imagine that he would at least have witnessed some actual aiki and somehow try to imitate or reference it in his own art, even if he did not learn much or any of it.

My 2 cents' worth, greatly diminished by inflation.

Last edited by Cady Goldfield : 10-22-2008 at 06:10 PM.
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