Capoeira

[Stone Monkey]

I agree...
I'm certainly not arguing that Capoeira is the ultimate in efficient self-defence.
However with the undeniable skills of spacial awareness, confidence in confrontation and body coordination that it builds, and the fact that it's so cool and stylie...combined with the self-defence stuff I teach her anyway, I can't wait to watch her in the roda and learn something myself.

We've watched several local shows put on by the schools she's considering... they all have excellent skill and enthusiasm.

[Wu-Xing]

Boffo, using MA to impress people? i find that sad.Also i dont think you know yourself so well. if you did you would see how insecure you are and thats why you need to impress others, so you feel worth somthing when they say how great you are.kind of like a dog looking for attention after it has brought back the frisbie.

ChinNa; i have had the same experience with capoeira "players". i say player because thats all ive ever seen them do, play.rythem,telegraphing, bad balance (yeah, ever see some of those kicks land? its aint the guy who got kicked that gets hurt, its the kicker falling on his @ss).a friend of mine teaches capoeira and i have gone to a few classes with him.great fun and a good laugh had by all but as for street effective? as for it being a MARTIAL art....no.why not try gymnastics, its about just as effective.on the up side though, it is alot of fun and creates a good brotherly atmoshpere.but then again so does paintballing.

[Boffo]

Originally posted by Wu-Xing
Boffo, using MA to impress people? i find that sad.Also i dont think you know yourself so well. if you did you would see how insecure you are and thats why you need to impress others, so you feel worth somthing when they say how great you are.kind of like a dog looking for attention after it has brought back the frisbie.

Ouch! You harshed on me but good!

Am I insecure and looking for attention like a dog? Yeah, in the same way your favorite musician(s) look for the adulation of the fans when they perform. Or in the same way a painter or sculpter gets positive comments on his work. I love to do pretty techniques. I feel a need to do them when I'm alone and have the time and space to do them. I also feel a need to show off when I have an audience. Much like any other artist of any other venue.

How well do I know myself? I know that I don't like fighting but I love the effort of training and full contact sparring. I know that when I was young and angry I wanted to beat people up but that age and martial arts training erased those feelings. I know that I am pretty good at martial arts but lack the raw talent of others. I have also come to know that I am much better at performance martial arts (doing the pretty stuff) than I am at the fighting martial arts. Lastly, I know that my martial arts skills will never be a fraction of how good I am in my day job.

I think I know myself pretty well, thank you.

[Wu-Xing]

"Am I insecure and looking for attention like a dog? Yeah, in the same way your favorite musician(s) look for the adulation of the fans when they perform. Or in the same way a painter or sculpter gets positive comments on his work. I love to do pretty techniques. I feel a need to do them when I'm alone and have the time and space to do them. I also feel a need to show off when I have an audience. Much like any other artist of any other venue.
"

showing off and performing are two very different things.a painter may get positive comments for his work but he didnt create the work to get those comments.

[Boffo]

Originally posted by Wu-Xing
showing off and performing are two very different things.a painter may get positive comments for his work but he didnt create the work to get those comments.

Ummm.... doesn't that depend on the painter? Since when did you become the voice of the painting proffession?

And what is the difference between showing off and performing? I would say nothing except that in performing you actually set up the audience ahead of time.

[Stone Monkey]

Should I be surprised that a "Capoeira" thread is turning out this way...?

Let me just say that my self-esteem is intact, as is my girlfriend's...! I was hoping for some interesting information - maybe some personal experiences training Capoeira, etc. to share with her. Oh well.

Maybe some of us are a little too old for the schoolyard-posturing so prevelent on this forum...

Boffo - In my experience people who truly "know themselves" don't go around telling others that they DON'T know themselves...or that they're like dogs, etc.

[Boffo]

Originally posted by Stone Monkey
Boffo - In my experience people who truly "know themselves" don't go around telling others that they DON'T know themselves...or that they're like dogs, etc.

