by Shaz Slaughter

Created on: May 26, 2009

In the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira, kicks are essential to the style. The difference with kicks in Capoeira is that sometimes a kick is not used to actually hit the other person but rather to make them move.

To understand this better we first have to understand the main premise behind Capoeira. Unlike sparring in most other martial arts where you are trying to land blows in certain areas, Capoeira is more like a back and forth conversation where you are trying to get the other person to concede a point.

When two people get into the roda (the sparring ring pronounced ho-da) it is more of a game rather than a fight. Granted there are dangerous kicks being thrown, but the person throwing the kicks does not intend to hit the other person. If someone gets hit, let's say in the shoulder for example, the person who got hit in the shoulder should apologize to the other person for being in the way.

It is a hard concept for most people to understand at first, especially people who have taken other martial arts prior to learning Capoeira.

With that in mind understand that the art of Capoeira is a style of trickery and calculation rather than just hard hits and fancy moves.

Kicks in Capoeira can come from just about any stance or movement that the practitioner can think of, which is why Capoeira can be dangerous. Many of the movement may appear to be retreating movements but are actually set ups for an attack.

The basic kicks in Capoeira are classified as Armada, Bencao, Chapa and Meia Lua.

The Armada type kicks are similar to spinning kicks in other martial arts. With Armada type kicks you spin your body 360 degrees and you kick with the forward leg. Depending on the position of the person executing the move will determine what the kick is exactly called. For example if the person steps in front of one of his own feet to start a rotation and follows through with a kick that is known as Armada de Costa.

Bencao kicks are hard and quick thrusting front kicks usually used to catch the opponent off guard, usually when a Bencao is executed the initiator of the kick steps forward.

Chapa type kicks are any kicks that use the sole of the person's foot to attack. There are several different variations of Chapa kicks. The reason there are many different variations is because Chapa kicks can be executed from standing, crouching, jumping or even while in a handstand.

The last classification of kicks is the Meia Lua type. These kicks are by far the most used, but also the most dangerous of all the Capoeira kicks. Meia Lua kicks combine attacking and evading all in one motion. To execute a Meia Lua type kick the practitioner gains momentum from a round step, swinging his arms and crouching at the same time while extending one leg. These are very strong kicks and only defense against a Meia Lua type kick is to get out of the way.

While Capoeira may not be a conventional martial art, it is all about personal style. Learning Capoeira helps foster an appreciation for the differences in our own individual styles.

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