Summary of what you will learn

White Belt – 10th kup

Yellow Tip – 9th kup

Yellow Belt – 8th kup

Green Tip – 7th kup

1st Degree Black Belt

2nd Degree Black Belt

3rd Degree Black Belt

4th Degree Black Belt

Elective Elements for Black Belts

The following is a summary of the syllabus of the Australian Hapkido Association. The grades progress from white belt (most junior) to black belt. If a student trains 2 to 3 times per week it should take around 4 to 5 years to obtain their black belt. Of course some students take more time. It is not a race, each student can progress at a rate they find comfortable.

In the lower grades the student will normally spend about 3 to 6 months between gradings. At senior levels the student may spend years between gradings.

Each student is on their own journey and measuring your progress by the passage of time is not recommended. Consider rather how much you have improved since your last grading, how much sincere effort you have applied to your training and if you understand the techniques you have been shown.

It is useless to collect techniques that you do not understand how and when to use. It is better to have few techniques that you can use effectively than many techniques, none of which you can do well.

The student progresses from one grade to the next by passing a grading where senior black belts put the students through a series of assessments against the syllabus to determine if the student has properly learnt to apply the knowledge of their current grade.

The following is a summary of the AHA syllabus. The full syllabus can be downloaded from the AHA Web Site under Syllabus or viewed on-line within the web site.

White Belt – 10th kup

Etiquette, respect and discipline – an essential part of training in any good martial art.
Basic footwork – this is the foundation of Hapkido and will help you move fluidly and correctly.
Releases – how to escape from grabs.
Defenses from hand grabs and choking
Basic kicks aimed at the shins, groin, knees and midsection.
Basic Falling – rolling forwards and backwards – learning how to fall with hurting yourself.
Blocks, punches, kicks – mostly linear simple techniques that are easy to apply and effective.
Multiple Grabbing – defending yourself spontaneously from any direction.
Circle Principle – using large and small circles to affect your attacker and learning to generate power with your body
Basic pressure points and weak points – can be used to make your techniques more effective

Yellow Tip – 9th kup

Low kicks to the knee and shins, and sliding kick to bridge the gap
Basic defence against unexpected realistic punches
Falling - front fall and side fall
Hand Techniques: Jab/cross, deflection, hook punch, knifehand block, side guarding block
Self Defence Drill 1 – Releases and Strikes
Key Principles and Skills - blending with opponent’s movement, non-resistance, using footwork

Yellow Belt – 8th kup

Hand Techniques - knifehand strike - inward & downward, spinning knifehand strike
Kicks - turning side, turning back, crescent, front & turning, front foot side then turning side, turning side then turning back.
Falling - Cat roll into side fall
Core Self Defence Techniques - C1 Wing Lock, C2 Elbow Roll, C3 Z-lock
Pattern 3 – Four Directional Deflection & Counter
Key Principles and Skills – leverage, keeping technique close to your centre.

Green Tip – 7th kup

Hand Techniques - rolling blocks, backfist, elbow, palm heel, reverse knifehand.
Kicking Techniques - front foot side, front foot turning, front hook, sliding hook, spinning crescent, jumping front.
Falling - Long cat roll, High cat roll, Cat roll over obstacle (optional).
Core Self Defence Techniques - C4 Face Push, C5 Corkscrew, C6 Fan Lock.
Multiple Grabbing – spontaneous application of the three core techniques from any direction
Key Principles and Skills - Blending from one technique to another smoothly, continuous unbalancing of opponent throughout entire technique, continuous application of pain throughout the entire technique, maintaining your own posture during the technique.
Weapons – Rolled up Magazine
Self Defence Drill # 2 – Core Techniques 1-6

Green Belt – 6th kup

Kicking Techniques – spinning and circular kicks
Core Self Defence Techniques - C7 Hammer Lock, C8 Arm Bar, C9 Wrist and Shoulder Throw.
Pattern 4 – Tae Soo Pattern
Sparring Throwing Techniques – how to throw your opponent during sparring.
Multiple Grabbing
Key Principles and Skills - controlling opponent’s centre, third leg, circular momentum for kicks

Blue Tip – 5th kup

Kicking Techniques - low spinning heel, low spinning hook, low turning - follow through, turning then spinning heel, turning kick then 180° turning Kick
Core Self Defence Techniques - C10 Leg Reap, C11 Hip Throw, C12 Step Behind and Throw.
Multiple Grabbing – spontaneous application of the three core techniques from any direction.
Key Principles and Skills - sources of power – legs, hips, shoulders, arms, transferring power from the ground to the arms.
Weapons – Short Stick (Danbon)
Self Defence Drill 3 – Core Techniques 7 to 12

Blue Belt – 4th kup

Kicking Techniques – axe, stepping axe, spinning axe, jumping turning (rear leg), knee feint then jumping turning.
Core Self Defence Techniques - C13 Whip Throw, C14 Tornado Throw, C15 Neck and Chin Throw
Self Defence - front bear hug, headlocks
Pattern 5 – Crane Pattern

Red Tip – 3rd kup

Kicking Techniques - flying side (low impact option – sliding side), jumping turning back (low impact option – sliding back), low turning then low spinning heel (diff. legs) (low impact option – low turning then mid spinning heel), reverse 180° turning.
Self Defence - Collar from Front, Collar from Rear, Rear Bear Hug – Arms Free, Rear Bear Hug – Arms Trapped, Full Nelson, Belt, Rear Choke, Leg Locks
Weapons – jukto (bamboo sword)
Self Defence Drill 4 – Core Techniques 13 to 15
Key Principles - large circles (owning the centre and keeping it throughout the technique)

Red Belt – 2nd kup

Self Defence - throwing techniques, defence against front kick, defence against turning kick, defence against side kick, defence against turning back kick, defence against spinning heel kick, thumb attacks.
Kicking Techniques - Jumping spinning hook (Low impact option – spinning hook), High spinning hook then low spinning hook, Sliding foot sweep to front leg, then low spinning hook, 360° spinning hook (Low impact option – step forwards and spinning hook), Low turning then 180° reverse turning
Pattern 6 - Eagle Pattern

Black Tip – 1st kup

Weapons – Jangbon and Danbon (long and short poles)

Self Defence - Sitting on Ground legs crossed, Lying on your back, Sitting on a chair, Leg attacks from sitting position

Multiple Grabbing

Key Principles and Skills - Awareness of other attackers around you.

Kicking Techniques - 360° low spinning heel

Self Defence Drill #5

Groundwork Games

Groundwork refers to situations where the fight has gone to the ground, this is also called grappling.

The AHA Syllabus teaches groundwork to all students at all levels through a series of games that increase in complexity and provide a safe environment for improving their groundwork skills and knowledge.

Knife Defense

Knife attacks are becoming more common in society these days. It is important that all our students have practical skills to deal with a committed knife attack. Students need to understand what someone with a knife can do in an attack.

The AHA Syllabus teaches all students knife defence, starting from White Belt. The Knife Defense course starts with simple drills to develop the right habits and reflexes to defend against a knife.

As the student progresses through the 3 levels, the drills evolve to include pass and stop sensitivity, counterstriking and appropriate use of self-defense techniques against a knife.