Sin Moo Hapkido
신무 합기도According to Wikipedia, a hapkido branch of Ji Han-jae (1936 to 2026), who spread it in the USA from 1984. Wikipedia says it stresses meditation and ki more than traditional hapkido.
Quick Facts
South KoreaCharacter & Origin
Training
Organisation & Competition
What the style is built from
Editorial rating on a 0–3 scale, based on how much room each area gets in ordinary training.
Catalogs & Databases for Sin Moo Hapkido
About Sin Moo Hapkido
According to English Wikipedia, Sin Moo Hapkido is a style of hapkido associated with Ji Han-jae. The Korean daily Kyunghyang Shinmun, citing Yonhap, reported that Ji was born in Andong in 1936, studied under Choi Yong-sool, served as a guard at the presidential residence, the Blue House, in the sixties and left for the USA in 1984, where he spread hapkido under the name Sinmoo Hapkido. He died on 28 January 2026 at his home in Tucson, aged 89. English Wikipedia states that he founded the style in Seoul in 1983 with the help of Merrill Jung and other members of the Northern California Hapkido Association, and that the first official school opened in Daly City near San Francisco in 1984. The sources thus differ on the founding year. Technically, Sin Moo is, according to Wikipedia, very close to traditional hapkido, but places more emphasis on meditation, philosophy and the development of ki. According to it, Sin means higher mind or spirit and Moo martial art. Green writes in Martial Arts of the World that he contributed greatly to the spread of hapkido.
History
According to Kyunghyang Shinmun, Ji opened a hapkido school in Andong in 1955 and Sungmookwan in Seoul in 1957, while English Wikipedia places the first school in 1956. Green states that he began training with Choi in 1953, Wikipedia gives 1949. According to Green he is credited with changing the name from hapki yu sool to hapkido, from 1962 he pushed through hapkido training for the presidential guard and founded the Korea Hapkido Association. According to Kyunghyang Shinmun he demonstrated hapkido at the White House in 1969. Wikipedia states that before he left for the USA his friend Myung Jae-nam awarded him 10th dan.
Technique
English Wikipedia lists 25 defensive kicks for street situations, two of which serve only to cover against kicks and many of which are meant for confined spaces such as corridors or crowds. After that, according to it, the student practises seven spinning kicks and a series of special kicks that need more room. At 4th dan, according to Wikipedia, he learns 30 special attacking techniques made from combinations of basic locks. Weapons training, according to Wikipedia, includes the short and long staff, sword, cane, scarf, long belt, throwing weapons and everyday objects, and defence against a knife comes at brown belt.
Training
According to English Wikipedia, a class usually begins with danjeon breathing and ends with meditation, which combines Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist practices aimed at developing ki. Danjeon breathing is, according to it, the first exercise of Sin Moo Hapkido and resembles Chinese qigong. Wikipedia also mentions an area of resuscitation techniques, dealing with pressure point fighting and Eastern medicine.
Ranks and progression
English Wikipedia lists, uncited, white, yellow, orange, green, blue, red and brown belts and then dans from 1st dan to 10th dan. The sixth dan bears, according to it, the title Cheul Do In, and above the dans stands Ji Han-jae as founder of the way. Per Wikipedia, Ji himself linked official titles to the dans.
Today
Since 2014, according to English Wikipedia, Ji Han-jae issued kwan certificates and his leading students received authorisation to develop their own styles of Sin Moo Hapkido. The World Hapkido Sin Moo Kwan Association states that Ji recognised its Sin Moo Kwan with a certificate in 2022. The website sinmoo.com, run by the Sin Moo HapKiDo Association, gives Ji Han-jae's address in Trenton, New Jersey.
Did you know
According to Kyunghyang Shinmun, Ji Han-jae appeared as a hapkido master in the film Game of Death with Bruce Lee. English Wikipedia states that the master's uniform from 6th dan is white with gold trim, as seen in this film. According to Wikipedia, Sin Moo has nine principles in three groups, physical, mental and spiritual.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Sin Moo Hapkido?
Ji Han-jae (1936 to 2026), Choi Yong-sool's student. Per Wikipedia in Seoul in 1983, per Kyunghyang Shinmun he spread it in the USA from 1984.
How does Sin Moo differ from traditional hapkido?
Per English Wikipedia, by more emphasis on meditation, philosophy and developing ki, though technically very close to traditional hapkido.
How many kicks does Sin Moo Hapkido teach?
English Wikipedia lists 25 basic defensive kicks, seven spinning kicks and a series of special kicks.
Similar styles
Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.