Discover the Beauty and Practicality of Hapkido at International Martial Arts Center
At International Martial Arts Center (IMAC) in New York City’s East Village, our goal is to provide students with practical martial arts skills that build confidence, discipline, and effective self-defense.
Our curriculum combines Traditional ITF Taekwon-Do with the beautiful and practical art of Hapkido. Unlike Olympic-style sport Taekwondo, our Traditional ITF Taekwon-Do emphasizes complete martial arts development, including practical self-defense, powerful hand techniques, traditional patterns, and character development.
An important part of that self-defense training is Hapkido.
Although Hapkido is not as widely known as Taekwondo, it is one of Korea’s most comprehensive and practical martial arts. Rather than meeting force with force,
Hapkido teaches students to work with an attack by redirecting an opponent’s energy through circular movement, timing, leverage, and balance. Many students appreciate the graceful, flowing nature of Hapkido while discovering how remarkably effective it can be for real-world self-defense.
Hapkido offers an incredibly broad curriculum.
Students learn joint locks, escapes, throws, pressure-point applications, balance disruption, practical striking techniques, and defensive strategies for many situations.
The art also includes a wide variety of kicking techniques, including aerial kicks, ground kicks, kicks from disadvantaged positions, and dynamic combinations that complement Traditional ITF Taekwon-Do.
Another unique aspect of Hapkido is its philosophy. As students advance, they are introduced not only to techniques for defending themselves but also to traditional healing concepts.
One of the guiding principles is:
“If you are going to learn how to hurt, you should also learn how to heal.”
This humanitarian philosophy reminds students that martial arts are ultimately about protecting life, developing character, and helping others.
Hapkido also includes extensive traditional weapons training, such as the long staff, middle staff, short stick, cane, sword, and other classical weapons. These studies deepen students’ understanding of movement, balance, coordination, and martial arts principles.
Over the years, many IMAC students have discovered that Hapkido and Traditional ITF Taekwon-Do complement one another perfectly. Together they create a well-rounded martial arts education that develops physical skill, mental focus, confidence, and respect.
If you are looking for martial arts classes in the East Village that go beyond sport competition and emphasize practical self-defense, traditional values, and lifelong learning, we invite you to experience the difference at the International Martial Arts Center.
Come visit IMAC, try a class, and discover how the beauty, practicality, and philosophy of Hapkido can become an important part of your martial arts journey.
Future articles will explore Hapkido in greater depth, including its history, principles, self-defense applications, philosophy, and traditional training methods.
Best regards,
Master Hahn