Our Hapkido Curriculum

What is Hapkido?

Hapkido is a Korean martial art practiced globally. Characterized by joint locks, throws, and dynamic kicking techniques, it is unique among Korean martial arts: its emphasis is on deflecting an opponent’s attacks instead of forceful blocking.

Hapkido was designed as a way to defend against and overcome an attacker with skill in many forms of martial combat. The techniques add striking and punching to joint-locks, throws, and grappling, making it one of the original mixed martial arts. 

Hapkido gives students a solid base in different forms of defense, and roots the strategy of that defense in the principles of water, circle, and harmony. This gives our hapkido students a solid framework on which to develop their skills so that they are not caught off-guard when in real defense situations.

​Contact us to schedule a free trial class for you and/or your child!

Hapkido at DIMA

Yoon Kwan Hapkido

Grand Master Man Soo Yoon, the founder of Yoon Kwan Hapkido, trained Master Duque. Originally from South Korea, Grand Master Yoon has been living in Chile for over two decades, where he is a 9th dan and runs a martial arts school. He has trained members of the Carabineros de Chile and the Policía de Investigaciones in martial arts. He also appeared in the Chilean martial arts film “Kiltro” in 2006. Grand Master Yoon’s signature phrase is “Don’t think about how to defend yourself, just do it,” which has also influenced how Master Duque teaches self defense at DIMA.

Yoon Kwan Hapkido is a mixed martial art (in Korean, kyeok too ki) that is practical and effective. It has its foundation in traditional hapkido but also draws on other martial arts, such as muay thai (kickboxing), taekwondo, and jiu jitsu. Our instructors teach a range of skills, including standing, ground, and boxing techniques for a well-rounded, dynamic approach to self defense that goes beyond wrist- and arm-lock techniques.

Korea Hapkido Federation

In November 2018, Master Duque organized a hapkido seminar and had the honor of hosting Grand Master Michael Rhoades, Director of the Korea Hapkido Federation USA and President of Jin Jung Kwan Hapkido. GM Rhoades has been an expert in hapkido for many years and he and his instructors demonstrated a variety of hoshinsul (self-defense) techniques related to different self-defense situations.

Our Students

Our hapkido students are motivated and hard-working people who are striving to make themselves better people. They are typically older (we require that new students must be at least 13 to begin hapkido instruction), often in high school or working as adult professionals. As such, we have developed our hapkido curriculum to focus on developing not only physical fitness, but also mental discipline that helps them grow as leaders and champions in their lives.