Aggression and beauty rolled into one
Our reporter gets a kick out of capoeira, to be featured in The New Paper Lifestyle Fitness workshop
By Shree Ann Mathavan
November 16, 2009
I’VE punched and kicked vigorously during the odd combat class at the gym.
FUN: Our reporter (in black) learning how to block, while Mr Santos executes a kick in a capoeira class.
TNP PICTURE: JONATHAN CHOO
I always feel clumsy when I throw my punches – more comedy club than nimble street fighter.
So, the idea of mixing martial arts with the fluidity of dance as it does in capoeira, the Brazilian martial arts form, appealed to me.
When the opportunity to try out the sport ahead of a capoeira workshop under The New Paper Lifestyle Fitness series on 21 Nov came up, I was game.
Capoeira instructor Silvano P Dos Santos, 30, from the Association of Capoeira Argola de Ouro Singapore, kindly took this rookie into a multi-level class at the Substation on Wednesday.
The group of about 10 students were of varying levels, with some just a month into the sport, while others were well-seasoned from years of practice, somersaulting and head-butting with ease.
They were all dressed in the association’s white T-shirt and pants, which I then realised made me stick out like a sore thumb in my all-black attire.
Before beginning the class, Mr Santos reassured me, saying: ‘Anybody can do capoeira, you just need time.
‘What’s hard for you to do, may be easy for somebody else and vice versa.’
Rhythmic movements
The class kicked-off with warm-ups and we did plenty of stretches.
Mr Santos then went through various drills with the class, but always adapting the moves to suit the different levels of his class.
Naturally, I had to start from the basics.
One of the foundation moves I picked up was the ginga, a move which requires you to rock back and forth while swinging your arms and moving one foot back and then forward.
It’s a natural, rhythmic movement which often serves as preparation for other more complex moves.
We then progressed to cartwheels, which are frequently used here as a form of evasion from attack.
Having not cartwheeled for a good decade, the idea of doing so was pretty intimidating.
But we started off with baby cartwheels where I simply planted my hands down and jumped my legs over before progressing to supporting more of my body weight on my hands.
Practices are sometimes done in pairs, so you face-off with a partner and start sparring.
During these face-offs, I learnt several ways of blocking and dodging my opponent’s attack by lunging sideways and lifting my hand up.
Towards the end of the class, we gathered in a circle clapping as students took turns to engage each other in a friendly fight. Here’s where you get to see funky head-butts, twists, elbow strikes, high kicks – it’s aggression and beauty all rolled into one.
Within 30 minutes of my two-hour long class, I was drenched in sweat and breathless.
Mr Santos said: ‘During the class, you have so much fun that you don’t realise how hard you are working.’
It was only two days later, with my butt and thigh muscles aching, that it sank in.
That, in my book, makes a successful workout.
The NewPaper