Where's the Capoeira at?

[BaxterS]

I've gotten several pages in to the "General Martial Arts" section, and had lots of interesting reading, but I'm hurt to see that my style, Capoeira, isn't featured anywhere! Let's get a thread going! Does anyone here do it? What style of Capoeira?

Personally, I train Capoeira Regional with a Grupo Porto da Barra school in Montreal. I'd love to hear some other people's thoughts and experiences!

[SamsIAmz]

You are absolutely right. Capoeira does seem a bit under-represented on this forum.

I'm relatively new at Capoeira. I started at my school (Rutgers University, located in New Brunswick NJ) and this is my third semester doing capoeira. I train under Professor Maranhao, and the grupo is called Capoeira Maranhao.

I really enjoy it. Perhaps its not the most immediately practical art, but its definitely one of the most fun and its a great workout. It has helped my karate improve as well, as I've gotten more comfortable with a variety of kicks, and also with dodging attacks.

[JusticeZero]

.....Clearly I haven't been posting enough.

[Dobbersky]

.....Clearly I haven't been posting enough.

I agree JusticeZero, let that be a lesson to you, hehehe

I agree though can't recall too many threads on the style in any of the forums I'm on. The only thing I can recall about the style is one of the fight scenes in The Protector (Tony Jaa) and being represented in one of the fight science episodes.

[JusticeZero]

Sure, but how much Silat or Bando do you see in the media? The numbers of practitioners are probably similar.

And i've put down a few threads, I just don't as often since it makes peoples' head tilt in confusion.

Plus, if it's impractical, you're doing it wrong. Though that could also be a Regional thing, since that style had some changes made to its learning methodology specifically to distance it from "the street". There too, I also chat a lot with people who use taijiquan for MMA and security work, so I don't assume that a style is bad just because it has a lot of adherents doing something that looks vacuous.

[Dobbersky]

Agree with you about if it looks impractical they're doing it wrong.

When I watch Capoeira on Youtube etc, I see so much advantage from the movements that you would see the same or similar movements in BJJ or Wresting aswell as TKD etc

[darksoul]

Another Montrealer! Welcome!

As you can probably tell, JusticeZero is another Capoeira Stylist. I, unfortunately, know absolutely nothing about the style besides the standard history and the basic movements.

Where is your training hall? I'm in Hochelaga, I might just drop in and check it out!

[JusticeZero]

I put an article up quite some time back that still gets comments sometimes, in the Articles section.. Did the new poster see or have any thoughts on it?

[BaxterS]

Where is your training hall? I'm in Hochelaga, I might just drop in and check it out!

Great to see a Montrealer on here! My school is at Place Des Arts - look up Capoeiramontreal.com. Come drop in and try a class!

[BaxterS]

Plus, if it's impractical, you're doing it wrong. Though that could also be a Regional thing, since that style had some changes made to its learning methodology specifically to distance it from "the street". There too, I also chat a lot with people who use taijiquan for MMA and security work, so I don't assume that a style is bad just because it has a lot of adherents doing something that looks vacuous.

In my opinion, you're right - people who think it's impractical either don't know it or don't do it right. I think people who say that either just see the roda, which isn't real combat, but at the same time, they teach fundamental principles of non-resistance and escaping attacks, as well as effective kicks, strikes and takedowns, but people only see the acrobatics and high "flashy" kicks, and make that judgement. I think any style can be practical if you know how to use it that way.