Your Opinion on Capoeira

Sorry for so blunt a question Nick, I hate to think I'm pandering for approval but as one ofthe more traditional practicioners on this forum I would like your opinion on Capoeira.

Also I wouldn't mind knowing if you know of the traditional reigonal style and you opinion of that

Cheers mate. I'm very sure I can count on an honest answer here

AXE
Jagunco

Mate,

I honestly don't know enough about it. All I do know is that it was supposed to be an art invented by slaves to fight because their hands were chained...hence the flipping up and use of the feet etc.

If that is true...I don't know, given that I'm not enslaved and not chained, that I'd be bothering to learn it.

Having said that, it may well be not true and another one of the many cool stories that abound about the martial arts.

I do know that Den Martin told me once that Terry O'Neill had met a guy when he was still editor in chief of Fighting Arts, who was a Capoeiraist and Terry was allegedly blown away by the guy. He must have been impressive to impress Terry.

Nick

Can't ad much more to Nick's reply, but read that they trained in their fighting art accompanied by drum beats so that the slave masters actually thought they were dancing.
Probably fooled alot of people until they had to really use it in combat.

yeah I've seen all the stories. Sorry for putting you on the spot on this one Nick I think I was drun when I started this.

To be honest the stories are just that: stories. There's no evidence I've ever seen to prove them. I do knwo most of the well thought of historians dismiss the 'disguised as a dance' theory.

Was hoping you'd seen some capoeira fighter who kicked the shit out of 5 blokes in a bar or something

Anyway thanks lads

I'd love to hear some real life stories as well, I've only seen it performed in demonstrations. Looks flashy, but I still have reservations about it's effectiveness in the street.......but, you never know.

I know someone who´s spent quite a bit of time in Brazil. He said some of the capoeristas he met were totally lethal. A lot of them had grown up in the favelas and fought their whole lives. They did capoeira for strength, agility, fitness and enjoyment. When they had to fight someone, they just took their head off, with no cartwheels, no hands on the floor, no dancing...

One of the stories I heard of a capoeira getting involved in afight was a professor in germany. He was braziliand I assume black. Two skin heads jumped him and he ran towards the nearest crowded area and shouted 'Neo Natzi!'

When that didn't workj he tunred around and if I recall correctly head butted one and perforec a throw or a trip on the other. I'm sure which because the descruition was something like 'I put his hads and feet above his head'.

I dunno I was hoping someone wuold have other stuff for me

thanks
AXE
Jagunco

Sory if my typing is off but I can't see a thing, off work with eye injury, got the txt on maximum size ust to read what you lot are saying