The martial art of Capoeira

About Capoeira

The martial art of Capoeira was originally created over 400 years ago in Brazil by the Africans. This martial art is unlike any other, and possesses a blend of power, beauty, mental balance, physical power, music, and an overwhelming sense of art and finesse. It is known for it's quick and complex moves, using mainly power, speed, and leverage for leg sweeps.

Upon it’s creation, Capoeira proved to the world that it can be practiced by anyone, regardless of size, weight, or age. The style is more than a martial art, but also a social event that has a rich tradition and history.  It is a truly powerful martial art, resembling a collaboration of music, dance, and exotic movements.  It can also be played as game, which emphasizes skill.

One thing you may notice when watching Capoeira games is the the music. Both the music and the lyrics play a big part in the way that the game (known as jogo) is conducted. The jogo consists of a circle, called a roda, with the players in the middle and the musicians and other players around the circle. For the players, there are several different rhythms that call for different speeds. When watching the game played, spectators are normally in awe from the movements. .

Players that enter the game will enter the circle, often with a spring, cartwheel, or other type of visually impressive movement. Upon entering the circle, players will complete back and forth with various combinations of poetic movements and breathtaking aerial displays. It takes years of practice and hard work to become great at the jogo, as it requires precision, fast movement, and dedication to the techniques.

Have a look at the famous capoeira movements, it's almost like an orchestrated dance.

The ginga, which is a rocking back and forth movement, is the fundamental movement in this art form. It is important both for attacking and defending and it has two main objectives. One is to keep the capoeirista (practitioner) in a state of constant motion, which prevents him or her from being an easy target. The other objective is to mislead, fool and trick the opponent, using fake moves and feints, which leaves them open for an attack or a counter-attack.

Attacks should be done when opportunity arises and must be decisive, like a direct kick in the face or a vital body part, or a strong take down. Most attacks are made with the legs, like direct or swirling kicks, rasteiras (leg sweeps), tesouras (scissor kick) or knee strikes. The head strike is an important counter-attack move. Elbow strikes, punches and other forms of take downs are used against opponents.

The defense is based on the principle of non-resistance, meaning to avoid an attack by using evasive moves instead of blocking it. Avoids are called esquivas, which depend on the direction of the attack and intention of the defender, and can be done standing or with a hand leaning on the floor. A block should only be made when avoidance  is not possible. This strategy of fighting allows quick and unpredictable counter-attacks,and gives the ability to focus on more than one adversary.

From a defensive standpoint, capoeira is flashy, very creative, and also very useful, as the techniques seem to come out of nowhere and can be very hard to defend against. The  student defends himself through the use of dancing movements and acrobatic techniques. 

Capoeira and the jogo game are very popular in Brazil, with hundreds of students learning this martial art.  It is less popular in the United States, although it is offered. In South America it is much more common, with jogo games being played on a daily basis.

This is a fabulous martial art for kids, if you can find somewhere that offers it.