Practical Hapkido

Coming in late on this thread but can see the varieties of interpretation concerning hapkido. Anywhere hapkido is practiced in a dojang, it's the instructor who decides, of course, what path it will take. Some of this is due to the instructor's background and his/her actual strong and weak areas.

I know some who emphasize throws and others who emphasize kicking & striking. My background is varied but hapkido (to me) is more like aikido than kickboxing or judo; "jujitsu" might even be a good analog. Point is, I never like telling others that they are not practicing "X" but rather "Z". Hapkido does certainly include kicking and striking but the soul of hapkido is circular movement and the famous locks and projections. As long as these two technical areas are a part of whatever is being taught, I can accept the changes.
 
Training day
Embedded media from this media site is no longer available
 
You know the button on which the volume can be adjusted?
 
Lucky for me the computer I'm on blocked the site so it didn't auto-play.
 
Here's something wrong. I am sorry. I see the video as normal. The moderator can remove this video.
 
Here's something wrong. I am sorry. I see the video as normal. The moderator can remove this video.

I wouldn't give it a second thought. There was a misunderstanding of your choice of wording. That can happen between two people speaking their native language to each other, never mind someone who no matter how proficient, is speaking a language that is secondary, and filtered through another language and culture.

Personallly, I thank you for your showing the video. I found it interesting. I hope to see more input from you.
 
I have to click the video to play it, it's never autoplayed for me...
 
Years old video

Thanks for posting the two videos above. I am not crazy about the first knife defense in the 2nd video myself. I think it may have been in your first series as well? I learned one similar where we move the left front, grabbing the stabbing arm with both hands at the attaker's wrist, and moving to the right, then step under and bring the knife down into the attackers side. Less force needed to stop the thrust, and the attacker will try to pull the knife back and pull us where we want to go anyway.

But there are many defenses, and if you learn then correctly, they will probably work since the attacker will not expect them. I just prefer not to get into a contest of strength and speed with a blade coming towards my stomach. YMMV.
 
Most knife defense is pretty iffy, IMO. According to a couple of police officers I've talked to, most knife attackers today will come right up next to you, pull the knife out, and make a lot of short shallow stabs very fast. Not big swinging slices from a distance.

These videos do look a lot like what I learned in Hapkido, though. :)
 
Most knife defense is pretty iffy, IMO. According to a couple of police officers I've talked to, most knife attackers today will come right up next to you, pull the knife out, and make a lot of short shallow stabs very fast. Not big swinging slices from a distance.

These videos do look a lot like what I learned in Hapkido, though. :)
Here's my view on that: you learn defenses for things you can defend. There's a reason gun takeaways feature guns held withing grabbing distance and knife defenses feature knife attacks that don't happen by surprise and outside the line of sight. Same for punch defenses - I've never seen someone teach a defense against a punch you didn't see coming.

Now, to the topic of how knives are used, if we review the video evidence, there are actually reasonable examples of knives used that weren't an entirely surprise, covert attack. Often, it's not clear there was a knife at the onset.
 
Most knife defense is pretty iffy, IMO. According to a couple of police officers I've talked to, most knife attackers today will come right up next to you, pull the knife out, and make a lot of short shallow stabs very fast. Not big swinging slices from a distance.

These videos do look a lot like what I learned in Hapkido, though. :)

Well, I haven't spent my life going from one knife attacker to another. But while I realize the dangers, I like that I know some defenses that might save me from injury or death. Notice I said might. An attacker may indeed do what you said, but myself, the closer someone gets to my space, the more I am on alert, especially since you can normally discern aggressiveness in an approach. Doesn't mean they can't or won't attack me, but I will have a better chance of defending myself.
 
Here's my view on that: you learn defenses for things you can defend. There's a reason gun takeaways feature guns held withing grabbing distance and knife defenses feature knife attacks that don't happen by surprise and outside the line of sight. Same for punch defenses - I've never seen someone teach a defense against a punch you didn't see coming.

Now, to the topic of how knives are used, if we review the video evidence, there are actually reasonable examples of knives used that weren't an entirely surprise, covert attack. Often, it's not clear there was a knife at the onset.

Yep, pretty much this.

And it has long been discussed among MAs, how to defend against the sudden unexpected attack.
 
Back
Top