# A what if question



## Hapkid0ist (Dec 12, 2006)

What if Hapkido were to become a popular art? Lets say that someone was to make Hapkido a highly recognized art AND people were drawn to it and began to make it a well known and popular art. What would most of you think? What would you prefer? Would you rather that HKD be a lesser known art with fewer followers or a more popular art that flourishes with students? What would you prefer?


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## Flying Crane (Dec 12, 2006)

I am not a hapkidoist, but personally I always prefer to be doing something that most others are not doing.  When I started training in Capoeira, most people, including other martial artists, still had no idea what that was.  Now, you see all kinds of capoeira moves popping up in XMA and other showboat arts.  I think it kind of sucks, and I wish Capoeira had flown under the radar and remained unnoticed.


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## Moogong (Dec 22, 2006)

I love hapkido and am happy when more people discover how wonderful an art is is.  That being said, its growing popularity has brought a lot of negative energy into the art.  This is pretty much the case with every art though so I just say Hapkido is in good company.  
The biggest drawback to keeping an art exclusive is that you are limiting the number of really talented people that you could possibly be training with.


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## Xue Sheng (Dec 22, 2006)

Since I train an art that got way to popular, Tai Chi, be happy that it doesn't become extremely popular.

I do not train Hapkido I did train Jujitsu and I have watched a few Hapkido classes and I am always rather impressed by the level of martial skill and intent demonstrated. 

For Hapkido to be come extremely popular it would have to lower its standards and I would not want to see that.


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## Flying Crane (Dec 22, 2006)

Ya know those Mazda commercials, "Zoom Zoom Zoom"?  That comes from a capoeira song.  

pisses me off...


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## Xue Sheng (Dec 22, 2006)

Flying Crane said:


> Ya know those Mazda commercials, "Zoom Zoom Zoom"? That comes from a capoeira song.
> 
> pisses me off...


 
HEY!!... How do you think I feel about the song Kung Fu Fighting


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## TX_BB (Dec 23, 2006)

but...everybody loves kung fu fighting....


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## Paul B (Dec 24, 2006)

Funny stuff.

I wouldn't mind it being more popular..but I don't think the art is made for everyone. It will never approach the type of popularity of TKD..and that's just fine by me.


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## FearlessFreep (Dec 26, 2006)

He he, during the fitness portion of class, my instructor plays music and one song that makes the rounds if "Kung Fu Fighting"  I get a kick out of it.


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## Paul B (Dec 26, 2006)

FearlessFreep said:


> He he, during the fitness portion of class, my instructor plays music and one song that makes the rounds if "Kung Fu Fighting" *I get a kick out of it*.


 
Pun intended? :lfao:


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## Rich Parsons (Dec 26, 2006)

Flying Crane said:


> Ya know those Mazda commercials, "Zoom Zoom Zoom"?  That comes from a capoeira song.
> 
> pisses me off...



Before Capoeira became popular and I mean even the movie in the late 70's, Zoom Zoom was used for sports cars as the sound of an engine rev'ing. 

Now, they may have a song from a Capoeira that has Zoom Zoom Zoom and they may have used it. 

But it is not as bad as the GM commercials with "Making Woopie" and such. 


Now to the thread at hand. 

I think when an art becomes to popular, it has the chance of risking of going to the Least Common Denominator, with less skilled people teaching more and more and the expectations become less and less. 

An Art needs some dedicated people to learn it and continue it for the future.


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## FearlessFreep (Dec 26, 2006)

Paul B said:


> Pun intended? :lfao:



Oh yeah!!!


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## matt.m (Dec 26, 2006)

hapkido is a difficult art.  I would say that earning a dan _In a true_ hardcord hapkido school is supposed to be hard.  So therefore it is not an easy art and should not be for everyone.

If it became crazy popular then for people to advance passed 5th gup would take a lot of dumbing down the art.  At least from a MSK:HKD perspective.


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