Looking Out To Sea

An attempt to be explicit about what I mean when I think of “progressive resistance” for training capoeira.

• Simple techniques.
• Trained with simultaneous emphasis on attack and defence.
• Energetic enough to make training valuable.
• Steady increase in energy.

These are the filling for a generic class template. This is the bit that changes from session to session. The whole structure is something like this:

1. Warm up. I think getting a consistent routine to begin will encourage people to turn up and start moving.
2. Movement games. No direct strikes and no takedowns; instead we need emphasis on constant movement and fluidity.
3. Techniques.
4. Free games. Use any techniques you want.

The following exercises loosely follow this progression:

1. Attack in isolation. No defense so always successful.
2. Defender provides simple resistance to “correct” attack.
3. Defender increases resistance so attacks often fail.
4. Complete freedom to integrate attacks/defence into game.

Meia lua de frente

Most of this is done quite slowly: certainly not fast enough to damage on impact. The important details are distance, timing and (un)predictability.

1. Steady ginga to allow analysing distance. No escapes. (Basic move.) Defender is observing. (Telegraphing.)
2. Partner tries to maintain safe distance so attacker must enter. (Distance for both parties.)
3. Defender must watch and esquiva lateral. (Telegraphing.) Attacker must learning timing to increase difficulty. (Timing.)
4. Defender can move and escape in any way, in and out of range. Start getting a bit faster at this point. (Uncontrolled distance, timing, more energetic.)
5. Each person is attacker and defender at the same time. (Total unpredictability.)

Each stage will need time to swap attacker/defender and time to swap partners, ie 4T for some time T. Assume T=3 minutes, each stage is at least 12 minutes long. With 5 stages and explanation time there’s over an hour of training material there.

Rasteira

Stolen from Fantasma. This can probably be adapted for any pair of ginga/rasteira — inside foot, outside foot, etc.

1. Slow ginga. Go for a relaxed rasteira to suit the tempo. Hold the foot (more than a mark, less than a sweep). (Timing, distance.)
2. As above but faster. (Timing.)
3. Better defence: using observation to pull the foot. (Energy.)
4. Full ginga. Defender can withdraw/weight foot as necessary to thwart attacker.

Space control and Balance

I’m picturing something like a small circle, maybe 2m across. The aim is to move round the circle claiming space or escaping into space without using attacks, only “moving” the other person.