Hapkido seeks to employ some of all these methods for self defense.
Hapkido is a martial art that was started in Korea by its’ founder, Yong Shul Choi.
Some of Suh’s knowledge of Judo techniques was incorporated into the system of self defense that would later become known as Hapkido.
He is widely credited with being the first person to use the name of Hapkido, supposedly starting in 1959.
Han Jae Ji is credited with producing many famous masters of Hapkido who helped spread the art across the world.
Grandmaster Ji relocated to the United States in 1984 and formed Sin Moo Hapkido.
Although there is one system of Hapkido today, there two distinct types of Hapkido.
The second style of Hapkido are those schools, instructors and organizations that trace their lineage to Han Jae Ji. These schools teach the techniques of the first style along with punching, kicking and weapon techniques.
There are more students, whether directly or indirectly, of Han Jae Ji’s Hapkido than any other Hapkido instructor in history.
In the 1960’s some of the advanced teachers of Hapkido petitioned the government of Korea for a formal organization.
The KKA was authorized to regulate the standards for promotion and supervise the standards of teaching for Hapkido, and for thirty other martial arts.
Hapkido continued to fragment over time, as most martial arts are doing today.
In 1965 Han Jae Ji left the KKA and formed the Korea Hapkido Association, with the blessing of Chung Hee Park, the president of South Korea at the time.
He hoped to take a lot of its members with him to form The Republic of Korea Hapkido Association.
The KHF is the largest, Hapkido governing organization in the world today.
Another note worthy person in the history and development of Hapkido was Jae Nam Myung.
He trained along side of several other notable Hapkido masters such as Bong Soo Han and Sea Ho Choi.
Myung’s version of Hapkido includes many Aikido based techniques.
It is more commonly referred to now as The International Hapkido Federation.
The first Hapkido school to open in the United States was called The Hapki-Jujitsu School of Self Defense.
Find Aikido in your local area
