Common Standards

In a wry comment to the media, the late Sir Winston Churchill quipped that the Americans and that the English were "two people divided by a common language". How very like the Hapkido community this sentiment is.

For over 50 years we Hapkido practitioners have quibbled about how one person organizes his curriculum or executes a technique while blithely ignoring that we do more things the same than differently. How many of our traditions start with "wrist grab techniques" ("son mok sool") and then progress to sleeve grab then clothing grabs. Are our progressions so very different? And despite the varied terms used to identify them, including simple numbering systems, are our techniques so very different? And if one person elects to use a technique to counter a sleeve grab but not a two-handed grab does that make that person's tradition so very different?

On the following pages of this area of the website you will find comparisons of major Hapkido arts and practices. I make not claims regarding the resources I have drawn from, only that they represent significantly large portions of Hapkido practitioners. What I hope people will understand is that once politics and leadership loyalty and commercial concerns such as "protecting ones' turf" are put to one side, we have a lot more pulling us together than pushing us apart. 

As always, enjoy the information and feel free to copy what may help you.