How to Find a Hapkido Class

Originating in Korea, Hapkido is one of many martial art forms that has made its way to the United States. Compared to the more commonly known Aikido and Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido consists of both striking and kicking techniques, hard and soft defense, throws, takedowns and ground fighting. Many schools now offer classes in Hapkido, so finding one either for children or adults is fairly easy with classes in either a fighting style of Hapkido or self-defense.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Books on Hapkido
• Videos on Hapkido
• Information on local Hapkido classes

1. Visit local martial arts schools and see if they offer classes in Hapkido or know of another school that offers this form of martial arts. Some schools may only offer adult classes, but some have added classes for children, usually seven years or older.

2. Search online websites that have listings of Hapkido Dojang's (Schools). The Nebraska Hapkido Association put together a thorough list separated by state and country. Most websites similar to this will let anyone list their school and are not meant to be recommendations, so they suggest you check out individual schools yourself and don't trust any school just because they are their website.

3. Go to the International Hapkido Federation website, which has more information specifically about this martial art form and information about the six schools they currently have in the United States.

4. Watch online videos featuring real life Hapkido classes to learn more about what certain schools teach. The International Hapkido Federation has several of their classes available online and the World Hapkido Association also has sample clips you can view with Window's Media Player. If you don't have this player, you can download it for free from the Microsoft website.

5. Check out the online Martial Arts Resource Page, which covers all types of Korean martial arts forms including information on Hapkido like classes, organizations, books and other resources.

6. Buy books about Hapkido. There are many books available that cover basic techniques for white belt to black belt levels, in-depth textbooks and books on individual moves and weapons. Many of these books are available from Amazon.com and the Hapkido-Info Network has a listing of books available, including where they can be purchased. While books aren't as a good as a class, you can start learning from these until you can find a school you trust.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for a traditional Hapkido school if you are interested in learning more than just the techniques. Many of these schools also teach you about the history of Hapkido, customs and traditions of Korea and sometimes even teach the Korean language.
• Don't try any Hapkido moves or techniques you learn from watching a video without proper training. You could seriously injure yourself or someone else.

Resources

• Online Hapkido Dojang Directory
• International Hapkido Federation
• Watch classes online
• Watch sample videos
• Find Hapkido Books
• Download Windows Media Player

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