“Hap” - Harmony.
“Ki” - body and mind
coordination, “energy’ as in physics.
“Do” - Way, as way of life,
or way of learning.
Hapkido, in Korean, means the way, or do, of ki, which refers to life energy, and harmony, or hap.
Hapkido is designed to be a martial art which harmonizes body energy
while maintaining a state of non-aggression. Many martial arts focus on
non-aggression, and can be practiced by men and women of all ranges of size and
strength. Hapkido is about calculated moves rather than brute force.
Hapkido is governed by three essential principles. The first has to do
with a circular nature, that all motions move within a round and that activity
while sparring is kept inside a ball of energy, with opponents focusing energy
tightly within. Hapkido also incorporates a principal of the river, which
involves flowing and easily adapted motion. In Hapkido, energy is conserved for
the right moment, like a river breaking out. Finally, Hapkido uses the
principle of influence, forcing a would be attacker to adopt defensive
movements and leave openings which can be taken advantage of.
