Have any of you ever practiced Hapkido ?

[Tapeworm]

No never made it to the olympics I gave it up after a 2 years of college, the cutting weight wasnt conducive to my party lifestyle and I was lifting alot which didnt help either. Im an idiot I know I probably could have made the olympics if not as the primary as an alternate for sure. I still think if I got back into it and dropped about 40 lbs I could probably make the olympics still but who knows its a young mans game.

I won the nationals in two separate divisions 132's and 145's I now weigh about 190 but could probably be competitive in the 160 division thats the division I fought in the majority of college.

I wont give my name and I know Ill probably get more shit than its worth for posting my achievements but it is what it is, I still have gi's with USA patches on the back from international tournaments. I trained with a few japanese olympians in Japan who were coaches of college teams over there and have gi's given to me by them with my name in japanese on them if you want to see those Ill only show the first name though 

No worries.  That's amazing that you were competing at that level.  I'd be scared to take a single step around guys like that.

Don't know what I'm weighing now after a flu but I'll probably come out around 175 at 5'10.  I found it really hard practicing against fat bastards.  I swear the average guy in the local club was about 260-280.  Lots of cops in there, maybe the doughnut thing is true, but osaekomi practice was just about pointless with them, like trying to move a fucking house.  Did you randori with big dudes or just guys around your weight?

[Captain Equipoise]

Thanks for the kind words guys.. I definetly have a lot of interests...probably too many, lol.. it might explain why I never have time and why the fiancee is always asking me to give up a hobby..lol, I try to enjoy life to the fullest
and so many things pick my curiosity!

Big Ach, you look huge bro.. I always was on the fence with actually competing but everytime I considered it I reminded myself how much I love food (of all varieties) and could never diet for longer then 2 weeks.
seriously best of luck with your venture into hapkido, I'm sure you will enjoy the most of it.

Tonymctones, props on the grappling achievements! that's really crazy, I know what you mean about the weight classes, it's like the UFC situation now where every guy cuts 20-30lbs., Anderson Silva who is 6"2 and has a 70+ reach was fighting at midleweight for the longest time...  

[nolotil]

if you wanna do martial arts do something that you can use in real life if you need too

boxing,, kickboxing, and somekind of grappling training + how to defend against weapons (krav maga etc)

[tonymctones]

No worries.  That's amazing that you were competing at that level.  I'd be scared to take a single step around guys like that.

Don't know what I'm weighing now after a flu but I'll probably come out around 175 at 5'10.  I found it really hard practicing against fat bastards.  I swear the average guy in the local club was about 260-280.  Lots of cops in there, maybe the doughnut thing is true, but osaekomi practice was just about pointless with them, like trying to move a fucking house.  Did you randori with big dudes or just guys around your weight?

I was always lucky to have ppl around me who where my size or the size of ppl I competed against and that also competed at a high level. The club I practiced at had multiple national champions, a guy that went on the win some world sambo championship, a guy that fought for the pan american judo team/vying for an olympic spot and an olympic alternate all who where my size and comparable to the size of ppl I competed against.

[Fatpanda]

Joint locks don't work in real life... esp on big strong guys that have had a few drinks.  The choke holds taught in Hapkido are effective, but I could show you how to do those in 10 minutes.

Seriously, find a good old school boxing gym and learn to box if you want to make yourself a lethal weapon.  I started boxing about 5 months ago and have my first fight on Jan 8th.  I think you would be hard pressed to find a sport that is tougher or requires more conditioning than boxing.

i agree

[Purple Aki]

If I lived in the States I would get a concealed weapon permit, and something nice and shiny that goes bang.

Fuck all the Jap slapping malarkey.

[BIG ACH]

I do live in the US, and would like to one day own a gun to protect my home and my wife, but I don't think I'll be going out carrying it with me like John Wayne or something! LOL


Captain I know what you mean about the lady stressing about your activities.  My wife has always beens supportive with everything I do (except really the motorcycle lol probably with good reason) but she says that I get completely obssessed with everything and my mind can't focus on anything else, when I mentioned the martial arts though she really lit up and was like "yeah do it, I think it'll be great, i'll really support you in it!"  I was like WOW this is awesome!  So its nice to have her blessings LOL :-) 
In regards to competitive bodybuilding man, yeah its very hard to do it when you love food, I'm the same way, I'm like a fat boy stuck inside a bodybuilder, I LOVE food, and I LOVE junk food, so its terrible ahaahaha, competing takes its toll!
You definitely got the size and muscularity and not too off with the bodyfat, maybe one day LOL

Tony, thats awesome with everything you got done through Judo, post up those pictures of the GI's from Japan, I wanna see those!  Any videos of you in action?

[arce1988]

 yes...i have dan ranks in hap ki do yu sul ai ki do and ju do etc...

[Parker]

Thanks for the kind words guys.. I definetly have a lot of interests...probably too many, lol.. it might explain why I never have time and why the fiancee is always asking me to give up a hobby..lol, I try to enjoy life to the fullest
and so many things pick my curiosity!

Big Ach, you look huge bro.. I always was on the fence with actually competing but everytime I considered it I reminded myself how much I love food (of all varieties) and could never diet for longer then 2 weeks.
seriously best of luck with your venture into hapkido, I'm sure you will enjoy the most of it.

