WHAT IS HAPKIDO

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Hapkido is a Korean martial art of Self-defence. It incorporates striking, kicks,  joint locks throws and ground fighting to defeat and control potential attackers.
Hapkido is a dynamic, flowing art that utilizes circular motions and positioning to off-balance one's opponent to gain a physical advantage over strength. This allows for a smaller, weaker person to subue a stronger oppenent by employing Hapkido technique. All Hapkido techniques employ the three basic principles of Hapkido, hwa (harmony), won (circle) and lyu (flow). The unity of principles is a concept that is fundimental to Hapkido. The principles must work together in concert, combining each to ensure success over the opponent.

The principle of Hwa와 in Korean, 和 in Chinese, literally means peace and harmony. In principle its non-resistance and being in-step with your attackers actions. Meeting any force with only the minimum force needed to deflect or redirect the attackers energy, making their power work against them. In order to properly employ the princle of hwa, one must apprehend the core of breaking down the opponents balance.

The principle of Won원 in Korean, 圓 in Chinese, literally means circle or round. In principle Won describes the motion used to deflect linear attacks. Hapkido employs a wide array of circular motions, though most are small and subtle, performed with the support of the entire body, and at angles which unbalance and destroy an attackers power.

The principle of Lyu유 in Korean, 流 in Chinese, literally means flow, like water flows in a stream. It's the concept of how an attack that overshoots its target slows to a stop before retracting. This "null" energy point is refered to as the Hapki moment in sword fighting. The principle of lyu means to utilize movement in concert with the other principles to nullify your opponent's attacking engery, making them vulnerable to counterattack. It's the "principle of pointing out the weakest moment, while following the flow, and turning it into one's timing of attack."

There are a further two principles of shock and basic which are used to enhance and apply the other core principles.