Hapkido T.B.W.

Hapkido, noble Korean martial art, uses techniques of meditation, of respiration, the power of "Ki" (inside energy) and articular exercises, earth projections, ground fighting, techniques of punching and kicking.

The founder of the korean martial art Hapkido (Hapkido: "the way of the coordination of the energy; Hap: coordination ; Ki: inside energy; Do: way) is M° Choi Yong Sul (1899-1986) (photo at the right side). The art was founded in 1958.

In 1984, the M° Ji Han Jae (a student of M° Choi Yong Sul) named it "Sin Moo Hapkido" (Sin Moo Hapkido: "Spiritual martial art"; Sin: spritual; Moo: martial) to differentiate it from others syles born from the original Hapkido of M° Choi Yong Sul.

How Hapkido born: brief history of a korean martial art

M° Ji Han Jae (photo at the right side) was born in Andong (South Korea) in 1936. He was a student of M° Choi Yong Sul, first Dojunim (holder of the way) of the history della storia.

The founder of the native Korean art, named "Yu Sul" (also called Yu Kwon Sul or Hap Ki Yu Kwon Sul) is M° Choi Yong Sul, first Dojunim of the history. He was forced to migrate in Japan, in the period of the japanese invasion in Korea; in Japan he learnt the "Daito-Ryu Aikijujitsu". In that period in Korea the Korean martial arts were banished.
 

The origin of the Daito-Ryu Aiiki Jujitsu began in Japan by Soemon Takeda (1758-1853), who developed a system called: "Aiki-in-Ho-Yo" (the system of Aiki of Yin and Yang). The system was handed down to Tanomo Saigo and after to Sokaku Takeda (1859-1943), nephew of Soemon. Sokaku Takeda traveled a lot and had many students. One among these were Choi Yong Sul: he called himself Yoshida up to 1945, year when he left Japon and returned in Korea, free from the Japanese siege.

When Dojunim Choi Yong Sul came back to Korea, he developed what he learnt: he founded the Yu Sul. After many trainings with one of his friend and student, Suh Bok Sub, he decided to change the name in Yu Kwon Sul (or Hap Ki Yu Kwon Sul). Before his death, Dojunim Choi Yong Sul, gave the Black Belt IX Dan to the M° Kim Yun Sang. The II Dojunim of the history was the son of M° Choi Yong Sul, M° Choi Bok Yuel. When the II Dojunim died (2002), his wife named M° Kim Yun Sang the III Dojunim of the history.

Great Masters born from Hapkido. They founded different styles.

During a conversation with M° Ji Han Jae, it was related that after he chose the name Hapkido to represent his art, he gave this name to his teacher, M° Yong-Sool Choi to use - out of respect. M° Choi taught under the name Hapkido until his death in 1986, even though he did not teach the complete curriculum - leaving out the majority of the kicking techniques, and a lot of the weapons techniques.

M° Ji Han Jae claims to have given the name Hapkido to his teacher M° Choi Yong-Sool to use out of respect. However, Choi's student Suh Bok-Sub claims that Choi was already using the name by that time. Records in this regard are sketchy and no definite answers are to be found.

The present Dojunim of the original Hapkido, M° Kim Yun Sang, continues on teaching the original art learnt by Dojunim Choi. To differentiate this original style from other martial arts or styles he named it "Hapkiyusul". The following styles of Hapkido born from the combination of Yu Sul (or Hapkiyusul) with other martial arts, primarily the Tae Kyon (forerunner name of the Tae Kwon Do).

Great Masters were present in the Commemoration of Choi Yong Sul death, in South Korea (2006) come from different countries.

Hapkido in Italy

Many Masters, Hapkido styles and Federations of Hapkido are in Italy.

Very difficult is to say who was the Hapkidoist who caught Hapkido in Italy for first.

M° Andrea Vitali studied Hapkido Sin Moo and Hapkido Moo Do. Besides, he is the first Italian in the history that directly have learned the native korean martial art (Hapkido Hapkiyusul) in the Central School in South Korea from Dojunim Kim Yun Sang (in the photo to the left with Andrea Vitali, under the photo of the founder of Hapkido Dojunim Choi Yong Sul, in the central dojang to Geumsan, first dojang of the history of the Hapkido).

M° Andrea Vitali has also met the founder of Sin Moo Hapkido, Dojunim Ji Han Jae, and trained under him (in the photo at right). After an examination, at the end of a long seminar, Dojunim Ji Han Jae said to M° Andrea Vitali to spread Sin Moo Hapkido in Italy.

In august 8th, 2010 M° Andrea Vitali won the World Hapkido Championships: gold medal in free sparring middle weight black belt. The triennal World Championships, organized by IHF, was hosted by GM Hee Kwan Lee  in Battle Creek (Michigan - USA). M° Andrea Vitali is the first italian Hapkidoist who won the title of World Hapkido Championships in the history of Hapkido.

In 11 december 2010 M° Andrea Vitali has passed the 5th Dan Hapkido recognized by I.H.F. - first evaluation in Chicago (november 14th, 2010) and second evaluation in Incheon - Seoul. Besides, the T.B.W. is recognized as Italian Hapkido Academy by IHF.