# Primary Differences Between Combat Hapkido and Traditional Hapkido



## gkygrl (Dec 23, 2007)

I have done a bit of a search on MartialTalk and have also looked at the ICHF website and see the bullet points which list items such as there are no forms, no acrobatic kicks, and others.

http://www.ichf.com/ (they are listed here)

I guess I wanted to understand from people who may have experience with both.  Are Hapkido and Combat Hapkido used interchangeably?  Do you notice huge differences?

Thanks for enlightening me.


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## Hollywood1340 (Dec 23, 2007)

The concepts are very much the same, and depending on linage, the application may be done differently. Both are Hapkido, but both have different means to the same end. Try a class and see.


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## Chris from CT (Dec 23, 2007)

gkygrl said:


> I have done a bit of a search on MartialTalk and have also looked at the ICHF website and see the bullet points which list items such as there are no forms, no acrobatic kicks, and others.
> 
> http://www.ichf.com/ (they are listed here).


 
Many people know where I stand on Combat Hapkido, so for those of you who don't, here it is in a nutshell. My problem with Combat Hapkido is it's marketing, nothing more or less. 

I study Traditional Hapkido and I would just like to hit on the major discrepancies with the list describing the differences between Traditional Hapkido and Combat Hapkido. These points are taken directly from the above website (www.ichf.com)

1. _"Combat Hapkido is 100% self defense."_ - SAME as Traditional Hapkido. We don't have competitions so that point is moot with the inclusion of #2 below.

2._ "There are no forms (Kata/Hyungs)."_ - SAME in Traditional Hapkido. Dojunim, Choi, yong-sul never taught forms. They were added later by students. The entire curriculum is based off application of technique in multiple self defense situations. (ie defence against collar grab, bearhug, hook punch, etc)

3. "_Combat Hapkido does not teach "Acrobatic" kicks_ - Neither does Traditional Hapkido. Dojunim Choi had taught about 10 kicks and 9 of them were to the midsection or legs. Higher and more acrobatic kicks were later added on by well known students such as Ji, Han -jae and Kim, Moo-wong.

4. _"Combat Hapkido employs breakfalls and throws in a very limited manner."_ - Somewhat the same as in Traditional Hapkido. In traditional Hapkido we do a lot of "immediate takedowns" (driving people into the ground) that many people could consider "throws" So huge "nak bup" or airfalls aren't the main priority for doing a technique. In traditional Hapkido you are stealing their balance, locking the opponent up and putting them on the ground. Their skill in air falling is irrelevant because if you have to apply this in real life there is a greater chance that the person will not know how to airfall.

5. _"Combat Hapkido has no hard blocks..."_ This implies that traditional Hapkido only teaches hard blocks, which would be incorrect. The majority of blocks we are taught are of a softer style.

6. _"Combat Hapkido has no stances." _In traditional Hapkido we are taught a loose, bladed type stance for an upright altercation which would be suitable for mobility. A hard, rigid type of stance would only be used when securing an opponent once they are down, which in this case would be for "stability." Which I think a Combat Hapkido practioner would agree with.

7. "_Combat Hapkido is not a sport and cannot me modified or regulated to be one. There are no competitions, tournaments or championships."_ - Once again this is the same for Traditional Hapkido. Dojunim Choi never held competitions and most traditionalists say, "It is not a game to see who wins and places first and second." These are serious techniques to control or incapacitate someone if the need arises. The only competition is to be better than yourself the day before.

Diana, whatever style you decide on, check out a few classes and see if you enjoy it. Can you benefit from being there? If so, train and enjoy!


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## gkygrl (Dec 24, 2007)

Thanks for the feeback -- in a couple of months I will be taking a free month of classes and have the option to do some TKD as well in that month although TKD appeals to me much less since I want the really practical type of self-defense.


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## FearlessFreep (Dec 24, 2007)

My last instructor (Hapkido 6th Dan) had a dim view of Combat Hapkido for basically the same reasons as Chris mentioned; mostly marketing (with some rather negative comments about the founder buying his rank at certain Dan levels)' Combat Hapkido" is mostly a marketing term, in the same way as I used to train what my instructor called "Hybrid Hapkido" (which was Hapkido with some Muy Thai, BJJ, and Taekwondo and a few others to supplement, but he was also very insistent that Hapkido is an adaptive art, which changes, borrows, and steals as needed to meet new threats)  Anyway..

_TKD appeals to me much less since I want the really practical type of self-defense._

TKD can be practical self-defense, as can Hapkido, but because of the sport/tournament aspects surrounding TKD, it can be hard to find a school that teaches effective TKD self-defense.


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## tellner (Dec 24, 2007)

I've only met a couple CHKD instructors. Most of them were good folk who took their martial arts seriously. Pelligrini I didn't care for very much. Find a good teacher in a school you will be comfortable with. From your picture and signature it appears you've been a soldier. If your training took you already have a lot of what you need. It's just a matter of getting the specialized tools and enough contact hours to develop them. There are plenty of places you can do that.


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## gkygrl (Dec 26, 2007)

tellner said:


> I've only met a couple CHKD instructors. Most of them were good folk who took their martial arts seriously. Pelligrini I didn't care for very much. Find a good teacher in a school you will be comfortable with. From your picture and signature it appears you've been a soldier. If your training took you already have a lot of what you need. It's just a matter of getting the specialized tools and enough contact hours to develop them. There are plenty of places you can do that.



Hi Tellner, thanks for your comments.  I feel like I have found a good instructor locally who runs a TKD and Combative Hapkido school.  The Hapkido side appeals to me more because of my Army / MP background.  It's been since the 80's since I studied, but I think a lot of it will come back to me -- and that is what I am looking for.  If the local school was teaching straight Hapkido, I would be "ok" with that.   I actually bought a set of Hapkido DVD's by Grandmaster Bong Soo Han and I have the Combat Hapkido DVD's coming too (I know, probably repetitive in a lot of ways -- but I wanted to compare and look at them, and work on them as I prepare for classes).    The Hapkido yellow belt DVD has some great stretches and warm-ups.  I am sure that the similarities are definitely there but that the Combat Hapkido might even have a more military or police feel.

Seems like it will resonate with me and I look forward to getting into it and having fun.

Thanks guys, some great posts that I will definitely refer back to.


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