Tonymctones, props on the grappling achievements! that's really crazy, I know what you mean about the weight classes, it's like the UFC situation now where every guy cuts 20-30lbs., Anderson Silva who is 6"2 and has a 70+ reach was fighting at midleweight for the longest time...  

[Topskin69]

Thats not Pavol Jablonky! 

[tonymctones]

I do live in the US, and would like to one day own a gun to protect my home and my wife, but I don't think I'll be going out carrying it with me like John Wayne or something! LOL


Captain I know what you mean about the lady stressing about your activities.  My wife has always beens supportive with everything I do (except really the motorcycle lol probably with good reason) but she says that I get completely obssessed with everything and my mind can't focus on anything else, when I mentioned the martial arts though she really lit up and was like "yeah do it, I think it'll be great, i'll really support you in it!"  I was like WOW this is awesome!  So its nice to have her blessings LOL :-)  
In regards to competitive bodybuilding man, yeah its very hard to do it when you love food, I'm the same way, I'm like a fat boy stuck inside a bodybuilder, I LOVE food, and I LOVE junk food, so its terrible ahaahaha, competing takes its toll!
You definitely got the size and muscularity and not too off with the bodyfat, maybe one day LOL

Tony, thats awesome with everything you got done through Judo, post up those pictures of the GI's from Japan, I wanna see those!  Any videos of you in action?

LOL at the fat kid comment

I have some vids but they are all on vhs tapes

this is one given to me by misaki iteya who was the coach of the Japan national team and the head coach of a college in Japan and an olympian or a olympic alternate I cant remember. I have others with patches from different tournaments but they are buried in a box somewhere that never got unpacked.

its the same gi they made everyone have a blue and white gi to cut down on confusion during matches and to make the sport more viewer friendly(I dont think anything could help that tbo) so they made reversible ones.

[Captain Equipoise]

LOL at the fat kid comment

I have some vids but they are all on vhs tapes

this is one given to me by misaki iteya who was the coach of the Japan national team and the head coach of a college in Japan and an olympian or a olympic alternate I cant remember. I have others with patches from different tournaments but they are buried in a box somewhere that never got unpacked.

its the same gi they made everyone have a blue and white gi to cut down on confusion during matches and to make the sport more viewer friendly(I dont think anything could help that tbo) so they made reversible ones.

That's so amazing man... as a kid when I was taking karate most of the other kids were dissing judo because it doesn't really involve striking (at least in the way that other martial arts do) man, how wrong they were.. personally I think judo is the most underrated and one of the most useful martial arts in existensce.. it's been proven well enough in the UFC as well. It's crazy how many concepts of martial arts changed in the UFC years, as far as what actually works and what  doesn't..

[The True Adonis]

LOL at the fat kid comment

I have some vids but they are all on vhs tapes

this is one given to me by misaki iteya who was the coach of the Japan national team and the head coach of a college in Japan and an olympian or a olympic alternate I cant remember. I have others with patches from different tournaments but they are buried in a box somewhere that never got unpacked.

its the same gi they made everyone have a blue and white gi to cut down on confusion during matches and to make the sport more viewer friendly(I dont think anything could help that tbo) so they made reversible ones.

My prototypical Gravity Suit is hanging right next to my Kung Fu Kimono which also happens to be right under the shelved VCR tapes in which therein lies a video entitled "Deadlift".  I haven`t watched the video in a few years so I can`t be too sure what is exactly on it, but if I was a betting man (which I am not in most instances), I would say that whatever is on that tape is what you are after.   The problem is, you probably don`t have a VCR so I don`t think I can get you or anyone for that matter a copy.  

[suckmymuscle]

So I've been thinking for a while now about starting some martial arts training.  I spent sometime reading up on BJJ, Kempo Karate, Muay Thai, etc and it seemed like Hapkido would be the most interesting/enjoyable for me.  I found what seems like a legit training facility near where I live (actually 2, but the second one seems like it could be a "McDojo").  So I was curious to know if any of you beasts on here have ever practiced Hapkido?

When I was a young kid I did some basic Karate and Judo, but that was a long time ago, and I can honestly say I have no "real" fighting experience so I'm keeping my mind open and looking foward to learning something new.

If any of you have ever participated in Hapkido, I wantd to know;

What should I look for in a school/training facility?
What should I look for in an instructor?
Honestly, am I too old to start (27)?
How many times a week does one usually attend sessions in order to actually progress and really learn the discipline?
Whats usually the cost?
Is there anything else I should really know before joining?

Thanks guys!

  The most effective martial arts there is, if some dude wants to beat the crap out of you, apologize to him and when he turns his back hit him with a rock in the back of his head. Far more effective to finish him than jiu-jitsu, boxing, wrestling, karate, etc.

SUCKMYMUSCLE

[BIG ACH]

 the most effective martial arts there is, if some dude wants to beat the crap out of you, apologize to him and when he turns his back hit him with a rock in the back of his head. Far more effective to finish him than jiu-jitsu, boxing, wrestling, karate, etc.

SUCKMYMUSCLE

Thanks for good advice....  you're almost a year late but still thanks, i'll put it to practice