Move your body and dance to the rhythms of Africa and Brazil, while playing a fun game and learning self-defense. For absolute beginners and elite athletes alike, Capoeira Conditioning is the ultimate, dynamic-training method for all around, cross-over athletics fitness.

Beginning with simple dance steps similar to walking, you have the option to progress into advanced physical techniques, such as acrobatics, in addition to playing various musical instruments, and singing in Brazilian Portuguese.

Thanks to all who participated and trained today including:

Christine
Orly
Garrett
Mark
Aldo
Tania
April
Paul

A few absolute beginners, a current KappaGuerra Team member, and a practitioner, formerly from another capoeira group, all made this a marvelous success!

Since it was a conditioning class strictly for the exercise, I explained my rational for the physical movements being that the moves prepare the body to be poised and balanced in any position. Therefore, not too much philosophy was discussed, especially since my interpretations differ radically from traditional capoeira fundamentals.

I explained that just as with many other disciplines “capoeira is many things to as many people”, and that a concept from yoga is useful to consider, which is “start where you are”.

We warmed up with ginga, a few standard stretches, using static, active and dynamic methods. Tanya helped to demonstrate by playing a game with Hakeem. Christine then bought in the game with Hakeem to continue the demonstration which pleased and inspired the newbies.

I demonstrated some fundamentals on the ground and inverted such as negativa, role (roll), and au (cartwheel) an told the group we would practice those in the next few sessions but thought that some standing techniques would be simpler to begin with.

We drilled 20 bencaos on each leg (front heel kick), followed by a break, then 10 joelhadas (knees) on each side; moving forward and back with ginga; crawling forward and back on the floor; twists, lunges, squats and lots of deep breathing.

We had another break followed by partner ginga, switched partners 3 times to mix it up a bit and then gathered around to finish off with a few songs.

Everyone contributed to the music as we hollered “Aviso meu mano”; “Parana e”; “Zoom, zoom”; and “O quier berimbau”. (thanks to C. Mestre Parafina of CLA for teaching me that one)

In conclusion it was a very fun session and a fantastic debut! Thanks to Meridian’s Bodies in Motion for hosting the class and for everyone who turned out with powerful axe (energy)!