Striking & kicking
Develop punches, palm strikes, elbows, knees, and powerful kicks for practical stand-up defense.
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Hapkido classes & history in Gulf Breeze
Hapkido
One complete art for striking, control, throws, and self-defense.
Hapkido is a complete Korean martial art that trains powerful strikes and kicks alongside joint locks, throws, takedowns, breakfalls, ground defense, and responses to armed and unarmed threats. It develops coordination, balance, discipline, and the ability to control an attacker without relying on strength alone.
WhoTeens & adults
ExperienceBeginner friendly
Class length60 minutes
First step2 weeks · $29.99
What is Hapkido?
One art.
A complete range.
Hapkido connects striking, kicking, joint manipulation, throws, takedowns, breakfalls, ground defense, and weapons work in one progressive Korean martial-art system. Students learn when to evade, redirect, strike, control, or disengage—not just a single type of response.
Locks, throws & control
Use positioning, timing, leverage, joint controls, throws, and takedowns to disrupt and control an attacker.
Defense across ranges
Train breakaways, breakfalls, ground defense, and responses to armed and unarmed threats through a structured curriculum.
Origins & lineage
From Daitō-ryū
to Korean Hapkido.
Core presents this history primarily through the scholarship of Dr. He-Young Kimm, whose books preserve the accounts, people, and technical traditions that shaped modern Hapkido.12
The Japanese technical root
Hapkido’s Japanese technical ancestry is commonly traced to Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu (大東流合気柔術), the system taught by Takeda Sōkaku. Morihei Ueshiba studied Daitō-ryū under Takeda and later developed Aikido in Japan.3 Choi Yong-Sool’s path was separate: after living in Japan, he returned to Korea following World War II and began teaching methods associated with Daitō-ryū.
The art develops in Korea
Dr. Kimm’s historical work places Choi at the foundation of the Korean art and documents the generations of teachers who developed it after his return.1 Grandmaster Ji Han-Jae, an early student of Choi, became one of Hapkido’s most influential organizers, teachers, and international promoters. Later, Dr. Kimm served the art as a senior practitioner, instructor, author, and historian—preserving a broad record of Hapkido’s lineages and development rather than claiming a role as an original founder.
Our Hapkido lineage
Choi Yong-Sool → Kim Jung-Soo → Grandmaster J.R. West → Grandmaster Dexter Mangum. This is the teaching line behind Core’s Hapkido program. Core owner and chief instructor Scott Farley trained under Grandmaster West and continues his training with Grandmaster Mangum.
Visit West’s Hapkido Academy ↗Grandmaster J.R. West
Grandmaster West began training in Hapkido during military service in Vietnam in the 1960s. He studied under Baek Nam Guk and Kim Jung-Soo of the Korean Tiger Division and earned his black belt in 1967. After returning to the United States, he continued his training under Dr. He-Young Kimm. In 1973, he founded West’s Hapkido Academy in the Jackson, Mississippi area.4
Over more than five decades of teaching, Grandmaster West built a community centered on detailed instruction, practical self-defense, disciplined training, and the responsible use of skill. He passed away on December 28, 2025, leaving an enduring legacy in the Hapkido community.5
Grandmaster Dexter Mangum
Grandmaster Dexter Mangum is a ninth-degree Hapkido black belt at West’s Hapkido Academy in Ridgeland, Mississippi. He began training under Grandmaster J. R. West in 1987 and earned his first-degree black belt in 1993. In 2012, he received a Master appointment from the Korea Ki Do Association, followed by promotion to ninth degree in 2025. His decades of training under Grandmaster West connect him directly to the teaching tradition behind Core’s Hapkido program.4
Historical references
- Kimm, He-Young. History of Korea and Hapkido. Baton Rouge, LA: Hando Press, 2008.
- Kimm, He-Young. Hapkido. Baton Rouge, LA: Andrew Jackson College Press, 1991.
- Daitō-ryū Aikijujutsu Headquarters, “Daitō-ryū and Aikido” ↗
- West’s Hapkido Academy, “Our Instructors” ↗
- West’s Hapkido Academy, “Celebration of Life for Master J.R. West” ↗
Your first class
Know exactly what to expect.
You will learn foundational movement, safe partner practice, and an introductory technique with direct coaching. Classes are structured and progressive, so beginners can start comfortably while experienced students continue refining advanced skills.
Choose this program →Weekly schedule
Find your training time.
Class availability can change. Use the live calendar for closures, events, and the latest updates.
Before your first class
Common questions.
What should I wear?
For Kid Ninjas, Junior Self-Defense, and Hapkido, you may purchase a uniform when you begin your two-week trial or wear a black T-shirt and comfortable workout pants during the trial. A uniform is required once your regular membership begins.
What is Hapkido?
Hapkido is a complete Korean martial art that combines strikes, kicks, joint locks, throws, takedowns, breakfalls, ground defense, weapons training, and practical responses to armed and unarmed threats.
Is Hapkido the same as Aikido?
No. The arts share historical roots in Daitō-ryū, but Hapkido developed in Korea as a broader combat and self-defense system that includes extensive striking, powerful kicks, throws, takedowns, ground defense, and weapons training.
Is Hapkido practical for self-defense?
Yes. Its strikes, escapes, controls, and takedowns are taught with practical personal safety in mind.
Do I need flexibility or previous experience?
No. Mobility and coordination improve over time, and beginners learn each skill progressively.
Are weapons used in class?
Advanced defensive training may use safe training equipment under instructor supervision. Live weapons are not used.
Can smaller students learn these techniques?
Yes. Hapkido emphasizes positioning, timing, leverage, and control rather than strength alone.
Two weeks · $29.99
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Teens & adults
Hapkido
Monday · 6 PM · Wednesday · 6 PM
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