Hapkido Footwork

[J_24]

Where does it come from? Does your Dojang work only on footwork instead of stances etc? What are the stances like ? any more info about this pls would be good.

[Eliz Seuferling]

I'm with GM Rim and we don't have formal stances like in TKD. I'm not sure what other HKD schools teach.

As for footwork, it is an essential for us. We don't work it seperately, but a technique is not considered correct unless the hands, the feet, and the proper spacing between yourself and your opponent all come together. How to get it right? Repetition.

Hope that helps.

[BBFC]

In my school I teach four levels of foot work which are done separately from hand & legs techniques. The levels are Basic, Basic two, Intermediate and lastly Advance that combines all three. These steps are “body positioning” that will instruct and teach the student how to move.

All the great martial arts of the past endure the test of time because they work! The following short list Judo, Jujitsu, Gujo Ryu, Karate and Taekwondo just to name a few. For Hapkido to survive and make a dramatic impact, instructors across the country will need to focus their instruction from the bottom up. Is it orthodox Hapkido? Absolutely not! But it works well for me and my students-tested on the streets unfortunately.

[J_24]

whats the difference between hkd and akd footwork ?
because what you describe sounds very farmiliar to my aikido, im thinking aikido is more "flowery" perhaps ?

[James O'Neill]

Howdy!

Hapkido footwork is far more linear than Aikido footwork in my experience. We move on the "X" like Aikido but from there even our circular motion tends to be more 'abrupt' and generally speaking, we use smaller, downward circles (spirals?). This is easiest to observe if you watch Sin Moo HKD style joint locking next to similar locking techniques from Aikido.

Another good example would be the movement called 'tenkan' in Aikido - while we will use a circular motion, our circle tends to resemble a corkscrew more than a true circle. For the most part, we will tend to 'bring them in' instead of projecting them away. And we will then "finish" them on the ground.

A couple of generalizations but I think it gives you the "flavor" of what I'm trying to convey. Maybe some folks with more experience can put it into words better than I can...?

As for stances, because we also kick and punch, we tend to use 'fighting stances' more like those of some of the striking arts (i.e.; Boxing) when we are not just standing 'naturally' or adopting a 'submissive' body posture. We have horse stances & front stances, but these are positions we will move "into and through" as opposed to starting or finishing with those movements.

Of course every teacher is different. We tend to focus on drilling footwork more than anything else because it has to become muscle memory or it's useless. For example, what good is it to know 100 different joint locks if you get knocked the ____ out while you are trying to "enter" on your opponent?!?So for us, the footwork associated with entering & standing control of the opponent (whether he's trying to strike or grapple with you) is of paramount importance.

Against a resisting, trained opponent (versus a trained but cooperative partner), a slightly more linear and agressive approach is necessary. At least IMO. However, find an agressive, pre-war style Aikido player and his footwork will probably resemble ours a bit more than most.

Just my take on it. Hopefully you will get some more input from some others...

[Rick Fine]

Kondo Katsuyuki Sensei has cited sword and sumo as the two main influences on Daito-ryu. The body shifting and turning from sword (I know nothing whatsoever about sumo per se) has really enhanced my hapkido. Just think "sword hand" in place of "sword" and move accordingly.

Elizabeth, do you cross paths with Mike Burke by chance? If so, please give him my regards.

[Eliz Seuferling]

Originally Posted by Rick Fine

Elizabeth, do you cross paths with Mike Burke by chance? If so, please give him my regards.

Hello,
There are 3 members named Mike and I don't really know all their last names. I'll ask tomorrow and pass along your message.

[Michael Tomlinson]

Funny thing about Sumo footwork is that when I watch Sumo matches I see almost the exact same footwork you are taught when you play offensive lineman on a football team trained by a very good offensive line coach, those are the very same footwork patterns I was taught in High School by my offensive line coach Dan Pfaff..who is now the field events coach for the University of Florida Track Team...he was a great offensive line coach back in the day..a great shot put coach and has trained a lot of great olympic athletes...myself not included!!! ha ha..and the hand and arm techniques used in Sumo are VERY CLOSE to what I learned and taught to defensive lineman over the last few decades.
Michael Tomlinson

p.s.,,, James...you understand it bro plain and simple...

[James O'Neill]

I'd attribute that to an excellent teacher