About Us

The word Hapkido, when literally translated, means coordination, power, and way. Hap means coordination, ki denotes the essence of power, and do mean the art or method. Hapkido is, therefore, the art of coordinated power.

The practitioner of Hapkido learns to apply all three of these principles in mastering the art. Central, and most important, is ki, the essence of power. This is achieved by uniting the mind and body into one spiritual and physical entity.

As the practitioner begins to recognize their ki and develop unity between mind and body, they are taught basic techniques—blocks, punches, kicks, and throws. From that point, they must learn to coordinate their newfound abilities into free-flowing power or energy.

There are three basic skills to be learned:

1. Non-resistance: Meeting force with minimal force to deflect rather than clash with an adversary’s power.
2. Circular motion: Countering and attacking using circular techniques.
3. The "water principle": Total penetration of an enemy's defenses.

Non-resistance is a defining characteristic of Hapkido and one of the major aspects that sets it apart from more traditional martial arts like karate. For example, when defending against a powerful punch, the Hapkido practitioner would never step into the opponent's area of greatest momentum and block with a hard, direct thrust. Instead, they would avoid direct confrontation by stepping to the outside, deflecting the punch with a soft, circular motion of the arm and hand. Once the power is diverted, they are free to attack the opponent’s exposed side.

The same circular motion that allows the Hapkido practitioner to flow seamlessly from one movement to the next also provides an unbroken line of continuous motion, power, and energy.

The circular method of attack is a principle observed in nature, particularly in the combat techniques of predatory animals. For instance, a cat stalking its prey often uses circular patterns as it approaches and attacks.

The Hapkido practitioner uses circular patterns to generate momentum, executing techniques in a natural, free-flowing manner. Straight or jerky movements are difficult to redirect once the power is unleashed. However, by employing the principle of the circle, momentum can be shifted from a frontal to a lateral motion, and so on, by simply altering the axis of one’s circular and core movement. In this way, Hapkido achieves coordination through continuous circular patterns.

The "water principle" is best understood by envisioning the quiet yet persistent strength of flowing water. Just as a stream penetrates and surrounds obstacles, or a steady drip eventually penetrates stone, so does Hapkido's strength flow in and through its opponents.