[poll] is Capoeira and effective martial art?

[Bdaze]

Ive heard alot of diferant things about this art. most of which negative. "it's totally useless", "it's all fancy cartwheels and flips"

 

but ive also heard some posotive arguments. for example, it was first created around the time slave traders where kidnapping people from Africa to make them slaves. it was developed as both a means of self defense and a sort of traditional dance. however, it was so effectivly used on the slave traders that they outlawed it and killed anyone seen practicing or teaching it.

 

 

 

personalkly i think it is effective, becasue they teach alot more than just flips and kicks. plus, those things really make you strong. you have to be incredibley fast and cooridnated to pull off some of the moves they do.

[G95champ]

Depends on you.

[Warp Spider]

Martial arts being highly effective versus slave traders armed to the teeth and operating in groups? Are you sure about that?

[Black Dragon]

I haven't been exposed to it nearly enough to form an informed opinion. The first and only time I've seen it was on the movie "Only the Strong", but you cant base an opinion off a movie.

[YoungGrasshopper]

Capoeira emphasizes on momentum and swinging the leg to perform the kick, which is bad. It doesn't have that "snapping" impact that is required for the kick to be strong. Slave owners did not want their slaves practicing martial arts, incase they would rebel. So slaves had to disguise martial art into a sort of dance, which is why I think Capoeira misses many important aspects of fighting. Butt...that slave thing is just what I've heard.

[Bdaze]

Martial arts being highly effective versus slave traders armed to the teeth and operating in groups? Are you sure about that?

 

if you're asking if im sure it was effective against slave traders, then yes, im possotive. i did some research before i posted this just so i could have my facts straight.

[Drunken Monkey]

read some of the history

 

capoeria as used by the gang members in brazil after the signing of the golden law was very effective.

 

what you have to realise is that capoeira developes very strong, agile, fast and coordinated fighters.

 

a lot of people see the game of capoeira and don't see the abilities of the people doing the moves.

[Bdaze]

thats exactly what im talking about From The Ground Up

 

Another common misconception about the art is that all they do is kick. it's true they have a wide variety of kicks and leg strikes, but they have just as many punches, open hand strikes, locks, throws, pins and even head butts (infact the campoeira headbutt is famous for it's devistating effectiveness, which often results in a broken jaw for the recipient)

[Drunken Monkey]

and then then there's the obvious things you can see, how many wimpy capoeirista have you seen?

 

i mean, have you ever seen one with an even slightly out of shape body?

[Sens55]

They had an article in this month's Black Belt magazine on Capoeira. If all of the practicioners look like the girl in the article then you can sign me up!