Have you been planning to start learning hapkido at home? Enough with the plans and start doing some action. But is lack of hapkido technique knowledge constraining you? Stick by us, grab some snacks and get to know hapkido techniques for beginners.

Learning new skills or martial art techniques can never go wrong. Because it allows you to think and act more maturely. Additionally, you get to meet people with different mindsets and gain a lot of exposure which helps you somewhere in life.
Such as learning hapkido moves make you able to defend yourself in a dangerous situation. Also, you can achieve your fitness goals with the help of Hapkido martial arts.
Let’s not waste further time and hope in the world of hapkido techniques for beginners.
What is Hapkido?
Hapkido martial arts, which originated in Korea and then spread all over the world, is a method of self-defense with effective and practical techniques and lessons. The literal meaning of the Hapkido is “A method of Coordinating Energy”.
What does it mean?
- Hap: Mind and body coordination simultaneously
- Ki: Manifestation of created energy
- Do: Discipline and self-control
With time, the techniques and lessons of hapkido have evolved and become more practical as well. The hapkido training is mostly about throws, locks, grappling, kicks, and a different range of moves.
Another important training factor is the use of weapons. Also, the main parts of hapkido include the use of a sword, rope, and different kinds of sticks.
Hapkido Principles
Although hapkido has developed a lot, as we mentioned earlier, it still focuses on three basic principles.
- The Yoo Principle-Water: Teaches flexibility and softness in attitude just like water. This principle focuses on adopting the characteristics of water such as getting through well under every situation despite any impediment. Also, use the same energy as the opponent and let your control over a fight.
- The Won Principle-Circle: Completion of the cycle of each move and then landing that technique right at the target. The principle also teaches as much opponent destruction as you can.
- The Hwa Principle-Unity: This principle is all about using the same attacker and making your mind strong enough to process every situation. The practitioner should achieve the level where hapkido techniques are the first instinct when needed. The instant defensive move will help any practitioner to get away from any dangerous situation.
Basic Hapkido Techniques for Beginners:
To learn hapkido and be one of the best in the game, it’s important to go through all phases and learn from the core of the technique. Let’s discuss some of the basic hapkido training techniques you must learn.
Hapkido Kick
Kicking is one of the most used techniques in Hapkido martial arts. The most popular are backside kick, front kick, roundhouse kick, and ankle side kick.
The list of kicking techniques doesn’t end here as there is a lot of variety when it comes to the ranges of these kicks. Kicking hapkido moves needs a lot of practice to get them right and land properly on the target. Don’t forget to watch this video to get your kicking techniques right.
Hapkido Hand Strike
Hand strikes will help you become a good hapkido fighter. Hand strike is considered the best counter-attacking technique. The strike should be accurate and blunt to do maximum damage to the attacker. Also, the perfectly-landed hand strike hapkido moves help the fighter stand out during a competitive match.
This shared video has 6 knife hand strike lessons, do watch it.
Hapkido Throws
As we mentioned earlier, adopting the opponent’s energy and using it against him is one of the main principles of Hapkido. Hapkido’s throw lets an attacker take complete control over a fight and even knock the opponent out in seconds.
A well-landed throw can brutally damage the opponent and also cause his body imbalance. Moreover, constant practice is the key to learning the technique in the best way possible. Here is a video that has 16 different types of hapkido throws that will help you understand the technique better.
However, we recommend you focus on one throwing technique and then move to the next one.
Hapkido Joint Locks
Encountered an unwanted yet dangerous circumstance? Use proper joint lock technique the moment you get a chance and knock your opponent out. Locks are widely used hapkido techniques for beginners. The video we are sharing is all about different hapkido lock techniques such as elbow lock, wrist lock, joint locks, and much more.
Hapkido Weapons Techniques
What happens if an armed person attacks you? Will you manage to defend yourself with basic hapkido techniques? Certainly not. You need to learn a few weapon techniques as well. Although the use of a weapon comes under advanced training, learning a few advanced moves will never disappoint you but make you much stronger. The following are weapons used in hapkido training:
- Rope
- Sword
- Knife
- Short stick
- Nunchaku
Don’t forget to check out this video that demonstrates some hapkido rope techniques.
If you want to get more knowledge about hapkido techniques, here is another article regarding basic hapkido techniques.
Things to Keep In Mind
- The main emphasis of hapkido techniques is self-defense.
- Hapkido is not just physical training but training your mind as well.
- Hapkido is a soft blend of aikido and taekwondo and borrowed some techniques as well.
- It’s always best if you join a proper hapkido gym to get the best training.
- Learning at home won’t make you a pro in most of the techniques.
Bottom Line
Stop planning or dreaming and start working. Learning martial arts will transform your personality as well as make you a better person. We hope our little effort of sharing hapkido techniques for beginners helps you get a direction. Get your head straight and start taking small steps, you’ll become an expert soon by constant practice.