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The essential introductory text, written by
the author of the landmark 1136-page book,
“Hapkido: Traditions, Philosophy, Technique.”
—
One of the world’s most exciting, varied, and practical martial arts, Hapkido consists of thousand of techniques encompassing all forms of martial skills: strikes, kicks, blocks, avoiding movements, joint locks, chokes, throws, tumbling, ground fighting, weapons, meditation, and healing. This is the first introductory text to accurately portray Hapkido in its entirety, and includes basic material required by novices during their initial training. Sixty practical self-defense techniques spanning most types of attack, more than any competitively priced book, are clearly illustrated through hundreds of outstanding photographs. Precise anatomical drawings of 83 common Oriental pressure points, and in-depth chapters on history and philosophy make this book essential reading for anyone seeking a concise, honest, and accurate overview of this exciting and fast-growing martial art.
the author of the landmark 1136-page book,
“Hapkido: Traditions, Philosophy, Technique.”
—
• Over 680 high-quality photos, and 48 illustrations
• More photos and techniques than any similarly‑priced competitive book
• Precise anatomical drawings of 83 common Oriental pressure points
• Comprehensive chapters on history and philosophy
• Sixty practical self-defense techniques, spanning most types of attacks
• Basic material to guide novices during their initial training
• Essential reading for anyone seeking a concise overview of Hapkido
Note: The information in this 128-page book comes from material extracted from the author’s 1136-page work, Hapkido: Traditions, Philosophy, Technique. Readers seeking a comprehensive presentation of Hapkido should obtain the larger work. Click here for information on the 1136-page book.
Hapkido: An Introduction to the Art of Self-Defense
Author: Marc Tedeschi
Language: English
First Edition, May 2001
Third Printing, 2006
Published by Weatherhill,
an imprint of Shambhala Publications
Current Edition, May 2015
Published by Floating World Editions
128 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, softcover
Over 680 monochrome photos, 46 drawings
Maps, Korean terms, bibliography
Foreign-language editions available
in French and Italian
First Edition: ISBN 978-0834804838
Current Edition: ISBN 978-1891640803
To help readers comprehend the vast material that defines Hapkido, this book is organized into five parts:
Part 1 is an overview of history, philosophy, and technique.
Part 2 is a brief overview of some of the more important basic technical elements that define Hapkido.
Part 3 shows how the basic skills are combined for practical self-defense. Sixty techniques are shown in detail. They are a representative sample drawn from thousands of Hapkido techniques.
Part 4 is a very brief overview of Hapkido weapon systems and shows 11 typical techniques. They are a representative sample drawn from over 470 common Hapkido techniques.
Reference material includes information on rank advancement, important Korean terms, and sources for further reading.
1. OVERVIEW
IntroductionHistory
Philosophy
Technique Overview
2. BASIC ELEMENTS
PreparationBreathing + Meditation
Revival Techniques
Stances + Movement
Attack Points + Targets
3. SELF-DEFENSE
Self-Defense OverviewDefense Against Punches
Defense Against Kicks
Defense Against Holds
Defense Against Chokes
Defense Against Joint Locks
Defense Against Throws
Ground Defenses
Defense Using One or No Arms
Attacking Techniques
Multiple Opponents
4. WEAPONS
Hapkido WeaponsKnife
Short-Stick
Long-Staff
Cane
Sword
Rope
Common Objects
Defense Against Handgun
5. REFERENCE
Promotion RequirementsKorean Pronunciation
Korean Terms
Further Reading
Acknowledgements
The information in this 128-page book comes from material extracted from the author’s 1136-page work, Hapkido: Traditions, Philosophy, Technique. The following reviews refer to this larger work:
“This book is in my experience the most comprehensive ever written on a single martial art. It is superbly organized, highly informative, and contains thousands of outstanding photographs. An authoritative presentation of basic principles and techniques, integrated with modern innovations, makes this work indispensable to martial artists of virtually any style.”
