Hapkido

In the 1990’s I had also read about Hapkido, a Korean martial art which included similar striking and blocking techniques to TaeKwonDo and joint locks and manipulation similar to Jujitsu. It’s history can be traced back in a Korean linage and Japanese linage which came together over a hundred years ago when Yong Sool Choi founded the art.

I found a reasonably local Hapkido club in Leamington Spa, The Korean Hapkido Academy. The Korean Hapkido Academy describe Hapkido as follows:

Hapkido is a method of self defence involving throwing, twisting (joint-locking), kicking, punching, blocking, nerve and pressure point attacks and weapons techniques. The adversaries power is utilised to your best advantage because of circular movement and deflection techniques involved. The theories of Hapkido are very involved, encompassing the principles of dynamics and relative force and speed.

The techniques are designed to have maximum disabling results in event of attack. Although free sparring is practised, there is no competitive fighting in Hapkido. The development and evolvement of the art has been strictly combative.

Korean Hapkido Academy

I first contacted and met the Korean Hapkido Academy’s Chief Instructor, David Hastings, who had been practicing Hapkido since about 1982. He was particularly interested in my training as a police instructor as he himself instructs security professionals and safety training to members of the public. He was very focused on both the traditional martial art side of Hapkido and personal safety and law enforcement training.

I attended several lessons and found David Hastings instruction to be first class. Click on the image below to visit the Korean Hapkido Academy in Leamington Spa.

Having a full time job as a police officer, having a young family, running my own TaeKwonDo club – I had little time to pursue any new martial art so unfortunately I was unable to continue with either Choi Kwang Do or Hapkido.

Had I started as a beginner and had to choose between TaeKwonDo, Choi Kwang Do and Hapkido, I would have chosen Hapkido.