# Why choose Aikido?



## mjd (Jul 4, 2007)

Hi all

I would like some insight on Aikido, I am going to start training in a secondary style of Martial Arts and I don't know which one to choose.

I currently study TSD for the past 18 years, I hold the rank of 3rd dan, in the last 5 years of my training we have been using more and more joint manipulation, throws, chokes, take downs, ect. 

My goal is a more detailed study of joint manipulation, throws, chokes, ect. using circular motion, I would like to even earn a rank in a scound art, I think this would be good for me to make myself well rounded in my study and experience in the Martial Arts.

I have been reading alot about hapkido and aikido, from what I gather its looks to me they are very similar, with hapkido being more brutal.

I would like to hear from the experts here why choose aikido over hapkido.

I will greatly appriceate your opinions.


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## theletch1 (Jul 4, 2007)

I'd love to give you a list of a dozen reasons to choose aikido over hapkido...but I can't.  Both arts have a great deal of virtue.  What's more important than the specifics of the art is how well it meshes with what you've already studied and what you want to learn for yourself.  The major differences between hapkido and aikido as I understand it is that hapkido incorporates a great deal more atemi (strikingunching/kicking) into the art than does aikido.  If it's joint manipulation and locks that you're interested in then either art would do you well, but I believe that many of the aikido schools will specialize much more in this aspect of the arts.  Regardless of which art you decide to go with I wish you the best of luck.  Please keep us posted.


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## Brian King (Jul 4, 2007)

Try out lessons in all avilable locations to experience how you get along with the instructors and students at the local schools, I feel this is very important. Also besides learning the movements you may be interested in learning the different cultural and philosophical aspects of the arts and let that be your guide in choosing which art to study. I would go by my comfort of the instructor (not all Aikido and Hapkido schools are created equal) and the school. Some learn best by tasting that which is familiar and comparing and blending to what they all ready know while others enjoy the excitement of learning something different than what they are used to and using the differences to add depth to what they all ready know. Exploring this is a great way to learn about yourself.

Good luck in your journey
Brian King


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## stoneheart (Jul 4, 2007)

This is a generalization:  The circles in aikido are larger than in hapkido and there is more of a premium placed on using uke's overextending against him in aikido rather than force or strength to complete a technique.  I have also found that aikido people tend to be less willing to apply enough pressure in locks to force a true tapout than hapkido people.  It's just simply a different culture and frame of mind.

As you are aware, both arts are very similar and you will learn largely the same techniques in both.  My advice is to visit as many dojos as you can and assess the training environment as well as your potential training partners and instructors.   I'm a karate stylist so when I cross-train I prefer to work with a somewhat rougher group myself.


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## amir (Jul 5, 2007)

After 18 years in M.A. you should know better:
1 .Choose the best teacher you find, the one you can trust and not a M.A. system.
2. A M.A. is much more then the sum of its techniques. The same techniques from Aikido can be found in many other M.A. the difference is in the Aikido approach to teaching them. Obviously, unless you find a great teacher, you might not get really into  it ...


If you have already learnt one M.A. which teaches striking, and look for a focus on joint manipulation and unblancin etc. I think you should go at a system which focuses and not at a system trying to cover all. aikido focuses on this type of techniques to the point it affects the very nature of study and methodology,I understand Hapkido has a wider frame ...

Amir


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## theletch1 (Jul 5, 2007)

stoneheart said:


> This is a generalization: The circles in aikido are larger than in hapkido and there is more of a premium placed on using uke's overextending against him in aikido rather than force or strength to complete a technique. I have also found that aikido people tend to be less willing to apply enough pressure in locks to force a true tapout than hapkido people. It's just simply a different culture and frame of mind.
> 
> As you are aware, both arts are very similar and you will learn largely the same techniques in both. My advice is to visit as many dojos as you can and assess the training environment as well as your potential training partners and instructors. I'm a karate stylist so when I cross-train I prefer to work with a somewhat rougher group myself.


Come play with us if you get the chance.  I'm a Nihon Goshin practitioner and we get a lot of guf from some of the hombu guys for being a little less...um...refined when it comes to dealing out pain to uke.  I think that your generalization can be broken down within an individual dojo as well as from style to style within aikido.  It is indeed frame of mind that makes the difference and sometimes that can cover a wide range within a single dojo.  Your advice was great.  The only tweek I'd give on it is that in aikido you should never have to force the technique to get the tapout.  The energy that you get from uke (or create with atemi when the opportunity arrives) will be more than enough to create the tap.


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## howard (Jul 5, 2007)

Hi MJD,

I think you've got some very good responses so far.

Just a couple more generalizations for you.


Both Aikido and Hapkido have evolved from the arts that their respective founders taught, especially Hapkido.  The majority of Hapkido schools you'll find in the US teach a variety that can be traced to Ji Han Jae, the founder of Sin Moo Hapkido.  Ji is primarily responsible for adding the extensive kicking repertoire to Hapkido that most people practice today.  Not sure how much low kicking you do in TSD, but you should find most Hapkido kicks familiar from your TSD background (although the execution differs).
A few older styles of Hapkido still place a lot of emphasis on subtly unbalancing the attacker, just as was done in the Aikijujutsu root of the art.  For example, in our style, if you're using muscle and force, you're definitely doing something wrong.  Except for the most basic escapes from wrist grabs, unbalancing the attacker is critical in our techniques.
I'd agree (again as a generalization) that most people would find most Hapkido more "brutal", "aggressive" or however you choose to term it than most Aikido.  This doesn't argue in favor of either art, it's merely an observation.
I think it's fair to say that Hapkido is closer to generic Japanese Jujutsu than Aikido is, if that helps at all.

Good luck, hope you find a school that meets your aims.


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## Hawke (Jul 5, 2007)

Like others have said check out the other schools that are near you.

There are different types of Aikido.

There are different types of Hapkido.

See which learning environment suits you.


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## mjd (Jul 6, 2007)

Thanks guy's for all your insights, I will check out a few places I have my eye on and see what they have to offer, I think I'll just walk in and watch for a while, I got to admit I like to rough up it up a bit myself, but I also would like to be a little more slick and smooth in the delivery area of my joint manipulations. 

I'll let you know what I find out in the next few weeks.


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## theletch1 (Jul 6, 2007)

mjd said:


> Thanks guy's for all your insights, I will check out a few places I have my eye on and see what they have to offer, I think I'll just walk in and watch for a while, I got to admit I like to rough up it up a bit myself, but I also would like to be a little more slick and smooth in the delivery area of my joint manipulations.
> 
> I'll let you know what I find out in the next few weeks.


For joint manipulations to be slick and smooth they just have to happen.  You can't force them.  Forget about grabbing for ukes wrist...start working your parries and concentrate on using the back of your hand and the shuto edge of your hand to maintain contact with uke until you lead his energy to where it needs to be for the lock.  I've always found that the minute my fingers start to close around any part of ukes body the technique gets staccato and I start to force things.  Good luck and RELAX when you're trying to flow.


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