Korean Martial Arts
Two Korean martial arts that are prominent are Taekwondo and Hapkido. Taekwondo dates back to the Silla dynasty in Korea and was developed for the military. Hapkido though practiced prior to World War II came into being after the war and is a purely defensive art. These arts are now practiced around the world, and if these techniques are to be countered one must understand how they work and where their origins.
First taught to the elite Hwarang warriors of the Silla dynasty an ancient Korean kingdom Taekwondo which focuses primarily on kicks was included with traditional military training and education. The martial art went underground during the early Japanese occupation and colonization during the early 20th century, but those who had the opportunity to train in Japan and China would share what they learned and adapt Taekwondo accordingly. Taekwondo as a sport can be exciting, but those with United States military training never saw it as a replacement for what they had already been taught which was Jujutsu. Lack of grappling the ability to deal with modern weapons limits someone who practices Taekwondo and has to study additional Techniques.
Hapkido is another popular Korean martial art that has close ties to the Japanese martial art Aikido. Many in Korea consider Taekwondo to be a hard martial art while Hapkido is a soft martial art. Those who practice Hapkido consider the spiritual side very important and say the martial art is about uniting harmony and energy and those who practice Hapkido pride themselves in that their martial art is purely self-defense. Hapkido student will try to use their attacker’s energy against them like in other martial arts, but unlike Jujutsu; they always allow the attack make the first move. One may find harmony with Hapkido, but finding safety is another matter. Reactionary combat is a poor choice for a technique.
In studying Korea’s martial arts of choice it is clear they cannot be discounted, but their limitations cannot be overlooked either. Taekwondo though once a system developed for warriors is now a combat sport with no ground fighting techniques. If you train in Hapkido you’re waiting to become a victim, because your allowing your attack the first move. A true warrior is a life long student who can never allow prejudice or overconfidence to cloud their judgment. The classroom and the practice field should always receive equal time.
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