Georgia Hapkido Academy
Basic History and Information
#1: What type of Martial art is taught in this school? Hapkido
#2: What does Hapkido translate into? “The way of strength and harmony.” Sometimes it is referred to as “the way of coordinated power.”
#3: How old is Hapkido? The roots of the art have been traced back over 4000 years with paintings on temple and tomb walls picturing techniques.
#4: Who is the founder of Hapkido? Master Choi, Yung-Sul is considered the founder of the art that we know as Hapkido; however, Master Ji, Han-Jae (pronounced Jee Hahn Jeh) is credited with giving the art the name of Hapkido.
#5: What is the difference between Hapkido and Aikido? The founder of Hapkido, Master Choi, Yong-Sul, and the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba (pronounced More EE Ay hee- Way Sheeba) trained together under the same instructor during the 1940s in Japan. Master Choi returned to Korea at the end of the war and he founded Hapkido. Ueshiba remained in Japan and he founded Aikido. The main difference between Hapkido and Aikido is the philosophical difference between the Japanese and the Koreans. There was a time in the history of Korea that the name Hapkido was going to be changed because it was pronounced the same as Aikido in the Korean language. The Koreans decided that rather than changing the name, they would train harder. There are few legitimate Hapkido schools in the United States because the art is considered difficult to learn and it requires a tremendous amount of practice. Consequently, Korean masters have a great respect for American students training in traditional Hapkido.
#6: Why do our students wear black uniforms? We wear black uniforms in honor of Kim, Jung-Soo, and Baek, Nam-Guk (Baek is pronounced Beck.) Kim and Baek were Master West’s first instructors who were killed in Vietnam in 1971. Master West is the founder of USKMAF (United States Korean Martial Arts Federation) which Georgia Hapkido is proud to be a part of.
#7: When did Master Popham start his Hapkido training? Master Instructor Popham began his Hapkido training on January 4th, 1992.
#8: When did Master Popham receive his Black Belt? Master Instructor Popham was promoted to Black Belt on October 23rd, 1994
#9: What rank does Master Instructor Popham hold in Hapkido? Master Instructor Popham is a 5th Degree Black Belt, (USKMAF Certificate # H-5066), promoted by Grandmaster JR West on March 9th, 2019
#10: What organization did Master Popham join in order to further the spread of traditional Hapkido throughout the United States? Master Popham joined the North American Hapkido Association in 1992. Currently, we are part of the United States Korean Martial Arts Association.
#11: How many degrees of Black Belt are there? There are 9 degrees of Black Belt. An honorary 10th degree is reserved for founders of new styles.
#12: How long does it take to earn a Black Belt in our school? Individual time will vary; however, an average time of 3 ½ years is reasonable.
#13: Why do some of our Black Belts have a white stripe on their pants? The white stripe signifies the Master Instructor’s rank of 4th degree or above.
#14: Why do our Black Belts wear white tops trimmed in black? White tops trimmed in black are worn to recognize the Hwarang (pronounced Fah Rahng), a Korean warrior class that unified the Korean peninsula over 1300 years ago through martial arts training. The Hwarang were masters of horsemanship, penmanship, and philosophy. The mark of a Hwarang warrior was a white tunic trimmed in black.
#15: What is the order to belts and the significance of each color?
White belt- innocence and purity
Yellow belt- unrefined gold (must be dug for)
Orange belt- refined gold
Green belt- the grass and trees
Blue belt- the sky
Red belt- the sun
Black belt- a combination of all colors
#16: How much do your classes cost? As of January 1st, 2020, Our classes start as low as $100/month. We do offer family discounts for multiple members of the same family.
#17: How do I know if this is something my child will like? You are welcome to come by the gym and observe, or even participate, in a class before signing up. This way you can tell if it is something you and/or your child would enjoy.
#18: What is your class schedule?
Little Dragons (ages 4-6): Monday/Wednesday 5:30-6:00 pm
Tigers (ages 7-12): Monday/Wednesday 6:15-7:00 pm
or Tuesday/Thursday (Beginner Tigers) 5:20-6:05 pm
(Advanced Tigers) 6:10-6:55 pm
Adult (ages 13+/advanced students): Tuesday/Thursday 7:00pm-8:00 pm