– Professor Wally Jay
“Within minutes of opening Marc Tedeschi’s new book, Hapkido, you know you have your hands on an exceptional work. Hapkido is an enormous, comprehensive, detailed, beautifully illustrated and, somehow, very personal reference work for those who want to learn about this fascinating martial art. I predict it will soon be as much a part of the required-reading list for martial arts practitioners as are Donn Draeger’s The Martial Arts and Ways of Japan, Eugen Herrigel’s Zen in the Art of Archery, and Bruce Lee’s The Tao of Jeet Kune Do. At the same time, Hapkido goes far above and beyond these books, and beyond almost any other martial arts reference work, by examining the traditions, philosophy, and techniques of hapkido with an astonishing degree of detail . . . It covers so much ground and its material is so well presented that no martial arts library will again be complete without it.”
– Journal of Asian Martial Arts
“If you hold this book in your hand, words will fail you. 1136 pages, more than 9000 photos, 2.5 inches thick, 11 x 8.5 inches large, and almost 8 lbs heavy! If you turn to the first pages you are lost. You forget the time and you are lost in the apparently infinite information explosion contained in this work . . . for the Hapkidoin it is a treasure chest full of information and impulses . . . If I had the choice to take a book with me onto a lonely island, I would decide on this book . . . An absolute must for any Hapkidoin!”
– Hapkidoshop.com (Germany)
“Hapkido is an overwhelming achievement. Its comprehensiveness and the quality of the writing and design are unmatched in martial arts literature. The author’s integration of history, philosophy, and technique into the larger framework of martial arts as a whole makes this book invaluable to any martial artist. Tedeschi’s treatment of weapons techniques is honest, practical, and well worth studying.”
– Nicklaus Suino, author of The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship
An Encyclopedia of Hapkido and Martial Arts“This book is simply outstanding. The depth and volume of information provided is impressive to say the least. Presented in large format on quality paper, it covers the width and breadth of Hapkido. The overview contains interviews with all prominent grandmasters, including Yong-Sul Choi. An exhaustive list of techniques are illustrated with sequence photos and detailed descriptions. It covers everything from the basics to weapons and protecting others. As a bonus, it includes extensive acupressure diagrams and descriptions. It treats Hapkido as a science without losing its art form.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
“The best martial arts book ever published . . .
How does one even begin to review a book of this scope and sophistication? My first inclination is to pronounce it to be the Holy Grail of martial arts instructional texts . . . bringing a new level of clarity and intellectual precision in presenting previously ‘too complex to describe’ concepts and techniques . . . It is simply a monumental accomplishment, nothing less, and belongs in every library . . . You can spend years finding things in Tedeschi’s book which will broaden and enhance your own personal practice, whatever that may be. Trust me on this. This is the one!”
How does one even begin to review a book of this scope and sophistication? My first inclination is to pronounce it to be the Holy Grail of martial arts instructional texts . . . bringing a new level of clarity and intellectual precision in presenting previously ‘too complex to describe’ concepts and techniques . . . It is simply a monumental accomplishment, nothing less, and belongs in every library . . . You can spend years finding things in Tedeschi’s book which will broaden and enhance your own personal practice, whatever that may be. Trust me on this. This is the one!”
– IronCrane.com
“I am impressed. This book is one extremely large, very nearly complete, reference on all aspects of Hapkido. I say ‘very nearly’ not as a criticism, but in astonishment, simply because this book covers almost all of a huge curriculum. In addition to a huge technique reference section, it contains a number of interesting interviews, cool historical pictures, and a number of well-written chapters on many aspects of Hapkido not normally written about . . . the verbal [technical] descriptions are the best.”
– Nebraska Hapkido Association Bookstore
“The attention to detail is second to none and it is obvious that the author thought not just about Hapkido practitioners, but the whole of the martial arts community.”
– The Martial Arts Foundation
Most Thorough of the Big Hapkido Books!“Tedeschi keeps no secrets, and puts on no airs. He is honest, humble, and to the point. I can only wonder at the effort it has taken to assemble this volume, and the drive of the author to be so complete in his assessment and documentation . . . nothing, on any grappling or striking art, compares to the depth of this single volume. That this book is so affordable surprises me—books with half the information sell for more! This volume is a value and a treasure.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
The Best Hapkido Book I’ve Ever Seen“After many years in Hapkido training, this is the best reference material I’ve ever seen and I have them all (including the Korean texts). Make no mistake, this Hapkido DOES work on the street and it’s just like I was taught in Korea. It’s saved my life more than once. This book is a must have for any serious Hapkido student.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
Great Compilation ofUseful Information and Techniques!
