Why?????

[Paul B]

OK, for funs sake...lets do that...

Fun in the Hapkido forum? I don't know....

We will never know until we start with a simple foundation of defining the art though its Founder...

Now I find that an interesting concept. The way I see it,what you specifically practice I consider "classical" Hapkido..right from the horse's mouth as it were. What Hapkido some others might study would either be Kwan-specific or "style-specific." That's just the way I think.

As far as basing it on actual technique..it's anyone's ballgame. There's just too much variation out there.

Unless of course you wanted to use "Classical Hapkido" as a base technical guideline...and then you would have your Kwan and Yong Sool Kwan techniques as the oldest "main lines" I believe. Gotta be honest,I just don't see it happening.

...snip... but we can also go with ranking from Choi Dojunim himself - that is also a valid way of looking at this issue (as all other similar ranking style martial arts do). If someone receives a (FOR EXAMPLE) 6th dan, it looks odd if he awards a 9th dan to a student - unless it is in his "own" version of the art - again, it really all fits together.

I think that last bit is pretty much the status quo in the KMAs,no?

I have known some physically very adept people, but they didn't hold a candle to the real Hapkido I have felt.

Agreed..good Hapkido is an entirely different realm of pain than the standard fare.