Welcome to Our Website!

Roundhouse Martial Arts has been providing instruction in Self Defense with a strong influence in Hapkido at our location in the Columbia, MD area.

We hope you enjoy our website and will stop by and visit us if you are in the area. This site is designed to give you information about our facility, our style of martial arts, our staff and provide you with information on how to contact us as well.

Now Teaching TACT Self Defense

We are excited to anounce the our new 3-6 month Combat Street Fighting Self Defense Courses. These classes are geared for people who want to learn how to defend themselves in the real world. No Frills Self Defense. The program, was designed by Norm Bettencourt is a world renowned combat authority who has been featured on CBC Radio One, is a published author and is a member of theand is the Assault Prevention Training Coordinator for the Vancouver Guardian Angels Chapter.

This is a great program for women and smaller people to learn how to defend against a larger attacker. Students will learn many SIMPLE methods to survive an attack or mugging. Please email us at - info@roundhousema.com or call Brian at 443-691-5409 with any questions.

What is Hapkido?

Hapkido literally translated: Hap means "coordination of harmony," Ki means "the essence of power," and Do means "the art" - in short, "the Way of Coordination and Internal Power."

Hapkido uses diversion or suppression and combines skeletal joint locks, pressure points, throws, kicks, and strikes for self-defense. The Hapkido practitioner uses their attacker's power against him. Hapkido emphasizes circular motion, non-resistive movements, and control of the opponent. Although Hapkido contains both outfighting and infighting techniques, the goal in most situations is to get inside for a close-in strike, lock, or throw.

The essence of Hapkido is to gain advantage through technique, avoiding the use of strength against strength. For example, if the attack is strong, one must receive it gently. If the attack is gentle, one must counter it powerfully. This makes this style more suitable for women, as they are not required to meet an attacker head on.

Some of the striking and kicking practice is form-like with no partner; however, most is done with a partner who is holding heavy pads that the student strikes and kicks full power. There is some weapons training for advanced students - primarily belt, kubatan, cane, and short staff. Forms and sparring are offered by some schools. There are no Hapkido competitions.

Many Hapkido techniques are unsuitable for use in sparring, as their use would result in injury, even when protective gear is used. There is generally an emphasis on physical conditioning and excercise, including "ki" exercises.