Thanks Stone Monkey! Of course, I am "too insecure" to say out loud that sort of thing, even though it was what I was thinking as well. Anyway, I'll end the arguement right here and now by saying the following:

I am a shallow and petty person who does martial arts just to have fun, stay fit, and to show off pretty moves. Alas, I am not deep enough and am too petty to search for spirituality or improve my character through the method of learning how to beat people up. Also, I frankly do not have enough chi to make a living by running my own martial arts school. Lastly, I am obviously not moral enough and my martial arts skill is not good enough for me to be so high handed that I pass instant judgements on people whom I have never met.

Fortunately, my detractors seem to each have at least one of these noble qualities. May they each be praised for the deepness of their character, the power of their chi, and the quality of their ability pass instant judgements on people they do not know.

I feel honored to share these forums with such enlightened individuals. If only I could manage to write what I just wrote without the post just dripping with sarcasm then I too might one day be in a league of their quality.

[Ka]

Boffo, In all truth I like your honesty.

Copoeira, that I have been exposed to is excellent for flexibilty,and acrobatic training.I sort of feel that it is trully up to the person to make his art work,so that's my comment on its self defence side.
That said the hard core boys I have met are fit flexible and can pull moves that make most dancers cringe.It has a social feel with the music and in general is good fun.

[Boffo]

Originally posted by Ka
Boffo, In all truth I like your honesty.

Thanks Ka! I'm a big believer in being honest with one's self. I'm a lot happier training for the reasons I do now, and I make a point of not applying my reasons to others.

'To each his own!'

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Wu-Xing

ChinNa; i have had the same experience with capoeira "players". i say player because thats all ive ever seen them do, play.rythem,telegraphing, bad balance (yeah, ever see some of those kicks land? its aint the guy who got kicked that gets hurt, its the kicker falling on his @ss).a friend of mine teaches capoeira and i have gone to a few classes with him.great fun and a good laugh had by all but as for street effective? as for it being a MARTIAL art....no.why not try gymnastics, its about just as effective.on the up side though, it is alot of fun and creates a good brotherly atmoshpere.but then again so does paintballing.

sounds like you've never seen real capoeira applications - there is a lot of infighting in them - knees, elbows, headbutts, etc. there are take downs also.

Due to their agility, they would probably make good grapplers. check out this takedown:

http://us.share.geocities.com/jaykilgore/Takedown.mpg

[Stone Monkey]

Thanks Seven Star - cool little clip! Just sent it to my girlfriend to check out.

I have to agree: many of the Capoeiristas I've met are carved out of stone - going to see several rodas in my area, we've seen quite a few "players" who would be formidable opponents. They tend to be in excellent shape, as opposed to many "twice-a-week TMA hobbyists".

Thanks for getting this post back on track guys (...glad I didn't mention that she's interested in Wushu too - someone will surely chime in to let me know how ineffective demo-Wushu is against...say...BJJ )

[tei chi anarchy]

I have a friend who knows capoeira, and man does it look cool! But on the self defense side, i don't think u wanna be doin head spins on concrete... I think it would be great for fun, and flexibility, but if your looking for an effective self defense martial arts, i wouldn't do it... I enjoy watching it though! Hope it helped, peace

[swordsoul]

Hey guys

I don't know who wrote it, but someone really stressed the MARTIAL part of "martial arts" Well, this is a way to express the ART part of "martial arts"

Also, if this is so combat ineffective, does this mean it's an "illegitimate MA?" That it's immoral to perform martial art cuz it looks cool? What is Wushu then? Tai Chi competition?

Nobody (at least anymore) rips on Billy Banks for Tae Bo! So what about this? It has some martial value as well! But think of the origins of the art too, it's SUPPOSED to be just as much dance as martial art!

So anywho... IMO it's perfectly fine to learn an MA for the "butterfly kicks--(especially if it gets your wife in the sack! LMAO!)" but as long as you know what you're getting into and why... it's totally cool!

That being said, there's a few books I saw at Barnes and Noble, and please review Only the Strong, and The Tekken games for more Capoeira exposure, as this is the only exposure I have had!

love and unity
matt

[RoosterTalons]

Holy crap! I wanted to learn that! Where do you guys live? :P

[Kristoffer]

capoeira is the shiznit