hapkido
Hapkido is a hybrid martial art whose training centers on Korean joint locks, throws, and kicks. As a hybrid style, it draws from both grappling and striking methods, combining techniques that control or redirect an opponent through joint manipulation and throwing actions with techniques that use the legs for striking at various ranges. This combination means practitioners work across multiple aspects of unarmed combat rather than specializing in a single area.
Training in a hybrid art of this kind generally involves developing proficiency in both stand-up and close-range techniques. Practitioners typically drill joint-locking and throwing mechanics alongside kicking combinations, working to apply these methods in a coordinated way. Conditioning, body positioning, and timing are common areas of focus, as effective joint locks and throws require precise alignment and control rather than strength alone.
Several distinct sub-styles within the hapkido family are documented, each with its own particular characteristics. Hankido is a modern hapkido derivative that emphasizes circular motion principles. Sin Moo Hapkido represents the line associated with Ji Han-jae and incorporates a meditative component alongside its technical curriculum. Each of these sub-styles is covered in the dedicated sections below.
Styles & branches of hapkido
Hankido
Type: Hybrid · Lineage: hapkido
modern hapkido derivative, circular motion Wikipedia →
Sin Moo Hapkido
Type: Hybrid · Lineage: hapkido
Ji Han-jae's hapkido line with meditation Wikipedia →
Gear to expect. Hybrid training typically calls for gloves and a mouthguard for striking work plus a rashguard for the grappling rounds — your school will tell you exactly what, and when. New students rarely need to buy anything for a trial class.
Find your martial art →Related hybrid styles
Classification and facts from our open-data taxonomy (Wikidata CC0 base + our editorial classification). Where a fact (like origin) isn't recorded, we leave it out rather than guess. Methodology.