drewtoby3

Okay, so you guys here are open minded. I have been taking Hapkido lessons for the past six years, and am close to being a black belt. I wish to start cross training in a year or so, but am unable to find Xing Yi anywhere close to me. Nor would I have the time to take any additional arts formally during school semesters. Why? I work part time, take violin lessons, am a full time engineering student, take hapkido lessons, ect. Hapkido focuses on powerful strikes, while Xing Yi tends to focus more on speed. I think it would make a good pairing. Thus my interest in Xing Yi! So if I am to cross train it would have to be on my own time. Preferably at a slow and steady pace whenever I can make time. So far I have found 3 potential website programs after a while searching. Can you review them and recommend one if you think one is good? Also, feel free to make any comments or ask any questions! 1) Clear's Xing Yi: This is an online program that ends in a live seminar to correct any possible mistakes, as well as to review. Just looks a little bit hard to sign up for. Site: http://www.clearsilat.com/xing-yi Demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc4SJjp6tJw 2) Online Kung Fu School: Purely online program that allows for you to test and receive correction, or pay extra each month and receive video correction each month. Site: http://onlineschool.spiritdragoninstitute.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=603&Itemid=392 3) Ken Internal Martial Arts: Looks like the site is experiencing some issues at the moment Site: http://internalarts.typepad.com/ken_gullettes_internal_ma/2012/07/four-years-later-the-online-school-for-tai-chi-hsing-i-bagua.html

Yes... For us there are joint locks; however, when we teach / train in joint locks, bars, grappling, etc, we also teach our students to turn them into breaks... That way we can apply the appropriate force for the situation. Same here. Locks are easily turned into breaks/throws.

You just need to train long and hard I guess. The "squaring up" part is debatable though. If someone threatens you you can't turn your back and walk away. I had to square up defensively once. Luckily that guy never tried to strike me, but he was in guard and ready to I guess a lot comes down to the vital target strikes.

Okay, I know Skill V. Muscle has been done before on this form a lot. My issue is this: I'm a long legged tall runner that weighs under 140 lbs, and I'm an adult I know my main art Hapkido focuses on the smaller guy bringing down the bigger guy (one reason why I chose it). I feel know enough at the moment to bring down a larger untrained or partly-trained guy at the moment, but I would doubt I could defend against a larger trained aggressor. I mean I have great endurance from running and some skills from 6 years of hapkido training, but am unsure if I could make it work. Would it ever be possible for someone like me to defend against a much larger and trained aggressor?

True. I was lucky enough to have one 5 minutes from my house, but now it's a 20-25 minute drive each way twice a week. I can see many people just going to ATA, TKD, or Kung Fu that are all closer.

True. But why are there not that many people using Hapkido as their primary art?

Something I have noticed over the years in Hapkido: almost all of my fellow Hapkido students are taking Hapkido to cross train for Tae Kwon Do or another art. In fact, at my first school I was the only Hankido student taking the art by itself, and at my current school I am one of the few. Even my instructors took Hapkido/Hankido after Tae Kwon Do. Why is this? The Hapkido curriculum is very well rounded. This got me thinking: why are more people not originating from Hapkido like I am? I took one Tae Kwon Do class, but decided not to continue (I don't know why to this day) and then I found Hapkido. Something "clicked" with the art for me, not sure why, but it did. Others like me have also tried other Martial Art(s) before Hapkido. But, are there more arts like this: where cross training is seen as the norm?

I know we all can pick up some stuff from other arts, once we get to a high enough level in our training. What are some good sites to do so though? I only know two: Akban Wiki (Ninjitsu) And RAT: Martial Art of South Africa (Rough and Tumble moves, down at the moment)

Very true danbong. I guess it comes down to instruction, even at these places. As for my goal, it is to learn as much as I can and try to perfect what I know.

We all know a good school and teacher beats these options by quite some bit. However, from my JKD post some members here have seen some book learned participants, and quite possible some Mcdojo goers. My questions are as follows: Can beginners learn the basic techniques to self defense (punch, block, kick, ect.) from a book? and... From a Mcdojo can you learn an art pretty good if you stick around long enough? One of my friends has been an ATA member for quite some time and seems to have at least the basics perfected (kicks and striking), not sure about anything advanced as we don't talk that often any more. But, I am worried about his sense of confidence, as I have read some bad things about ATA. I don't know how long he has been training there but I do know that there is a lot of speculation online over their curriculum and how long it takes to get a black belt.

Even our throws and locks depend on our body positions and "circles".

True. Where would you rank it for effectiveness? And where would you rank the "real" hapkido?

Is this "art" any good? Any one read into it or study it?

Anyone read books from the WHF? All look good to me (for obvious reasons) and I would like to start off with one. Below is their store's url. http://hapkido.stores.yahoo.net/books.html