Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Hapkido Hurts!


Old Hapkido Master

Last post featured a very old T.T. Liang performing the Taiji San-Shou form, today we view one Bad-Ass old Hapkido master at work... Wow! This guy doesn't hold back, you know his students must just be cringing in expectation of the pain that will follow.
While Hapkido is a Korean hybrid of Tae Kyon and Aikijitsu, there is a distinctive Korean flavor to the movement. Much more linear than Bagua and Aikido, but with it's grappling roots in Chinese Chin Na.
Look for this example: See how he really makes use of shoulder and hip checks to reverse direction. This is generally in closer in than other locking systems (in my opinion) and is used very effectively. It also reminds me of Kou, or "shoulder/hip" in Tai Chi Chuan.
All in all, a very painful demonstration! I wonder what the Aikido and Jujitsu guys out there have to add?

3 comments:

JoseFreitas said...

Whoa! That guy is good, even though there was a little bit of "staging" to his demo. Impressive. And as you say, the flavor is like a weird mix of Aikido and Chinese Qinna (and even, dare I say it, Bagua).

Charles James said...

Hi DR and Josefretis:

there was a little bit of "staging" to his demo.

It was evident yet this is imperative in this type of demonstration. The relationship between tori and uke is one of complete trust otherwise it doesn't work as fluidly as this tape shows.

The uke in this instance would have received a ton of injuries if that trust were not present.

This tori/uke relationship is what makes this a good demo and Aikido relies on the same.

BSM said...

The creepy part is that old master smiles through the whole thing!