Originally Posted by TheSquealer

The best answer is that it really depends on what you want to get out of it. I was really only speaking about actual fighting and fighting arts. If its for balance, speed, flexibility, culture etc.. thats all great.

Within the context of actual fighting, I think the first, most important fact about martial arts is that the style is almost 100% irrelevant next to who is teaching. For example, most Tae Kwon Do is just silly acrobatics performed by goofballs and where black belts are handed out just for signing up. That doesn't mean that there aren't phenomenal Tae Kwon Do fighters or teachers. I know a few.

I honestly don't know much about hapkido. I can however say that there is a reason you don't see a lot of crazy acrobatic kicks, joint locks and throws in the octagon or anywhere really. I always viewed Hapkido as being a little more aggressive Tae Kwon Do, combining joint locks and throws with silly acrobatics. I can't remember ever watching people train Hapkido that i am aware of and I used to spend a crazy amount of time watching every style I could.

My view on fighting arts is that if you don't trade blows at full speed and power and don't have a win/loss record, then its not a fighting art. It's exercise. It's always tough to see people, particularly women who think they can fight, yet have never had a 225 pound, 5'10" guy trying to tear them in 1/2. It's a completely different experience to train in class with pads, with people who have perfect control and you have no risk of being hurt and actually squaring off with someone where just throwing a punch means he may counter and really do some damage.