Melanie Gibson General Martial Arts, Guest Writers

Guest Writer: Exploring HapKiDo: The Art of Coordinated Power

During my taekwondo training with my Korean Grandmaster, I was fortunate enough to learn some HapKiDo-related self-defense techniques. I’ve always enjoyed it and wanted to learn more. I was thrilled when RJ LoPresti of Choe’s HapKiDo approached me about contributing a blog post about their martial art. I’m excited to share Little Black Belt’s first HapKiDo post!  If you would like to contribute a martial arts-related blog post, see guest writer guidelines here.

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Melanie Gibson Class Diaries, Training Tips

Do You Speak Korean in Your Dojang?

speak Korean

“Come on, guys, let’s count in Korean,” I said with mock exasperation. A few nights ago my instructor had given me and my fellow classmates (teenage black belts) a series of exercises to do for our warm-up: jumping jacks, squats, mountain climbers, and push-ups. We were instructed to count out loud so we could stay together. I gritted my teeth though counting the first set of jumping jacks in English–it made me feel like a white belt–and spoke up as soon as I had the chance.

Saying, “Hana, dool, set…” never felt so sweet.*

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