In fighting techiques of Hapkido, there are both long- and close-range fighting techniques, utilizing jumping kicks and percussive hand strikes at longer ranges and pressure point strikes, joint locks, or throws at closer fighting distances. In Hapkido it is emphasized that the motion for defense has to be circular to redirect and controll the force of opponet. Practitioners seek to gain advantage through footwork and body positioning to incorporate the use of leverage, avoiding the use of strength against strength.

 The character 合 Hap means "coordinated" or "joining"; 氣 Ki describes internal energy, spirit, strength, or power; and 道 Do means "way" or "art", yielding a literal translation of "joining-energy-way". Therefored, the assembled one(合氣道, HapKiDo) of the three charcters is usually translated as "the way of coordinating energy", "the way of coordinated power" or "the way of harmony".

 Hapkido is a dynamic and highly eclectic Korean martial art.

 It is a form of self-defense that  employs other martial arts' techniques such as joint locks, grappling and throwing techniques, as well as kicks,  punches, and other striking attacks. There is also the use of traditional weapons, including knife, sword, rope, nunchaku, cane, short stick (dan bong), and staff (bong, gun,  bō) of which are chosen depending on the particular situation.