Capoeira

[pmeckiff]

If you run away youre going to look like a punk

You have a chance of getting the crap beat out of you, and you're worried about how you're going to look? To be honest, i'd avoid a fight if I can.. And i'm no punk!

[Maddwraph]

i toom capoiera for like 6- 8 months, and i seen that it takes a while to ge tthe hang of it so you can use it efficteively. but it does get you into shape, and into the habit of dodging punches and kicks, which is never bad. in the end, i believe there are better martial arts for self-defense, but in the rihgt hands, capoiera can be devistating.

[Goju_boi]

When you spar in capoeira you don't actually make contact to my knowledge which I think it's one of it's downsides.

[JusticeZero]

If you're looking for self defense value, you'll need to look hard. My class has it if you're near Anchorage, AK, but many don't. In any case, it's self defense value is more esoteric; I can teach a lot of instant defense, and do, but the meat takes a lot of development of awareness and timing and internalizing of philosophy.

[fallen_milkman]

Well, no one has said the "It's all in how you train" line yet, so I'll be that guy.

If something was devised as martial art and hidden in dance or other ways (like a lot of martial arts throughout the ages), it is still a valid art if you train it as one. If someone learns capoiera as a dance, without learning combat applications, then it is not a good martial art, just like someone doing Tai Chi Chuan without learning applications is doing nothing more than a slow, relaxing "dance". It is all how you learn, and if you want to fight with it you need to learn to apply it or you are wasting your time.

[elbows_and_knees]

When you spar in capoeira you don't actually make contact to my knowledge which I think it's one of it's downsides.

we make contact when we do sweeps and takedowns. Also, there is contact that happens if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. I caught one of my training buddies with a roundhouse and put him out for the rest of class.

[elbows_and_knees]

Capoeira = Dancing

Looks good, but if you are looking for a MA that you can use to protect yourself, go elsewhere.

as a student of muay thai and judo who trains and spars with some hardcore capoeira guys, I can tell you that it's not just dancing. Anyone who thinks so either trained with the wrong guys or hasn't trained it at all.

[Goju_boi]

I guess that capoeira has fallen into the same spot that tkd has.It's seen as a flashy style, but the truth is that when practiced correctly you can actually save yourself from an ugly situation.

[elbows_and_knees]

nah, that's not the same pot. TKD got it's current rep from a lot of things... the cammo belt that ATA uses, the flash seen in forms, the large number of McSchools, etc.

I don't think capoeira has had a large problem with McSchooling yet. I can see it happening in the future though if we don't get enough good guys to step up and teach.

[MizuRyu]

from what I saw I thought there was a good selection of combat effective strikes... front kicks, axe kicks, rakes and takedowns. I think the more advanced stuff (the weird cartwheel back kicks and whatnot) are what makes it seem ineffective, but a lot of those are to build power and accuracy, and if built up and practiced enough, can be devastating. Reminds me of certain kicks in Tang Soo Do... only really effective if the opponent is off balance or has NO idea of what he's into.