Why You Should Choose A USA Hapkido Union School by Instructor Ma

Why You Should Choose A USA Hapkido Union School by Instructor Ma

As a Hapkido Instructor myself I believe that there are four primary things that you should look for when considering joining a Hapkido school.

The first is to look for a school that teaches using Hapkido’s Mind, Body, and Spirit training philosophy. A school that focuses on all three aspects of the philosophy of training will provide the best environment and curriculum for learning Hapkido.

The second thing to look for is the type of Hapkido self-defense that they are teaching. You want self-protection techniques that are effective and practical. Anything that is overly flashy and too complicated will not be effective in a real-life violent encounter.

The third thing to consider is that Hapkido is much more than a self-protection system. It is a way of life that strives for optimal health mentally, physically, and philosophically. That is the way that it was taught by the true founder of Hapkido, Dojunim Choi Young Soo.

The fourth thing to look for is do they teach principle-based methods or only groups of techniques. As a beginner you will practice the three elementary principles of Hapkido which are the Circular Force Principle, the Water or Flow Principle, and the Principle of Harmonizing Energy: these form the essence of Hapkido. One circular technique should flow into the other, in harmony with the energy of the opponent. Evaluate the techniques taught for practicality. If the motion stops or is mechanical in nature, the technique will most likely not be applicable in a violent encounter.

There are many Hapkido schools out there, and finding a good one may be hard. While we believe that the USA Hapkido Union offers the best practical training, you may not be able to make it to one of our locations. Therefore, it is highly recommended that the instructor(s) of the school you choose understands these four aspects.

About the author: Instructor Ma is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in the Korean self-defense art of Hapkido and a 2nd Dan in Traditional Taekwondo. She is a professional sports and fitness model and full-time Nursing student. She is the Language, Culture and Leadership Development Teacher for the USA Hapkido Union, Inc.

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