Hapkido
Hapkido is a unique, comprehensive ancient Korean art that is gaining a huge following around the world as an incredibly practical self-defense system. This is because Hapkido techniques do not require strength and, in conflict situations, they allow the defender to gain complete control with minimal effort and without aggression or injuries to the attacker. The art of Hapkido has the most varied types of techniques and offers extensive training in many disciplines, including correct breathing techniques, kicking techniques, pressure points, joint-locking, submissions, throwing techniques, weaponry and falling techniques that are vital for self-protection in real-life situations. In addition, training in Hapkido has benefited people all over the world, from all walks of life, including action movie actors / actresses, professional athletes, sports teams, and Olympic gold medalists. As well as being open to the general public, Hapkido has also been in popular demand by police and security forces around the world. It has been taught in the US White House, and to the bodyguards of the Prime Minister of South Vietnam, as well as to the Crown Prince of Bahrain and his bodyguards. In addition, it has been taught to US and Korean Law Enforcement, Military, and Special Forces, as well as to the French RAID Police, the Singapore Police Academy, and the UK’s Durham Constabulary. Hapkido is also still taught in the Bodyguard Unit of Korean Presidential Office and a Korea Hapkido Black belt certificate is required to gain positions within Korea's Special Police, Special Warfare Command, or as a special bodyguard to the President himself.
What we teach and Practice in Hapkido
Sŏn - Meditation
Sŏn means inner calmness and relaxation. By attentiveness and intensive internal concentration a new sensitivity can be reached which helps to control the ups and downs of life. By this means Sŏn can be applied effectively in daily life.
Dan Jeon - Breathing
Intensive breathing from the lower abdomen (Dan-Jeon) concentrates energy slightly below the belly button, strengthening the entire body and clearing heart and mind.
Sulki - Self-Defence Techniques
Self Defence techniques consist of multifold movements freeing oneself from the grip, punch, kick and / or other forms of attack of an opponent. They often include exerting pressure on vital points of energy similar to those used in acupuncture or acupressure. Applied against an attack, they are a most efficient means of self defense.
Kicks
By practising various kinds of kicks (high kicks, low kicks, basic kicks, advanced skill kicks, etc.) we fully extend our flexibility and body balance. In addition, we learn how to defend ourselves most efficiently in a necessary situation and learn how to counter-attack our opponent's attack by applying kicking skills.
Breakfalls
By exercising breakfall techniques we learn to fall like cats do - without fear, naturally and softly. Thereby we gain trust to the ground, and also learn to release inner tension.
Weapons
We are also specialised in weapons training to include the sword, long staff, short staff, middle staff, cane, belt and rope. Especially, the long staff is particularly good for improving whole body Ki (Qi) balance, breathing and hand-to-eye co-ordination.
