Does Hapkido have ground fighting? Everything you need to know

If you’re experienced in Hapkido, then you’ll know that it is quite a diverse system. Sometimes to its detriment, it’s fair to say that Hapkido actually has a massive curriculum to learn from. However, most of the learning in Hapkido is not based on ground fighting. Because of its depth, some people call Hapkido a ‘jack of all trades’ when compared to other martial arts as it doesn’t really specialize in one particular section or have a clear identity as a result of this. It seems the founders were happy to adopt a ‘bigger is better’ approach which laid down the pillars of modern-day Hapkido.

So, we know Hapkido features striking such as kicks and also weapons. Let’s be honest, practically all forms of Korean martial arts are fascinated with kicks and Hapkido is no different. However, the question has to be asked as to whether Hapkido features ground fighting? Read on to see Hapkido’s relationship with grappling.

Hapkido borrows from Judo

In terms of grappling, it’s common knowledge that Hapkido was heavily inspired by Judo. Because of this, the bulk of its grappling takes place from standing. With this in mind, don’t expect Hapkido to have a massive ground game as you would in wrestling or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Usually, the bulk of the grappling takes place when standing up and many Judo throws are used. Whilst the techniques may not be as precise as those taught in Judo, for the most part they would still easily hold up well against an untrained person.

What about Newaza? Newaza is the Judo term for ground fighting and this is also featured in Hapkido. It should also be noted that each dojo will teach their own take on things. Basically, some will feature more ground fighting than others. In some cases, certain gyms will barely touch on ground game, whilst others will feature it strongly. It really depends on the nature of the teacher. Having said this, usually you will find at least a few Judo moves on the floor. This will often be collar chokes, triangles, and armbars as far as submissions go.

Hapkido also borrows from Japanese Ju Jitsu

Japanese Ju Jitsu also has its roots firmly embedded in Hapkido. One of the main submissions used in Japanese Ju Jitsu is the wrist lock. This can be done on the floor but is mostly taught whilst standing. It should also be added that Hapkido also takes from Akijutsu and Aikido. These are also grappling styles that yet again have a strong emphasis on wrist locks.

Not only this but these grappling styles are often quite reactionary, rather than pushing the pace that is found in Judo. In brief, Judo is quite an aggressive style that is proactive and forces the action. However, Japanese Ju Jitsu and the likes of Aikido are the opposite. These methods rely on countering the movements of the opponent and using their physics to your advantage. As you may have thought, this once again depends on the school. Some Hapkido dojos will have an aggressive style taken from Judo, whilst many will also be more akin to the style used in Aikido which is more gentle, and arguably less effective.

So, other than Newaza – what else does Hapkido offer on the ground?

Well, due to the borrowing nature of Hapkido, it’s possible these days to find elements of BJJ thrown into the curriculum too. There’s obviously nothing wrong with this as BJJ is known for offering some great moves on the floor. However – for the most part ground fighting isn’t a massive priority of Hapkido. Because of this, the philosophy of Hapkido is often to avoid going to the floor on the bottom. Whilst takedowns are encouraged, it’s like Judo in that the idea is to remain on top at all times.

This means that if you are put on the floor, you may be taught how to escape and get to your feet as quickly as possible. Often, this means moves such as sweeps are neglected in Hapkido. However, if you are on top then you should be in control. Another thing taught in Hapkido is to strike whilst in the top position on the floor. Imagine hitting a takedown and landing in mount. This is obviously an advantageous position, so you would be taught how to control and punch the opponent from here. In some ways, Hapkido has some similarities with MMA, albeit it is far more fragmented and traditional. One example of this is that unlike MMA training, you would be expected to train ground fighting whilst wearing the dobok.

As well as this, Hapkido also offers some leg attacks such as the achilles lock. Whilst this may be effective against untrained opponents, unlike other arts such as Sambo, these moves often lack the control found in more specialist grappling arts. One cool feature of Hapkido that should be mentioned though is belt chokes. Unlike many other grappling disciplines, Hapkido does teach you how to choke with a belt. Similar to a hitman choke, this is fairly exclusive to Hapkido and shows its creative side.

Overall – what does ground fighting look like in Hapkido?

To summarize, Hapkido’s ground game is better than most striking arts that neglect grappling entirely. However, the fact remains that if you want to improve your takedowns then wrestling or Judo offer more comprehensive ways to put people to the floor than Hapkido does. Further, if you really want to learn fighting off your back or how to pin correctly, then BJJ also offers a more detailed skill set.

Nonetheless, as mentioned earlier Hapkido has a ‘jack of all trades’ philosophy. This means it is suited for those who are willing to try a bit of everything, just don’t expect your ground fighting to be at the level of a good Judoka or BJJ practitioner. This also begs the question as to why you would choose Hapkido over MMA training unless you were particularly interested in the weapons side of things. However, that is a debate for another day.