Aikido vs. Hapkido: The Art of Peace and the Art of Power
- Sai Lee
- Apr 10
- 5 min read
At first glance, Aikido and Hapkido can seem very similar, especially since they are two branches from the same ancient tree of Daito-Ryu Aikijujutsu; Both being rooted in circular motion, joint locks, and redirection of energy. They even share similar names, both meaning “the Harmony of Energy Way” or less literally "The Way of Energy Unification". However when we begin to look more closely, especially through the lens of Jing Jiao Kwan Hapkido, the differences between the two arts become not only apparent but vital—especially for those seeking a martial art that is both historically rich and immediately practical.
1. The Role of Striking: A Missing Piece Found
Aikido is famously known for its allegedly-pacifist philosophy and its focus on non-resistance. Though it's important to point out that a look at primary sources seem to indicate that the pacifism might be a later addition that O-Sensei hadn't quite intended. In an ideal confrontation, the Aikido practitioner controls or neutralizes an attacker without ever delivering a strike or bringing harm to their partner. This philosophy has a certain elegance, and in controlled settings, it can work beautifully. However, real-life violence rarely unfolds like a choreographed demonstration where both parties can leave unscathed. In the unpredictable, chaotic world outside the dojo, the ability to act decisively and brutally is often what determines whether one can create the momentary advantage necessary to escape, control, or survive.
This is where Hapkido makes its mark. Strikes in Hapkido aren’t an afterthought, they are foundational. Punches, palm strikes, elbows, knees, and a wide array of kicks drawn from Korea’s rich martial heritage form a core aspect of the martial art. These strikes are used not only to injure or defend, but also to set up locks, unbalance the opponent, or create openings for takedowns. This emphasis on striking is part of what makes Hapkido a complete martial art, combining pugilistic and grappling elements into one unified response to non-consensual violence. In Jing Jiao Kwan Hapkido, we take this integration even further, emphasizing not just technical precision but intent—striking with purpose, not recklessness. Our strikes are sharp, deliberate, and controlled, crafted to mete out force quickly and brutally. a thoroughly trounced attacker is less inclined to try again.
2. Grappling Applications: From Cooperation to Combat
In Aikido, the emphasis is often placed on harmony with your partner by redirecting energy, guiding them to the ground, and using their own force against them without harming them. While this is a beautiful ideal, it often relies on the attacker moving in a predictable way or “committing” fully to an attack. This has led some critics to describe Aikido as overly compliant in its training methods. I personally find the criticism to be a bit overblown when discussing Aikido as it is properly and martially trained, however much of popular Aikido is not exactly trained martially: one famous example of non-martial aikido being the Aikido practiced by Rokas whose style of Aikido also involved interpretive dance, no that's not an insult its literally part of how he was trained.
Hapkido, by contrast, assumes nothing. It prepares for a resisting, aggressive attacker and meets force with adaptable and brutal techniques based on a similar redirection principle to Aikido, but with maximum damage to the attacker in mind. The joint locks are reinforced by knowledge of anatomical strength and weakness. The takedowns are swift and final, often described as hitting people with the planet. Groundwork exists, though it is purposefully not the central focus or an early focus, because the goal in Hapkido is not to engage in a prolonged consensual contest but to finish a confrontation as efficiently as possible, a confrontation which might include multiple opponents.
Where Aikido seeks to neutralize, Hapkido seeks to destroy. This is especially true in Jing Jiao Kwan Hapkido, where our grappling applications are designed with realism, and the possibility of getting punched in the face, in mind. A lock isn’t just about pain compliance: it’s about biomechanics and positional dominance, which means we never ever pull guard into a weak position. Likewise a throw isn’t about aesthetics, it’s about exploiting a structural failure in the enemy's position. I teach my students to apply locks while striking, to throw by off-balancing, and to transition between standing and ground techniques seamlessly.
3. Weapons and Forms: Preserving the Warrior-Scholar Tradition
Both Aikido and Hapkido offer weapons training. In Aikido, this typically includes the wooden sword (bokken), short staff (jo), and knife (tanto), usually practiced solo or in paired drills. The purpose is largely to develop timing, distance, and flow—not necessarily to prepare for practical weapon defense.
Hapkido’s weapons curriculum is broader, and in Jing Jiao Kwan it is both historical and pragmatic. We train with weapons derived from the Korean Royal Court and classical Kung Fu traditions. Hapkido in general teaches staff, various swords, short stick, rope, cane, spear, halberd, dual swords, archery and even fan. At the Jing Jiao Dojo we teach: Jian, dual duan jian, butterfly swords, spear, halberd, cudgel staff, katana, wakizashi, archery, and daggers through the use of proxies (for example our first 3 belt ranks can be trained with a pair of padded escrima sticks that stand in for other weapons). These aren’t just traditional showpieces; many of these tools are adapted to modern equivalents (EDC Knives, Tactical Batons, Canes, etc.) and are practiced for real-world defense.
What makes Jing Jiao Kwan particularly unique is the blending of these courtly and classical forms with the hard-hitting realism of Korean combat. Our hyung (forms) preserve the philosophical and physical depth of centuries-old martial traditions, many of which trace lineage to the royal bodyguards and warrior-scholars of old Korea. Each form teaches rhythm, precision, and flow—but beneath the elegance lies a ruthless efficiency. These elements of the forms are then applied and tested in sparring on a regular basis.
4. Philosophy Rooted in Reality
Aikido’s vision of peace through harmony is noble, and many are drawn to it for its spiritual discipline and ethical aspirations. Hapkido does not oppose these ideals in preventing fights, but it simply prepares for a world where peace requires one to "speak softly and carry a big stick". The philosophy behind Jing Jiao Kwan Hapkido is one of measured strength. We believe in discipline, peace, and the sanctity of life but we also believe that defense against evil must be brutally effective to be meaningful. Our students learn not only how to fight, but when not to. We train hard so that we can walk in peace confidently, not naively. If you are looking for a martial art that is graceful, meditative, and idealistic, Aikido is a fine choice for a martial ART. But if you are looking for a MARTIAL art that prepares you for the real-world chaos of conflict while still honoring tradition, discipline, and morality then Hapkido might suit your needs better. put another way, Hapkido takes the view that it is better to have the most brutal techniques possible and choose to use or not use them, rather than not even have access to those brutal techniques when they are absolutely needed.