How much is too much? Hapkido joint lock practice.

[lapulid2]

When my instructor explains a joint lock and does it on me he gets me to the point right before i freak out then he stops. every single time. when he instructs me to perform the technique on him i dont know how much is too much so i hold back. he tells me that its ok, let it rip, he can take it but i dont want to break his arm or anything. how easy is it to break someones arm or dislocate? how can he gauge when he does it? i would ask him but our dojang is super traditional...no unnecessary questions.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

When my instructor explains a joint lock and does it on me he gets me to the point right before i freak out then he stops. every single time. when he instructs me to perform the technique on him i dont know how much is too much so i hold back. he tells me that its ok, let it rip, he can take it but i dont want to break his arm or anything. how easy is it to break someones arm or dislocate? how can he gauge when he does it? i would ask him but our dojang is super traditional...no unnecessary questions.

As a general rule of thunb, if your instructor says "go for it"..then, go for it! Odds are he stretches out his wrists so that they are very flexible and won't damage easily, plus he knows what's coming and can compensate for it. He's given you permission to take him down (if you can that is), so any damage that you may inflict on him shouldn't reflect on you as the student.

As for your other question about how much it takes to dislocate a persons joint, that varies with each person. I've had a couple of people in class that have a tremendous threashold to pain, and you would nearly rip their joint apart before they would react to it. Enough pressure should be applied that the person is forced to comply, but not injure them.

[h2whoa]

with the correct application it doesnt take alot to break bones, my advice is to take one of those people with flexible joints and high pain threshold and practice with them so that if you meet one you will be prepared

[tufrthanu]

If your instructor asks for it go ahead and perform it. My worry with those people that supposedly have very flexible limbs is that they really don't have super flexible limbs they just don't feel it as much. So when you get a lock on them that a normal person would stop you at say 50% the super flexible person will stop you at 98%...which might be too late if it's a fast move.

[UseoForce]

I can't believe no one has said this, but at my dojo we just apply pressure till the other guy taps out. Very complex .

[tufrthanu]

I think you missed the point of the thread Useo. Anyone can be hurt doing hapkido I don't care how proficient or flexible they are or how quickly they tap. I think lapulid was wise to ask the question. Otherwise, "I know what I'm doing!" wouldn't be such famous last words.

[lapulid2]

We do use verbal tap outs per say, but my concern is about the speed of some of these takedowns. the other day he took me down and I honestly didnt see him grab me until I was on the ground, it was so quick. it was my turn to try and he was telling me that it was not necessary to do it with such speed but he didnt want me to pause through the maneuver. Now, he knows how to fall, of course, and so do I but nonetheless, I feel I should know something he isnt telling me yet so that I can be more confident about putting some pain on him and not injuring him because of a careless mistake. I guess what im trying to see is if I can get any advice from Hapkido or even Aikido instructors on the level of precaution we must have or is it negligible... I wouldnt think so. How wide is the margin between pain and injury? Is there a margin, or is it very easy to go too far?

[niel0092]

We just tap as well. Now, we are really careful and dont apply a lock with excessive force but the same thoughts lapulid2 has had do occur to me from time to time. I guess I'd say be careful and know your partners well.

Nice quote lapulid2. I've also heard hapkido refered to as origami with people LOL

[Jay]

tell him to tapp when it hurts thats what we do when we do our self defence application

[viskous]

you cant tap while your flying to the ground, thats the part i think he's concerned about,.......I'd have to answer this question with a question, if you find it's easy to respect your teachers wishes in the "no unneccesary questions" category, then why so quik to second geuss him when he gives you a destinct instruction, your teacher tells you he know what he's doing then dont question him, either he really does and noone gets hurt and your getting good practice, or he's wrong and no blame is on you,..............he's shown trust in you for a reason, im sure he doesnt walk up to every new class member stick out his hand and say "go wild"