About this item
Hapkido, "The Way of Coordination and Internal Power," is one of the three major Korean martial arts. Founded in 1963 by Master Choi Young-Sul, it is a complete system of self-defense, encompassing, striking, kicking, and grappling techniques. Conceptually, Hapkido techniques more closely parallel those of Aikido than Taekwondo. In fact, as the author describes, these is a parental link between the arts. In Hapkido: Korean Art of Self-Defense, Scott Shaw presents a precise description of the techniques, concepts, and applications of this Korean martial art of self-defense.Profusely illustrated with 220 clear photographs, this instructional hapkido book describes and depicts self-defense techniques against a variety of punches, holds, and kicks. Hapkido has been utilized by military and law enforcement agencies worldwide, but until now little has been written on it. This hapkido guide is one of the few in English to present the essential techniques of this fascinating Korean martial art. Chapters include:The History and Development of Korean Martial ArtsThe Evolution of HapkidoDanjon: The Center of KiHapkido FundamentalsHapkido Self-Defense Techniques
About the Author
Scott Shaw, Ph.D. is a prolific author, composer, photographer, and filmmaker. He was born and spent his formative years in Hollywood, California. Since his late teens, Shaw has traveled the globe. His particular focus has been on Asia, where he continually returns, documenting obscure aspects of Asian culture in words and on film.During his youth, Shaw was drawn to two factors that have come to define much of his life; namely: Eastern Meditative Thought and the Martial Arts. These inclinations led him to study in both the West and Asia. Shaw is an initiate of Buddhist, Hindu, and Sufi sects. He has been a certified instructor of Yoga since the age of eighteen.Shaw began studying the martial arts at six years old. He has emerged as one of the leading modern proponents of integrating spirituality into the martial arts. He was the first non-Korean ever to be awarded the seventh degree black belt by the prestigious Korea Hapkido Federation and has since been promoted to eighth degree black belt in both Hapkido and Taekwondo. He also has been certified seventh degree black belt in Aikijutsu and Kumdo.As an author, Scott Shaw's writings were initially published by literary journals in the 1970s. He continued forward to have several works of poetry and literature published in book form. By the 1980s, Shaw's writings came to be embraced in Spiritual and Martial Art circles. From this, he has authored numerous articles and a number of books on Zen Buddhism, Yoga, Ki Science, and the Martial Arts. In addition to writing, Shaw has an active career as an actor and filmmaker. In 1991, he developed a new style of filmmaking that he titled, Zen Filmmaking. The primary premise behind Zen Filmmaking is that no screenplay should be used in the creation of a film. According to Shaw, "In Zen Filmmaking there are no rules and no definitions. Instead, the spontaneous creative energy of the filmmaker is the only defining factor. This allows for a spiritually pure source of immediate inspiration to be the only guide in the filmmaking process." As a university professor, Shaw has taught seminars and courses on Asian Studies and Filmmaking at such institutions as the University of California, Los Angeles, California State University, Los Angeles, the University of Oxford, Silpakorn University, and the Korea National University of the Arts.
