handsolow

Hapkido I've been taking it since my freshman year in college 6 years ago. I enjoyed it alot (i've also dabbled in S. Mantis kung fu, aikido, and kendo).

But I've stayed with hapkido the whole way through, it was the most... well rounded style that I found. There, I was taught both ground fighting, as well as standup tradtional fighting (and sparring). Hapkido tends to be fairly efficient, no big fancy moves, and often similar to aikido in movements and in the ways that you counter/control/redirect an opponent. It also takes a large cue from taekwondo in kicks (the similarities are especially similar in point matches).

The difference between hapkido and aikido is mostly in the mentality of it. (Well that and hapkido is korean, and aikido is a japanese art). Aikido wants to subdue an opponent, by controling him, you take away his will to fight. Often aikido could cause serious harm and/or pain to an opponent if you wanted it to, but it is not the goal in of itself. In hapkido, at least in the way I was taught, the idea is to 'take out' your opponent. If you want to merely put him in submission, so be it. If you want to break his arm, so be it. If you want to (heaven forbid) kill him... so be it.

I've found it to be more vicious, and practical than any other martial art (although muay thai guys seem to be the toughest guys, they can take some -serious- pain). That's not to say that hapkido is all about violence... but it could definetly get the job done should the situation arise.

Commentary on any martial art: I'm probably preaching to the choir, but find a martial art you enjoy. They all have their appeals and charms. But understand that it's not all about "A Muay Thai fighter can beat a Taekwondo fighter, but loses to a Judo guy". It's all about the art you choose to persue, and your personal reasons and goals for doing so. Mine was just to learn to control my body. And as a parting note, I'll leave you with something my master told me on my first day of training:

"I teach Hapkido as a form of art, not just as a way to beat someone up. If you practice, train for, and study hapkido, you will certainly learn how to fight well. But if that is your only goal, the best way to get good at that is to just pick fights in bars." -Thom Abelew