Customer Reviews

Ultimate Hapkido Series 3 - "Advanced" [VHS]

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This series of tapes is absolutely the best Hapkido tapes out there (and I've seen them all). Do your self a favor and buy these they have simple and effective directions on how to learn and (given enough time) Master some truly fantastic Hapkido techniques.

Advanced video #3
Chapter 5 - Kick Defense - covers blocks/parries to use against kicks 1-3, Defense vs front kick 1-2, Defense vs roundhouse kick 1-6, Defense vs side kick 1-6
Chapter 6 - Knife Defense - covers blocks for use against knife attacks 1-3, Defenses vs lunges 1-5, Defense vs Side knife attacks 1-2, Defenses vs downward knife attacks 1-3
Kicks - Sweeping kick, hook kick, twisting kick, stepping back kick, knee strike
Total Time - about 26 minutes

My Opinions - this is the worst volume in the set. Some of the kick defenses are practical but others are very complicated, involving catching a leg and ducking under it and so on. Might be some interesting fodder for demonstration teams but not overly practical. The knife defense is horrible and very unrealistic. He illustrates very little control of the weapon, relinquishes control of the weapon to go for low percentage finishes and takedowns and occasionally rolls towards the blade. There's even a jumping leg scissors takedown in the knife defense section. I don't recommend this volume at all.


In general (the same for each volume), each video is set up along the same format - show some techniques, have a minute long video interlude, some more techniques, interlude, and so on until the last 3 or 4 minutes. During the last few minutes some kicks are demonstrated in the air and against some paddles.

I liked the ideas of the minute long interlude videos but really disliked how they had an "artsy effect" added to them that made them a bit less clear (fuzzy effect). Also, al three videos use the exact same interlude videos so if you've watched volume 1, you've already seen all of the interlude videos (making the repetition a bit boring).

The content of the interlude videos was a bit odd. Some of them show people sparring using kicks and punches. The techniques shown look very much like tournament Taekwondo sparring, with high kicks, jumping/spinning kicks, hands held low, and so on.

Some of the interlude videos show people using some Hapkido techniques that end up "not working" and leading to some ground grappling. The ground grappling looks quite a bit like Brazilian Jiujutsu type of grappling and there are some nice reversals and techniques shown. However, none of these techniques are shown in an instructional manner in the video series. Even in the "ground defenses" chapter there is no material presented on reversing or escaping the guard or any sort of takedown defense.

As a three volume set, I found it quite lacking in many areas. There is no material on Hapkido breathing, Breakfalling, Hand strikes, Footwork, and so on. The material presented ranges from good to impractical and is presented in a fairly quick way. It's clear that the instructor (Master Tae Jung) is very skilled and very smooth, but the video package looks more like an advertisement for Hapkido than it does an instructional set.

Even though there are not a lot of Hapkido videos out there, those that are tend to be a lot better than these. Some of the material is good but between the shortness of each volume, the glaring omissions of material, and the lack of practicality in the later volumes, I'd give this set a miss.