Yu & Won
You never lose if a lesson has been learned.
To understand the movements and techniques of Hybrid Hapkido one must study and practice the theories of Yu (flowing like water) and Won (circle theory).
THEORY OF YU (flowing like water):
Water never struggles with any object that it encounters! It exhibits tremendous
patience and adaptability in its engagement with any obstacle it faces during the natural 'downhill flow'.
Rather than rising in direct conflict with an adversary, the Hybrid Hapkido Practitioner seeks to join with, or
adapt to the opponent and their motions, in order that the 'clashing' so commonly seen in many martial arts,
is avoided. If a stream comes upon a rock in its downhill flow, it merely goes around it. If this rock is too large for
the water to go around, the water will be patient, collecting until it rises to a level that allows it to
flow over or around this obstruction. Similarly, as we "go with the flow" in the execution of our techniques,
when we are pushed, we pull; when we are pulled, we push. In comparing an opponent's defenses to an
obstacle, a rock for instance, it should be noted that although the water can simply flow over or around the
obstruction, it also eventually permeates every pore and completely engulfs the obstacle. This type of
counter-attacking 'mind-set' is practiced in Hybrid Hapkido through the very nature of the techniques and
combinations which we train with every day. Softness is another characteristic of water that
relates to the understanding of Hybrid Hapkido. We must accept the fact that softness has the capacity to win over
hardness. It has been said that, "stiff and unbending is the disciple of death, while soft and yielding is
the disciple of life." If you think of a live willow tree, its branches are flexible and resilient. After
death the branches become hard and brittle. Another example would be water. As ice it is hard and brittle;
it can be broken. As the broken pieces thaw they will flow together again.
Water in liquid form has no permanent shape. If you put it into a box, it becomes square; put it in a
sphere, it becomes round; freeze it, it becomes solid. Although constantly adapting to its environment, water
remains basically unchanged. As for water's forcefulness, one need only observe a high waterfall
to be reminded of the force behind this very same soft and adaptable, yet forceful liquid.
A Hybrid Hapkido principle that concerns the "maximum use of force at one time" can be easily explained. Comparing
the force to the flow of water out of (let's say) a fire hose, a person can easily remove the hose from a
fire truck (in this instance) because it is light and flexible. However, when it's connected to a hydrant
and water is forced through it, this same hose becomes very heavy and rigid. It now takes three people to
handle the hose due to the concentration of water at one point beyond the nozzle of the hose. "Hapkido"
compares a persons 'Ki' power to the water in a fire hose. You should be able to concentrate all of your
power in one direction toward one point.
THEORY OF WON (the circle theory):
A circle represents the perfect geometric figure. People have their own circle
that is his or her "private space". It is this circle that we seek to protect. An opponent's attack should
be met with a graceful, circular defensive motion. We choose not to meet an opponent's force with direct
force. Instead, we choose to lead this oncoming force in a circle, deflecting it, so as to minimize its
effect. Therefore, we end up redirecting an opponent's force against himself. We should think of this circle
as a form of least resistance, always moving (active), and therefore difficult to hold or grasp.
As a Hybrid Hapkido practitioner chooses to deflect an attack in a circular manner, he/she gains an immediate advantage
in several ways. First, injuries are less likely to happen to the defender when the attack is not met
squarely. Second, the defender sets up the opponent for a powerful (nearly unavoidable) counter-attack.
Third, the opponent's balance (the very thing he needs most) is destroyed. And lastly, the opponent's body
position is controlled, therefore affording the defender the option of a much more devastating,
continuous, circular combination of counter-techniques.
During joint manipulations, the circle theory is applied by bluffing the attacker into throwing a
technique. The attacker's commitment is overcome by the defender's circular-counter technique.