Skip to content
Fight2WinFight2Win
Capoeira

Capoeira

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form inspired by games, dance and martial arts. The sport was brought to Brazil from Angola in the late 16th century and became popular in the regions of Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo. Participants form a roda or circle and music is played on instruments such as the Berimbau. The game is characterized by fluid acrobatic movements and an excessive use of kicks, headbutts and sweeps. Less common techniques include elbow strikes, punches and throws. The origins and purpose of the sport have been the subject of much debate for many years. Some consider Capoeira to be a uniquely Brazilian dance with improvised fighting techniques while others see it as a direct derivative of ancient African techniques.

History of Capoeira

The origins of Capoeira are not entirely clear. It is a combination of African and Brazilian martial arts but there are divided camps. The best theory today is that it is an African fighting style that was developed in Brazil. Even the etymology of Capoeira is disputed. The Portuguese word capão means castrated rooster and this could indicate that the style is derived from cockfighting. It is also said that Capoeira may derive from the word kipura which describes the movements of a rooster in a fight. Afro-Brazilian Carlos Eugenio has suggested that the sport got its name from the round basket, called a capa, that was carried by slaves .

Others believe that Capoeira was created and developed by slaves who were brought to Brazil from Congo and Angola. They pretended to dance while they were actually practicing their fighting techniques . Finally, there is a group that says that Capoeira was used by slaves in Palmares, a colony of escaped slaves, to defend themselves from attacks by slave masters.

Status in Brazil

Capoeira was banned in Brazil for some time. In 1890, Brazilian President Deodoro da Fonseca signed a law that banned the practice of this martial art throughout Brazil. Nevertheless, the martial art was practiced on the streets by the poor, especially during holidays. Despite the ban, Mestre Bimba created a new style, Capoeira Regional. He was successful in convincing the authorities of the cultural value of Capoeira, so that in 1930 the official ban on Capoeira was lifted. Mestre Bimba opened the first Caspoeira school in 1932 and his second in 1942. These schools are still open today.

Music

Music is an integral part of Capoeira. The music determines the tempo and style of the match. The tempo varies from very slow (Angola) to very fast (são bento regional). In addition to the music, there is also singing about all sorts of things. Some songs are about history and others about famous practitioners of Capoeira. Other songs inspire the players to perform better while there are also songs that tell what is happening at that moment within the roda.

Roda

The Roda or the Roda de Capoeira is the circle of people in which Capoeira is played. The round shape is kept intact at all times so that the players keep their attention focused on each other. The people who are part of the circle sing and clap along to the music that is played by the musicians who are located in the bateria . This is a row of musicians who provide the music. The “mouth” of the roda is located in front of the bateria. This is the point where the players start their match and where new players enter.

The minimum size of a roda is a circle of 3 meters but they also occur of 10 meters. The music determines the tempo of the game. At a low tempo numerous complex ground movements and handstands are made.

Competition

Despite the complex movements, no contact is made. The sport is not aimed at hurting the opponent. It is all about skill. Capoeiristas often show a movement but do not finish it. In this way they demonstrate their superiority within the roda. If an opponent can dodge a slow attack, there is no reason to use a faster one. The ginga is the fundamental movement in Capoeira. In this, the feet are under the shoulders and the feet are brought back one by one and then brought back to the starting position.

In Capoeira, attacks are mainly made with kicks, sweeps and headbutts. There are schools where punches and blows are trained. A possible explanation for the extensive use of feet is the West African idea that hands are used to make things and feet to break things. Another explanation is that slaves mainly had shackles around their wrists so that they had to work with their feet. In addition, hitting with hands is seen as inelegant.

The defense consists mainly of evasive movements and rolls. A series of bends are called esquivas . There are different esquivas for each step of the ginga, depending on the kick and the intention. Another defense is the rolê , a rolling movement that combines a dive and a low movement.

Continue reading
Cardio Boxing
Read more
Cardio Boksen
Cart 0

Your cart is currently empty.

Start Shopping