Comparison of Hapkido to other Martial Arts

Taekwondo & Karate

Compared with nearly all other traditional martial arts, Hapkido teaches a broader range of skills. For example, Taekwondo, Karate and many Kung Fu styles are arts that tend to specialise only in striking techniques.

Hapkido is sometimes mistaken as just a modern mix of Taekwondo and other arts. While Hapkido is actually the older of the two arts both were influenced in their development by the ancient Korean kicking art of Taekyon. This means many of the basic kicking and hand techniques used by Hapkido and Taekwondo are similar. As you progress, Hapkido hand techniques become more flowing and circular with the emphasis on deflecting and controlling an opponent similar to what might be seen in a few advanced Kung Fu styles.

Compared to Taekwondo, in Hapkido there is much less emphasis on sparring and competition and much more on self-defence, locking and controlling of an opponent. Some unscrupulous Taekwondo instructors have added self-defence techniques to Taekwondo and called it Hapkido. This does not produce genuine Hapkido as Hapkido techniques derive from unique philosophical principles.

Authentic Hapkido styles should also include training in traditional weapons and the non-physical aspects of martial arts training such as mediation and Ki breathing exercises.

Aikido & Ju-Jitsu

Hapkido is sometimes mistakenly thought to be just a Korean version of Japanese Aikido (in fact the English translation for both arts is the same). There are some similarities in the principles and throwing techniques used in both Hapkido and Aikido due to them having a common influence from Japanese Akijujitsu.

However, while Aikido tends to be purely defensive in nature with little or no striking techniques, AHA Hapkido is more practical with an even balance of both defensive and offensive techniques, with students learning a wide range of striking, kicking and blocking techniques.

Hapkido differs from traditional Ju-Jitsu, Judo & Modern (or Brazilian) Ju-Jitsu in that there is much more emphasis on blocking, striking, kicking and weapons techniques and less emphasis on groundwork or sport fighting.

Because of its wide range of techniques a skilled Hapkidoist is able to control an opponent through the use of locking and pressure points thereby minimising the use of force. However should the situation demand it a Hapkidoist, unlike practitioners of totally grappling based arts is also trained in a wide range of powerful striking techniques.