In 1990 Grandmaster Pellegrini officially named his style of Hapkido "Combat Hapkido" (Chon-Tu Kwan Hapkido in Korean). The name clearly identifies it and sets it apart from other so-called "traditional" styles of Hapkido. It is also referred to as the "Science of Self Defense".

Combat Hapkido is an extremely realistic and versatile discipline of self protection that includes an extensive variety of joint locks, kicks, strikes, take downs, pressure points, ground survival, disarming techniques and the use of selected weapons. The result is a comprehensive Self Defense system enjoyable to learn, safe to practice and most of all, totally effective.

Combat Hapkido's dynamic concepts are based on scientific principles of anatomy and biomechanics as well as psychology and strategy. It is well suited for men and women of all ages and sizes because physical strength and athletic abilities are not essential. The emphasis is on redirecting the the assailants' aggression and power back toward them with little effort and minimum force on your part.

Creating this system did not mean "inventing" the techniques. It was a matter of selecting, from a vast body of knowledge, the most realistic, effective and practical ones, modifying others and then combining and arranging those techniques in a structured method of instruction designed for individuals of all physical abilities living in a modern society. Grandmaster Pellegrini continues to research, study and learn and, as a result, the Combat Hapkido system will be further refined and will continue to evolve and adapt to changing situations.

Combat Hapkido is ideal for those individuals who do not have the time, desire or ability to commit themselves to the demanding study of a traditional martial art and are not interested in the "sport" aspect required by many systems. The essence of Combat Hapkido is pure Self Defense. It is the synthesis of scientific principles, realistic applications and plain common sense.

Grandmaster Pellegrini first received unofficial approval for Combat Hapkido by Grandmaster In Sun Seo while training in Pusan, Korea in 1993. After 6 years of monitoring and supervision, Grandmaster In Sun Seo granted Combat Hapkido official recognition and "Kwan" accreditation in 1999. This unprecedented act established Combat Hapkido as a legitimate style of Hapkido, registered with the World Ki-Do Federation and recognized by the Korean government. The official Korean name for our system is "Chon-Tu Kwan Hapkido". The ceremony of official recognition was held in Boca Raton, FL. on March 27th, 1999 during a 2 day intensive seminar conducted by Grandmaster In Sun Seo, hosted by the ICHF. Grandmaster Pellegrini was presented with the official Certificate of approval by the World Ki-Do Federation / Korea Ki-Do Association.