Hapkido

The roots of Hapkido can be traced back through the histories of both the Korean and the Japanese fighting arts.  Though mostly credited as being an art of Korean origin, much of Hapkido's technical and philosophical influence came from japan.

The dynamic turning, sweeping and spinning kicks for which Hapkido has gained fame were developed along with other Korean fighting arts.  In-depth research of the history of these techniques leads you into the ancient history of the art of Taekwondo.  When the art was known by other names, e.g. Tae Kyon, Tae Soo, Tang Soo, Soo Bak, and Kwon Bup, neither Hapkido nor Taekwondo existed.  The arts of Hapkido and Taekwondo share histories until the 20^th centruy.   

It was in northern Choong Chung province in Korea on July 20^th, 1904 that Yong Sul Choi was born.  Mr. Choi is the man credited with developing the art of Hapkido as we know it today.

In 1912, Choi moved to Japan and was adopted by Sokaku Takeda and trained under him in the martial arts.  Choi lived with Takeda for 30 years and became his top student and a teaching assistant.  The art which he was studying was Daito-ryu aikijutsu of which Takeda was the head and from which Japanese Aikido was derived.

At the end of World War II, Choi returned to Korea, with Takeda's blessings, to spread his discipline.  Choi combined the art of Aikijutsu, which he studied in Japan, with the Korean art of Tae Kyon to develop the art which we know today as Hapkido.

Yong Sul Choi passed away in 1987 leaving his art for the world to carry on.  Though Hapkido has no formal "kata" and no form of competition, many persons still enjoy practicing the art not only for self defense and exercise, but to develop their inner strength and learn to live in harmony with themselves and one another.