My Journey with the "Three HKDs": Hapkido, Hankido, and Hankumdo
The making of the Mu Gong Kwan Cho Dan Curriculum
The Journey Begins
After studying and teaching Korean martial arts for nearly forty years, I wanted to make a
first degree black belt course that laid the most thorough, broad foundation, yet was
simultaneously manageable enough to allow true understanding of each component. Just
reading that last sentence will tell you what a challenge it's been. Because of my passion for
the "Three HKDs," I wanted all of my beginning black belt students to have an introduction
to basic Hapkido, spinning Hankido, and Korean sword--Hankumdo.
Today, many martial artists have heard of Hapkido and are interested in learning it. The
practicality of the self-defense, the amazing kicks and break falls, and the sophistication of
the "softer" circular techniques truly make it the "Martial Artist's Martial Art." When I try to
explain this expansive art to people, I compare it to "taking Tae Kwon Do or Karate, Judo,
and Gymnastics all at once." In truth, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Hapkido includes
thousands of techniques, hundreds of kicks, pressure points, internal exercises, weapons, and
more. Clearly, people who like a challenge tend to like Hapkido. And because I like a
challenge (I quit TaeKwonDo despite being a 3rd degree black belt, soon after I earned my
2nd Dan in Hapkido)
Teaching Hapkido in the U.S.: A pioneer's perspective
Hap-ki-do in English can be translated as: Hap "join/coordinate” Ki "forces/power" Do
"way/path," the "way of coordinated power." It is a royal martial art, not a sport, which
means that it is for self-defense and self-improvement, not for winning trophies. Sports like
Taekwondo, Karate, and Judo must be taught in the same way, with the same rules, all over
the world so that people can compete. True martial arts like Hapkido tend to be much more
varied. I have seen some Hapkido schools in the U.S. teach 50 techniques to earn a black belt
and others, over 400. Most schools teach somewhere between 200 to 300 techniques. But the
biggest underlying difference is that true martial arts study demands more than just physical
conditioning. It also requires mental, emotional, and spiritual self-improvement.
Hapkido techniques are categorized into striking, kicking, twisting, throwing, foot sweeps,
arm bars, goose necks, chokes, and choke defense, kick defense, punch defense, throw
defense, stand-up and ground techniques, C.I.A techniques (come-a longs) offensive
techniques), knife defense and attack, Sword disarming, gun disarming, pressure point
techniques, weapon retention break falls, reversals or escapes, gymnastics, and internal
exercises.
It is important to note that half of Hapkido is break falling--ways to get out of the technique
without getting hurt. If you do not break fall it’s not Hapkido. Hapkido weapons include
short stick, middle stick, long stick, cane, umbrella, ropes/belts, swords, and knife. Joint
setting techniques, acupressure, meditation, Don Jon Ki Gong and Yun Gong round out the
curriculum.
Some schools teach a variety of components, but limit the number of techniques; others focus
on techniques almost exclusively (no break falls, internal arts, acupressure, etc.). Very few
schools attempt, much less succeed, in maintaining high standards in terms of both their
breadth and depth of study of Hapkido.
Adding Hankido and Hamkumdo
I later expanded my martial arts journey to include two additional, complementary arts:
Hankido and Hankumdo. Hankido, the "Korean way of power" is a more internal art that
uses spinning techniques comparable to Aikido. It focuses on "more ways" to perform the
deceptively simple-sounding curriculum of 12 offensive and 12 defensive techniques.
Hankido was developed by Hapkido legend Myung Jae Nam in the 1980s. I had the rare
honor to learn this art just as it was emerging, and from Master Myong himself. Hankumdo,
or "Korean sword way" was also developed by Master Myong in the 1990s, and again,
through the recommendations of my master and others, I was honored to be one of the first
people, and one of very few Americans, to earn Master-level certification in this special art.
The Mu Gong Kwan Cho Dan curriculum blends all three HKDs, making it easier for
students with this black belt to continue in Hankido and Hankumdo (they don’t have to begin
at white belt level). This curriculum teaches simple combat techniques, curved and straightline techniques, water theory (smooth circular movement), using the opponents force against
them, leverage, and big circle and techniques were you join your force with the attacker force
which is referred to as (Harmony.)
Marshall Gagne is an 8th Dan in Mu Gong Kwan, the highest in the U.S; he is a 7th Dan in
Hapkido, which is registered with the International HKD Federation in Korea. Our Dan
certification comes from IHF. Grandmaster Gagne offers seminars for anyone that would like
to learn the three HKDs. he is in Greenville SC close to the GSP airport. There are plenty of
nearby hotels or you can sleep at the Do Jang.