# How is this an old mans martial arts?



## jezr74 (Apr 2, 2014)

While it was not part of my decision to start Hapkido, I've heard it referred to on several occasions as the old mans MA.

My experience so far, while it is still short. Is that this has been the most intensive training I've had, with moving around the last few years I have been training in what ever was local and available and I have to say HKD has been the most cardio intensive so far.

I'm not complaining, but curious how this saying came about.


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## WaterGal (Apr 3, 2014)

I've never heard that before.  And I would really hesitate to recommend Hapkido for a senior citizen.  I think between the falling, rolling, grappling, and joint locks, it could be quite dangerous for them.  Older people tend to have more fragile bones, arthritis, old injuries, heart problems, etc.

Edit: maybe people that say that are comparing it to MMA training?  Hapkido can be rigorous, but in my experience it seems like there's less ground-and-pound kind of training.  And if somebody's got a bad joint or whatever, we can say, okay, only fall from a crouch or ask your partner to take it easy on that side.  So maybe by "old man" they're being a jerk and really mean someone over 30 or 40 who maybe can't go as hard all the time as a 20-year old gym bunny guy.


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## drop bear (Apr 3, 2014)

Compared to tkd?


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## Takai (Apr 3, 2014)

Never heard that about Hapkido before. I have heard that said about Wing Chun before though.


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## jezr74 (Apr 3, 2014)

Now that I'm trying to find the references, I can't.

Well I'm getting a good dose of cardio out of it which I enjoy.


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## WMKS Shogun (Apr 6, 2014)

I generally think of it as a gentleman's art, but not and old man's art. I say a gentleman's art because the focus is on control and using an opponent's own aggression against them rather than just using your own strength to beat them. Being able to control/immobilize via pain or to destroy a joint via locks makes it more gentlemanly,  in my opinion (this is coming from someone who trains in Hapkido, but my primary style is still Tae Kwon Do).


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## oftheherd1 (Apr 7, 2014)

jezr74 said:


> While it was not part of my decision to start Hapkido, I've heard it referred to on several occasions as the old mans MA.
> 
> *My experience so far, while it is still short. Is that this has been the most intensive training I've had, with moving around the last few years I have been training in what ever was local and available and I have to say HKD has been the most cardio intensive so far.*
> 
> I'm not complaining, but curious how this saying came about.



While studying under Jhoon Goo Rhee in the US, he could put us through some paces, make no mistake.  But when I studied Hapkido in Korea, our workouts were indeed merciless.



WMKS Shogun said:


> I generally think of it as a gentleman's art, but not and old man's art. I say a gentleman's art because the focus is on control and using an opponent's own aggression against them rather than just using your own strength to beat them. Being able to control/immobilize via pain or to destroy a joint via locks makes it more gentlemanly,  in my opinion (this is coming from someone who trains in Hapkido, but my primary style is still Tae Kwon Do).



My GM used to say many of the TKD teachers were learning Hapkido, since it didn't require the brute force strength of the striking arts.  That doesn't make either type of art better.  They are different, and properly done, each can be effective.  I had never thought of Hapkido as gentlemanly.  I would say that about Aikido, and that from no study, and not a lot of knowledge about Aikido.  It just seems to me we Hapkidoists accept from the git go that anyone who attacks us should expect to have much pain, damage, or both.


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## WaterGal (Apr 7, 2014)

drop bear said:


> Compared to tkd?



I'd actually recommend TKD over HKD for someone a little older (not elderly, but in the 45-65 range).  HKD's just rougher on the joints and back, with all the rolling and falling, even if you're being careful.


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## oftheherd1 (Apr 8, 2014)

WaterGal said:


> I'd actually recommend TKD over HKD for someone a little older (not elderly, but in the 45-65 range).  HKD's just rougher on the joints and back, with all the rolling and falling, even if you're being careful.



I started Hapkido when I was about 45.    But I was still in the Army so in pretty good shape.  That is, in good enough shape to start getting into shape with Hapkido.  :lol:

But you are correct that as we get older, we must be more proficient and experienced at break falls.  But I think the main attraction to older people was the defense/joint manipulation and pressure points.


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## JJK HKD (Aug 23, 2014)

I have heard that one time from a guy in the Kansas City area.  He only knew a little about hapkido (was really a taekwondo teacher who offered a class a week in hapkido) and was likely teaching the joint locks only.  Falls, joint locks with speed, kicking, throws, full-contact sparring and ground defense ... my experience has been that anyone is potentially capable of learning hapkido but I wouldn't ever tell someone it is an old man's art!


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## Buka (Aug 24, 2014)

I've only worked out with a few Hapkido guys over the years. Man, they were good. I've never heard it called an old guys art and it sure didn't seem that way to me.


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## Reedone816 (Aug 24, 2014)

The hapkido guys i've ever meet all are young and has good physique or in military.
Not related maybe...
Sent from my RM-943_apac_indonesia_207 using Tapatalk


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## marysson (Mar 12, 2015)

Maybe because it can be used without a young man's athletic ability.  A joint locked in the precise way does not require much force at all to work.


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## Tez3 (Mar 12, 2015)

WaterGal said:


> (not elderly, but in the 45-65 range).



You've made my day! I'm not elderly...yet


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## K-man (Mar 13, 2015)

Tez3 said:


> You've made my day! I'm not elderly...yet


Just watch that smirk young lady! 

I'm not elderly either, but I am over 65.


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## jezr74 (Mar 14, 2015)

I have to admit, the more I train, the less I'm crunching my bones when rolling, falling and on take downs.


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## RTKDCMB (Mar 15, 2015)

Maybe someone said that after seeing a HKD guy do something with a cane?


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## RTKDCMB (Mar 15, 2015)

WaterGal said:


> Older people tend to have more fragile bones, arthritis, old injuries, heart problems, etc..


Instead of doing break falls they fall and break something.


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## Shai Hulud (Mar 16, 2015)

I would expect something like that to be said about Taiji or Aikido, but Hapkido? It's basically Jujitsu with altitude.


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## Instructor (Mar 17, 2015)

Much depends on the Hapkido program you are with.  I've been in those schools where each practice is a grueling marathon of kicks, punches, sparring, and repeated break falls all the way to the floor.  But I've also attended classes that went to the tipping point instead of all the way to the floor and were much more conservative in the amount of abuse.  I would say the later is perfectly appropriate for older people.


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## punisher73 (Mar 26, 2015)

I've heard it referenced that way before, but not in a good way.  It will turn you into an old man because of all the kicks that our body isn't designed to do long term.  High number of hip/knee issues in the korean arts because the hip socket isn't designed around the motion of the kicks.

Even said that this was why they taught "cane" techniques in HKD because as you got older it was a given that you would need one.

NOTE:  I am not saying the following is true, just what the reference was in saying it was an old man's art.


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