GEIST HAPKIDO ACADEMY

COMBAT HAPKIDO HISTORY

Development of the martial art Hapkido is usually attributed to Yong Sool Choi, however, there is dispute over who first used the term "Hapkido" and when.  Despite this dispute, Hapkido is a Korean martial art that emerged into the main stream after World War II.

The English translation of the words Hap, Ki, and Do is "the way of coordinated power".  There are three universal principles in Hapkido.

• Yu (Water) - penetrate an attacker by flowing through his defenses
• Won (Circular Motion) - redirect attacks in a circular direction
• Hwa (Harmony) - remain relaxed and do not counter force with force

Combat Hapkido is a style of Hapkido and is fully sanctioned by the Korean Ki Do Federation.  It was founded by Grandmaster John Pellegrini in 1990 to be a modern, realistic, and effective style of self defense.    Grandmaster P also refers to his style as the "Science of Self Defense" because the system is based on anatomy and biomechanics. 

The driving principle of Combat Hapkido is 100% Self Defense.  It is not a new Martial Art developed from "lost" and "secret" techniques.  Such claims are the tools of marketing agents and charlatans (that may be redundant).  Grandmaster P adapted traditional Hapkido to become a practical system of self defense for any body style in a modern society. 

Combat Hapkido can also be described by what it does not include:

• No Forms, Katas, or Hyungs of any kind
• No aerobic kicks.  All kicks are directed to the lower half of the body
• No blocks.  Combat Hapkido  redirects attacks
• No formal stances
• No board or brick breaking
• No competitions or tournaments
•  

For additional information, check out some of these links:

• For a more inclusive history of Hapkido visit Master Rowe's page at the American Tae Kwan Do and Hapkido Academy in Nebraska.
• In the Scranton, PA area try Master Cushing's Combat Hapkido Academy.
• If you ever get to Ancorage, Alaska, visit Master Dunston
• Or if you happen to be in Nova Scotia go to Rushton's Combat Hapkido Academy
• Master Landsdale is in Nacogdoches, Texas
• But be sure to check out the Official ICHF Homepage

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