HAPKIDO

The history of Junsakwon starts with the Korean martial art of Hapkido. Hapkido was founded by Choi Yong Sool (AKA: Asao Yoshida/1904-1986). Choi had learned Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu from its headmaster Sokaku Takeda while living in Japan from 1915 to 1945. At the end of World War II,  Choi returned to Korea and began teaching Jūjutsu, also referred Yu Sul.

 

Choi Yong Sool, was born Nov. 9, 1904 and was said to be  taken to Japan at eight years of age as an indentured servant during the Japanese occupation.

Through a series of circumstances that has been lost in time (or changed due to martial arts mythology), a young Choi Yong Sool was settled in the home of Takeda Sokaku, headmaster of the Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu clan. During this time, it is said that he became a student of Aiki-jujutsu, although some would dispute this fact due to the lack of records showing Choi as a student. It should be noted that Choi would have been at this home as a servant and the Japanese would not want a Korean, and servant, listed in their records of students. One important thing that can never be disputed is that Choi returned to Korea from Japan with high skills in what appeared to be Aiki-jujutsu and, by his own admission, trained in that system.  

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In 1948, when Choi returned to Korea, he began teaching martial arts at a local brewery owned by the father of one of his students. The grappling and joint locking techniques of Japanese Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu were combined with Korean kicking. According to my teacher, Yu Chong Su (Chong Su Kwan Hapkido, Song Tan City, So. Korea), many of the kicks used in Hapkido were derived from TaeKyun (Korean Kicking Martial Art, a precursor to Taekwondo) and were not part of the original Jūjutsu that Choi brought from Japan, this was added and taught by other instructors, such as Master Ji Han-Jae, who contributed the most to its modern development, it's spread throughout the world, and may have also been the one who came up with the name, HAPKIDO

“Hap” is harmony or balance, “Ki” denotes the essence of power/energy/spirit and “Do” means the way/path/method. The Way of Coordinated Power and Spirit.  

This style of fighting should never be confused with its Japanese sibling, Aikido. Although both systems have the same "parent" art of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, the founders were very different in character,  cultural backgrounds, social standing and philosophy. Morihei Ueshiba created Aikido with a different purpose. Similar to Jigaro Kano (founder of Judo), Morihei Ueshiba was attempting to preserve much of the Japanese martial culture by making it more appealing to the changing times and creating a method of fostering peace rather than war. Choi had no such interest. He had taken what he had learned from the Japanese and added his own cultural infusion to bring a new method of self-defense training to his homeland. That’s what should be remembered, Hapkido is a method of self-defense first and foremost, not a philosophy or sport.

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JUNSAKWON, A HAPKIDO FIGHTING METHOD

"Junsa" denotes warrior, "Kwon" means fist, together it translates as the "Warriors Fist". It is an extremely realistic fighting method of Hapkido that combines elements of Weapons, Strikes and Grappling. 

Joint locks and submission grappling are a strong part of the training as well as throwing and takedowns. 

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THE FIVE FUNDAMENTAL POINTS OF JUNSAKWON

1. Striking: Learning to clinch and utilize all your limbs (and sometimes head) as striking tools by perfecting your attacks and properly targeting the weak & vulnerable spots of the human body. 

 

2. Joint, Arm & Body Locks: Restraining the opponent's movements, clinching and seizing control of the body utilizing various types of joint & arm locks.

 

3. Throws: The takedowns and throws used in JSK are similar to the ones found in Aiki-Jūjutsubut with a strong emphasis on self-defense, surroundings & terrain. 

 

4. Weapons Training: Learn to utilize standard weapons (both blunt & bladed) and to turn mundane objects into effective impact & control tools. 

 

5. Grappling: Grabbing, holding and controlling your opponent is the core of the JSK system and required whether you're standing or on the ground. Our ground combatives does not focus on the submission only but also on striking and fighting your way back to your feet. See Combat Grappling for further information.