About Us
WHO WE ARE? BEST SELF DEFENSE, BEST MARTIAL ARTS
- Conqueror Hapkido & MMA, considered by many the best self defense has been serving the city of Bellevue and surrounding areas since 2005.
- Our Martial Arts students range from ages 5 to adult.
- With our wide array of instructors, we accommodate all levels from beginner to advance and we take every measures to train safe and friendly training environment.
- Conqueror Hapkido & Mixed Martial Arts for Self Defense is a family friendly program that aims to instill or enhance discipline, patience, perseverance and self confidence through fitness, self defense, Martial Arts and meditation exercises.
HAP = United or Coordinate.
KI = Mental and/or Physical energy
DO = Way of Life (or “way”)
Hapkido
- Hapkido considered by many as one of the best self defense can be translated “The Way of Unified Energy” or “The Way or Coordinated Power”.
- It is a form of self-defense that employs joint locks, grappling and throwing techniques of other Martial Arts, as well as kicks, punches, and other striking attacks hence a true Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).
There is also the use of traditional weapons, including knife, sword, rope, jool bong (nunchaku), cane, short stick, and middle-length staff.
(MIXED MARTIAL ARTS)
- Conqueror Hapkido & MMA separates itself from other forms of Hapkido by incorporating several of the principles of Brazilian Jujitsu (BJJ) and Wrestling to enhance its already firm foundation of ground fighting or grappling.
- With our wide range of skill set and experiences of our instructors (see below), we incorporate the most effective techniques from just about all types of Marital Arts including Boxing.
EFFECTIVE SELF DEFENSE
- However, what ultimately separates Conqueror Hapkido & MMA from almost all other arts is a complex and complete doctrine of self-defense theories and principles that relate to everything that we do.
- They are true and applicable in all situations which is why it is considered by many one of the most effective form of Martial Arts and Self Defense.
Our Instructors
ALI KAMARA
KAMARA, ALI HAS DECADES OF MARTIAL ARTS EXPERIENCE WITH ABOVE BLACKBELT IN MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES. HE STARTED TEACHING AS AN ASSISTANT TAEKWONDO INSTRUCTOR FOR MASTER KIM IN YONGSON, KOREA WHILE STATIONED THERE IN US ARMY IN THE LATE NINETIES. HE IS ALSO A CERTIFIED WORLD HAPKIDO ASSOCIATION 5TH DAN HAPKIDO INSTRUCTOR AND A KUKIWON CERTIFIED 5TH DAN IN TAEKWONDO.
MAURICE SMITH
(UFC champion)
(private class only)
A retired American kickboxer and mixed martial artist. In kickboxing, he held the WKC (World Kickboxing Council) world light heavyweight championship, the WKA (World Kickboxing Association) world heavyweight championship, and the ISKA (International Sport Karate Association) world heavyweight championship.
MASTER CHOE
7th Degree Black Belt in Hapkido • 6th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do • Appointed as Instructor of Kum-Moo-Kwan Do Jang in Korea Hapkido Association • Appointed to teach Martial Arts to Fort Lewis Military Personnel • Registered Master in Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do in Washington State, USA • Author of several Hapkido books
SENSEI ROLAND
Sensei Roland is a retired Federal Agent with 30 years of service with the U.S. Government.
While serving as a Federal Agent, Sensei Roland’s secondary job responsibilities included serving as a Firearms and Use of Force Instructor, Unarmed Self-Defense Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, and a Physical Fitness Coordinator. He also served as Field office/Regional Training Coordinator in Europe, S.E. Asia, and the U.S. West Coast. In duration, Sensei Roland has more than 25 years of experience in providing training to Civilian, Military, and Law Enforcement personnel.
Additionally, Sensei Roland conducted Protective Service Operations with the U.S. Government primarily serving as the Personal Security Officer for high ranking government officials. Those operations included providing protection for members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Council, and for members of the White House Cabinet.
Sensei Roland holds the rank of blackbelt in Karate, Judo, Japanese Jujitsu, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
MICHAEL MCCLELLAND
Michael holds a black belt in hapkido under Master Ali Kamara. The kids love him, and we all do too.
ANDREW ZENG
Andrew is a lifelong martial artist. He currently holds a black belt equivalent in Wushu Sanda and a blue belt in Hapkido under Master Ali Kamara. He started his martial arts journey at age 6 with Shaolin Kungfu and competed in Wushu Sanda at 11, followed by wrestling in high school, MMA in college, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu while earning a degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shanghai, China.
Today, as an Assistant Instructor at Conqueror, Andrew is passionate about spreading the blessings of martial arts and self-defense training to others. He is also an owner and provider at Rise Acupuncture & Wellness Clinic in Bellevue, WA.
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HISTORY OF HAPKIDO
After the death of Choi, Yong Sool there has been many attempts to reconstruct the true history of Hapkido. Unfortunately, many of these “true histories” are used mainly as platforms for individuals to promote themselves and their own involvement in Hapkido’s history. Therefore, for the purposes of truth, only facts that are NOT disputed will be presented here. As the student continues their journey through the martial way, they will no doubt be exposed to a variety of theories and histories that they may integrate into their “map” of martial-arts history. Nonetheless, many of these “contested” facts should be taken as information only.
Choi Yong Sool was born in Taegu , Korea in 1904. When Korea came under the occupation of Japan during World War II, Choi was taken to Japan where he ended up as a servant for the 32nd patriarch of Daito-RyuAikijutsu, TakedoSokaku (1860 – 1943). (It is believed by some that Choi became Takeda’s adopted son. However, considering Japan’s view of themselves as a “divine race” and their view of Koreans as second-class citizens [at best] this is unlikely)
Choi remained in the service of Takeda “technically” until April 25, 1943 when Takeda Sokaku died. Soon after, Korea was liberated and Choi returned home to Tague , Korea . By his own account, Choi began to raise pigs upon his return to Korea and while waiting in a free grain line at the Suh Brewery Co. caught the eye of the chairman at the time Suh, Bok Sup. The date was February 21, 1948 , Suh was going to become his first student (himself already a Judo black-belt) and the spread of Hapkido was about to begin. The name Hapkido came about after an evolution of names. At first, Choi referred to his art as YaWa Ra (Korean for Daito-RyuAikijutsu) then it became Yu Sool, then Hapki and finally Hapkido in the late 1950’s. (see following paragraph)
According to an interview conducted in Korea with Suh, Bok Sup the kicking techniques were later added to Hapkido by Kim Moo Hun who was later named Sabum of the Daegue City Dojang,started by Choi and Suh themselves. According to Suh, who is still alive today, in 1958 Choi and Suh decided to add the Do to Hapki and thus the name of Hapkido was born and is still used today.
Choi, Yong Sool died in August of 1986. However, just prior to that, in 1981 Choi turned over the Hapkido system to Chang, Chin Ill of New York City.
The only discrepancy in this particular account is that many hold Ji, Han Jae as the first one to use the term “Hapkido” specifically. By his account, this happened in 1959 and he lent it to Choi, Yong Sool out of respect. Further, it is believed by many that he added many of the kicking and weapons techniques now part of traditional Hapkido training. Either way it is really irrelevant. The hallmark of Hapkido, the “hoshinsool” training was definitely brought by Choi. Many of the kicking and weapons techniques taught today are a representation of the particular instructor’s background and ability rather than a historically accurate traditional curriculum.
*Note:
Please be aware that this is by no means an exhaustive history. The student is encouraged to study Korean history and Hapkido history at length in order to fill in specifics to this narrative.