“[This] is the most complete and well organized martial arts book I have seen. I was trained in Hapkido by an 8th Dan (kwanjangnim) in South Korea and most of the content in this book is consistent with the training I received there. The author has done an excellent job explaining and demonstrating Hapkido as taught traditionally as well as more modern applications . . . As a practitioner and instructor of Hapkido and other art forms, I would recommend this book to any serious student or instructor.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
Best Hapkido Book“As a martial artist of over 30 years and a 7th Dan in Hapkido, I own this book and find it to be the most comprehensive text on this beautiful Korean art. Marc Tedeschi presents the material in such a way as to not be biased toward any one belief on the true history of Hapkido, leaving out political views. He gives equal credit to many of the top Korean Hapkido masters. He does give credit to some of his non-Hapkido instructors, which is only a sign of respect to his teachers . . . This is the finest Hapkido book I have had the pleasure to own, and I like to think that if Choi Yong Sul were alive today, he would be honored.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
“As a student of the martial arts for over 23 years and a 6th Dan in Hapkido, I must say this is one of the best books on the martial arts ever compiled. It is without a doubt the most accurate and in-depth manual on the Korean art of Hapkido . . . This book shall become a resource to be visited and revisited over the years . . . without a doubt the most complete and top-quality resource ever produced on a martial art.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
Best Hapkido Book Available“Tedeschi has produced the most comprehensive text on Hapkido that anyone could hope to find . . . As an instructor of Hapkido, I am continuously looking for new techniques to teach my students and new ways of understanding and explaining the techniques I teach. This book is an invaluable resource for serious Hapkido students and instructors, and I am grateful for Mr. Tedeschi for putting it together.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
Tedeschi’s Book Goes to the Core of Hapkido!“I have pursued the martial arts for 27 years, 23 of those years as a Hapkidoin. Marc Tedeschi’s book hits exactly upon the essence of Hapkido. Tedesch’s research is outstanding. He has not only shown the entire technical repertoire of this superb Korean system, but has also answered, through interviews with many masters (especially with the founder, Choi), many questions as to the origins and spirit of Hapkido. The book is very extensive and articulates areas that have been rarely illuminated until now . . . To my knowledge, no book on any martial art or martial-sport even remotely measures up to this work. Without reservation, I would recommend this book to any Hapkidoin—and naturally, to those in other Budo practices as well.”
– Amazon.de (Germany)
Shockingly Good“This book is absolutely astonishing in its quality and level of detail. I don’t even particularly like Hapkido, and I ordered it on the strength of glowing recommendations I’d heard—and I can tell you they didn’t even come close . . . I can’t even begin to tell you how good it is. It leaves ALL other martial arts books in smoking rubble.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
Something that did not exist before in this world“‘I wrote this book because I felt I could bring something into existence that did not exist before in this world,’ wrote Mr. Tedeschi in his preface. That is the truth. If you take this book in your hands and read a few pages of it, you will realize that, with the exception of his other book about Taekwondo, there is no equal. You can’t compare these books with anything else. The greatness of this book is unbelievable. It is complete, it is clear, it is honest, it is modern. You have to take a look at it to believe.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
I Love This Book“This book has set the standard so high, that all martial artists should demand this kind of quality and in-depth overview from the author on any given subject in the martial arts. Tedeschi gets specific about Hapkido. We all know how difficult it is to get any concrete information on the art of Hapkido. There is now concrete and complete information. The reason why we have a library of books on a specific style is because we don’t understand the art the way we feel that we should. You will understand Hapkido after reading this book. This book answers the questions that we all have. I’m a 3rd Dan in Hapkido who had questions about the art. Tedeschi has done a wonderful job of cutting through the common formalities of being very general about Hapkido and that it is the almighty superior everything to everyone art. He is refreshingly respectful to all of the other martial arts and not claiming to be better than the rest. This book has filled in the gaps and allowed me to spread my wings. Until this time there has not been a complete text that has been readily available that has established the parameters of this art. After reading this book you will understand that there are really no parameters, but [rather] core ideals, philosophies and techniques. With that in mind this book has become my companion that will help me to be the best that I can be in Hapkido and life.”
– Amazon.com (USA)
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