Difference Between

Aikido vs Hapkido

For those who do not know, Aikido and Hapkido are martial arts from Japan and Korea respectively. Both are offshoots of Japanese martial art called Daito-Ryu Aikijujutsu. Both martial arts are amazingly electric, and share many common techniques, but Hapkido has incorporated many Korean striking arts to become more acceptable to the people of Korea, who had won their independence from Japan, and everything Japanese was looked down upon. Thus, there are many differences between Aikido and Hapkido as many native Korean styles were absorbed to make Hapkido look more native. Let us take a closer look, to find out more differences between Aikido and Hapkido.

Aikido is a martial art that focuses on defense and has very few attacking styles. It believes in defense without causing much harm to the opponent. This martial art teaches proponents to receive the blows of opponents using them to use the momentum, and turning it against them. On the contrary, there is a lot of kicking and striking in Hapkido. Aikido is Japanese in origin.

There is a very interesting story about the origin of Hapkido that says, that the Korean housekeeper of a Japanese Aikido master took what he learned from the master to Korea, and started teaching the martial art incorporating Korean influences. Hapkido has no Taekwondo in it, but TKD definitely has some of Hapkido. Hapkido is drawn from a single source, which is the training in Daito Ryu that Choi Yong Sul had for over 30 years with Takeda Sokaku.

While Aikido is regarded as a spiritual martial art, Hapkido is very much a fighting art. This is reflected by the fact that, where Aikido stops with a few wrist locks and take downs, Hapkido makes use of strikes from the start. These strikes remain hidden in Aikido,until a person becomes a black belt.