Capoeira....what do you guys think of it as Combative?

[Shadow Warrior]

I'm new here.

 

I fought many times with brazilian capoeira fighters.

 

Believe me...it works.

 

It takes a while to learn and lots of practice, but when your done, it kicks *.

[Jbone1]

Yeah I want to learn.

[bigpopparob2000]

Yes. Capoeira is very effective, provided you know the applications. Arts like capoeira, tae kwon do, and aikido often get bashed as not being arts worthy for combat. My perspective is in the contemporary debate over size/strength vs. technique & practicality vs. aesthetics/tradition, too many martial artists have forgotten about the asset of experience, and experience takes time & patience. Unfortunately, in our society of microwaveable dinners, 8 minute abs, and "guaranteed results in 30 days or less", anything that takes time is often deemed inferior. Someone wants to be able to defeat someone else in a street fight, he wants that ability now, he doesn't want to wait through 5 years of training to reach his goal.

 

Here's a good example. One of my instructors was telling me about an aikido demonstration he saw at an open tournament (I'm pretty certain it was the at The Battle of Atlanta). They took an aikidoka (I apologize that I don't know his name, but I can get ahold of it if anyone wants me to) and around 10 other fighters of varying styles. They told the fighters they could attack him in any way they liked: punch him, kick him, wrestle him to the ground. The fight went like this. The 10 attackers moved in on the aikidoka. The aikidoka moved to position himself closest to one of the attackers (we'll call him attacker #1). The aikidoka grabbed attacker #1 and sent him sailing into attacker #2, and they wound up in a tangle on the ground. About this time, attacker #3 was coming upon the aikidoka, and the aikidoka sent him sailing into attacker #4, and they went into a tangle on the ground. Next was attacker #5. About this time, attackers #2 and 3 were getting up, so the aikidoka sent attacker #5 crashing into attackers 2 and 3. And it went like that until everyone gave up.

 

Now, that man defended against 10 assailants with aikido, an art like Capoiera in the sense that it allegedly has limited value for self defense. However, he had been practicing aikido for 20+ years. That's 20+ years of developing his sensitivity and training his instinctive reactions.

 

It's the same deal with Capoeira. Once you have the experience where you can instinctively apply the right techniques to the appropriate situation, there's no reason you can't use your art (whatever it is) for self defense.

[Jbone1]

Nice story that's tight. I got a dvd and it shows a lot. More than just the beauty of the roda but the effectiveness of combat.

[Guy_Mendiola]

Capoeira is a deceptive martial art which there is no use to block because you mainly esquiva(dodge) the attack, I love Capoeira and I would love to take it but I will after i'm done with my TKD training. Capoeira is a beautiful art and I don't know why it gets bashed so much like all of the other arts.

[Jbone1]

It gets bashed because what most people see is the Roda/game. I had many discussions about that.

 

The game is beautiful but what people don't understand is that the moves are within it they just don't do some because it' messes up the rhythm.

[Drunken Monkey]

its the same thing with wing chun.

 

people see chi sau and think that's wing chun fighting.

 

people see the roda, especially when they see beginners do bimba's sequences and they think that is all there is.

[Guy_Mendiola]

Yeah, There is more to the game or jogo then just what like you see also in movies.

[Maddwraph]

i take capioera and would not mess with the more advance guys in the group. capioera like any martial arts can be good ina real fight depending on the person. the reason why capoiera is good is becasue of its fast speed, power, and it also is very decieving. it truly is a beautiful martial arts.

[47MartialMan]

Yeah, a friend of mine introduced me to a guy that does it. We decided to spar, whack-I fell like the ground swallowed me..

 

But then I got used to his "rythmn" and rushed him.

 

I kindly returned the whack.

 

With his accent, he said I charged like a mad dog.

 

But, in my old neighborhood, he would had tele his movement to that someone would have shot him to put him out of misery.

 

His moves were quck-changing, seemingly off balanced, and deceptive. If he added other styles/systems, he would be very formidable.