Combat Hapkido (known in Korean as Chon-Tu Kwan Hapkido) is an eclectic modern Hapkido system founded by John Pellegrini in 1990 the Grandmaster of the system who holds a 9th degree black
belt. In 1992 Pellegrini formed the International
Combat Hapkido Federation (ICHF) as the official governing body of Combat Hapkido. The ICHF was recognized
by the Korea Kido Association and the World Kido Federation, collectively known as the Kido Hae, in 1999 as a hapkido style.The style is recognized under the Korean name Chon Tu Kwon Hapkido.
The World Kido Federation is recognized by the Korean Government
as an organization that serves as a link between the official Martial Arts governing body of Korea and the rest of the world
Martial Arts community. The founder of Combat Hapkido was very clear in his statement that he did not invent a new martial
art. He stated "I have merely structured a new Self-Defense system based upon sound scientific principles and modern concepts."
For this reason Combat Hapkido is also referred to as the "Science of Self-Defense." Combat Hapkido is a new interpretation
and application of a selected body of Hapkido techniques. The word "Combat" was added to Combat Hapkido to distinguish
this system from Traditional Hapkido styles and to identify its focus as Self-Defense.
The style employs joint locks, pressure points, throws, hand strikes, and low-lying kicks, and trains practitioners to either counter or preemptively strike an imminent
attack to defend one-self. It also emphasizes small circular motion, non-resisting movements, and control of an opponent through
force redirection and varied movement and practitioners seek to gain advantage through footwork, distractive striking and
body positioning to employ leverage.
Description
Combat Hapkido's adherence to a self-defense mindset forced the removal of some Traditional Hapkido techniques
which proved to be impractical and ineffective in real world scenarios for self-defense. Thses included acrobatic break falls,
jump/spinning kicks, forms, meditation, low-percentage joint locking techniques, along with the removal of some weapons such
as swords and other weapons which would be impractical and not-typically carried around in todays modern society.
Combat Hapkido's strategy includes adopting features from styles like Jeet Kune Do, Jujutsu, Western Boxing , and
Kuntao Silat to enhance its core curriculum. For instance, some Traditional Hapkido
practitioners have complained that Traditional Hapkido doesn't provide an extensive ground self-defense curriculum ;
Combat Hapkido attempts to address this by researching and incorporating grapling techniques from different styles. Another
instance is Jeet Kune Do trapping and entering techniques being incorporated to enhance transitions into Combat Hapkido's
core Joint Locking and Throwing techniques. The ability to incorporate such features into official curriculum is one of the
characteristics that differentiate Combat Hapkido from Traditional Hapkido.
Combat Hapkido's core techniques rely heavily on those Traditional Hapkido techniques that the ICHF determined
to have the most practical applications for their goal of modern self-defense. The core curriculum has been organized into
10 basic levels or ranks. Extensive reference materials, including a complete video reference library, are provided to schools
and individual students through the ICHF. All training in Combat Hapkido is reinforced with an extensive yearly seminar schedule,
with most months containing multiple seminars located throughout the United States and elsewhere. Students are encouraged to attend seminars conducted by Pellegrini along with other Combat Hapkido
Master Instructors, to get instruction with the experts in Combat Hapkido and to reinforce and expand local school instruction
they have received.
To supplement the core curriculum, the ICHF researches and develops "modules" that are compatible with the
core curriculum. Some examples are "stick and knife combatives", "ground survival", "combat throws", "anatomical striking/pressure
points", "trapping", "cane", "dan bong", and "weapons disarming". New modules are supported by DVDs, seminars, and local instruction.
ICHF students are required to know the core curriculum for promotion and are encouraged to study various optional modules
as well. Instructors may require their students to learn some of these additional technique modules as well as the Core Curriculum
to advance levels.
Ground Survival
Combat Hapkido's Ground Survival program previously referred to as the Ground Grappling program was developed
to create a modern and realistic ground self-defense program where the purpose is to survive encounters on the ground by escaping,
or evade from positions where you end up on the ground and not necessarily for you to get stuck in a long extended battle
on the ground. To research and develop this program, Master Instructors experienced in the grappling arts were in charge of
researching different styles such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Vale Tudo and Combat Sambo, with additional technical assistance
from grappling experts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu such as Carlson Gracie Jr.
Trapping
The Combat Hapkido Trapping program is designed to be reactionary and reflexive. The techniques and drills
in this program are based on a specific technical atribute from Jeet Kune Do that
blend drills and techniques with Combat Hapkido. Trapping is a way to gain advantage over an opponent by manipulating them
in order to accomplish a finishing technique, such as strikes, joint-locks, and throws.
Weapons
Cane
Combat Hapkido along with some other systems incorporate self-defense techniques using the cane into their
training curriculums. The reason the ICHF choose the cane as one of their preferred self-defense weapons of choice was due
to its modern real world self-defense applications. A normal walking cane within most state and national jurisdictions is
generally recognized as one of the only blunt carrying objects allowed to be carried in public by law. Due to the cane's legal
status, ready availability to acquire, general lightweight carry and being a cheap weapon to use, Combat Hapkido developed
a "Cane" curriculum in partnership with "Cane Masters," an organization dedicated to the development, and training of self-defense
cane techniques. The "Cane" curriculum includes: Offensive Strikes, Joint Locks, Sweeps, and Traps, along with Defenses against
Kicks, Punches, Bear Hugs, and Grabs.
Dan Bong
The Dan Bong (Short Stick) is a Self-Defense tool measuring 8 to 12 inches in length and approximately 1
to 1.5 inches in diameter. It carries none of the visual shock value that a baseball bat would, and it is not wielded with any kind of "flashy" movements. The Dan Bong's use is in the application and reinforcement
of joint lock, pressure point, choking, and striking techniques. Combat Hapkido master instructors specializing in the Dan
Bong have developed their version of the use of the Dan Bong for what they feel is need for modern self-defense needs.
Weapons disarming
Combat Hapkido’s 'Weapons Disarming Module' is designed to address most modern types of attacks and
situations from blunt weapons, handguns, and long firearms. Techniques involve close quarter combat where footwork and bridging the gap are used to
gain superior positioning to gain control of the weapon or the weapon's carrying arm, and then to disarm the attacker. Used
sometimes in military and police training,[the ICHF has been invited
by many foreign and domestic police organization along with invitations from the United States Military to train both U.S. and Coalition troops in Afghanistan and Iraq
