Product Details

• Directors: Master Tae Jung
• Format: Color, Digital Sound, NTSC
• Number of tapes: 3
• VHS Release Date: March 1, 2002
• Run Time: 25 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: 0971977313
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #627,822 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

From the Instructor

Master Tae Jung, president of The World Hapkido Association presents the: "Ultimate Hapkido Series" A series of three videos on the instruction of "Hapkido" The Korean Martial Art of Self Defense.

Ultimate Hapkido - Series 1 - Beginners
Ultimate Hapkido - Series 2 - Intermediate
Ultimate Hapkido - Series 3 - Advanced

Professionally produced by well known movie director Jinho Kim of Jinho Productions, Los Angeles, Ca.

These videos are rated #1 by Hapkido Masters around the world for efficiency as great training aids for all level Hapkido practitioners.

Professional camera men have capured Master Jung performing the techniques from all different angles to give the student a clear view with easy to follow instructions by a professional narrator. Truly, a master piece.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars There are better resources out there, December 4, 2007

By 

Thomas O. Morrison (Ogdensburg, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ultimate Hapkido Series 2 - "Intermediate" Instructional Video [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Intermediate video #2
Chapter 3 - Ground Defense - covers Seated position defenses (you are seated on the ground and the attacker is standing), Ankle joint lock, 2 hand shoulder grab while seated (and attacker is standing), Fireman's throw from a seated position, Leg scissors takedown (from seated), Kick to knee takedown, and overhead throw.
Also covers "Prone" Position Defenses (actually the positions are "supine", not prone) including side headlocks, mount escapes (+ some finishes), and chokes.
Chapter 4 - Punch Defense - covers Parries/Blocks 1-3, Defenses using strikes 1-8, Defenses using locks 1-5, Defenses using throws 1-4
Kicks - Push kick, Twisting heel kick, Inside hook kick, Axe kick, Side kick
Total Time - about 30 minutes

My Opinions - I was expecting a different type of "ground defense" than what is on the tape. The tape covers mainly defenses while seated on the ground against a standing opponent. Although the interlude videos show some use of the guard and mount, along with escapes and reversals for each, none of that material is covered in the "ground defense" portion of the video. Some of the techniques are a bit flashy and complicated but overall the material is Okay. The interlude videos are the same in all three volumes.

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.