Hapkido

So in April, after coming back for a third (and possibly final stint) in teaching, I needed something new in my life.

Last year, I was content with just doing my job, connecting with friends when I had time, and leading a normal life. But with the advent of gaining weight while in Korea and America (hey, bears gotta hibernate, right?), and leading a doldrum-filled existence of yelling English at unsuspecting high school girls, I thought that a physical outlet of unleashing the Soni dragon would be good for my google-loo cheeks (my grandma's Indian terminology for "chubby") and my waistline.

I get my co-teacher, Joanna Son, to contact the local hapkido gym to apply for a spot in training for this martial art. I enter this Hapkido Jang ("jang" means "place" in Korean) with virtually no experience in martial arts, the grand master helps me into my uniform, a black garb with a white belt.

Fast forward a month later, and I passed my first hapkido exam. Its just one step on a long road to martial excellence.

However, what is hapkido? When you usually think of Korea, you think of the land of Tae Kwon Do, the land of fast kicking, furious roundhouse kicking youngsters like my cousin who would be formidable foes on the streets of Seoul. Nah, hapkido is an unique martial art.

A Korean dude a long time ago went to study martial arts in Japan, during the colonial era when the Japanese controlled Korea (1910-1945). He studied various martial arts like jujistu, brought it back to Korea, and produced an eclectic artform what is now hapkido.

Hapkido incorporates lots of locks, grips, and defensive schemes that utilizes an opponent's energy against them. Someone grabs your collar, force them into a hold where they have to submit. Someone bear hugs you, hit em hard below the belt and kick em! Somebody grabs your wrist, get out and put them in a tough position.

Of course, there is the kicking element, but unlike tae kwon do, which uses a series of fast and speedy kicks to surprise the opponent, hapkido places emphasis on power. Hapkido is about combining energy and unleashing it, while using your opponent's against theirs.

I have studied the art for a month and some change, and its really invigorating my physical and mental life. After a rough day's work, I enjoy going to the place and getting all the nerves and energy out of my system by getting a new workout in.

I lost weight, toned up a little, and my goal is to become more mentally and physically sound. Now I got my South African friend Jonathan to join me for his first session tonight, I have a sparring partner to practice my moves with on a more consistent basis. Its not about fighting, its about health and defense.

Thank you Lord for the opportunity to learn martial arts. Its cool to move and move freely and learn something new, something that will impact me for the rest of my life here on earth.