chan, over at Soul Capoeira, posted a great little combination that I wanted to share with all of you.
The beauty of this combo is that it uses simple movements to create really beautiful, fluid, and impressive motion.
Make sure you go check out his post, because he gives some tips on the individual movements and progression of the combination that are definitely worth reading to get a better idea of what is going on. Ground movement combination.
Now, go out and practice! Especially if you live in New England where it is finally starting to get warm!
Filed under: Questions
As you may or may not know, I just moved to a new town. I decided that as part of this “new step” in my life, I’m going to start going to the gym. This will be in addition to going to capoeira classes, of course.
I’ve never been much of a gym-going fellow. In fact, I can count the number of times I’ve gone to a gym and trained with weights/machines on one hand. Most of my strength and aerobic training has come from capoeira (and various other sports), and working out with my own body-weight (push ups, crunches, pull ups, etc).
And now, a bit of full disclosure from Faisca. The reason I’ve never gone to the gym is because I’ve always been somewhat scared of gyms. I love to do capoeira in front of people, and I had no problem performing for dozens of people as a cheerleader. But thinking about going into a gym where I’m all alone and I have no idea what I’m doing gives me the willies.
So, my roommate has been going to the gym for a while now, and he (along with my Vin Diesel-sized “little” brother) convinced me that it would be worth my while to give it a shot. At least I wouldn’t be alone.
And surprisingly, it was great. Nobody laughed at me because I couldn’t bench 200lbs. I wasn’t mocked because my form was off during some of my exercises. It was a pretty good time, to tell you the truth. And now I’m excited to start an actual workout regimen and looking forward to building up some more muscle.
Now, with all of that out of the way, we finally get to my question:
Do you supplement your capoeira training with time in the gym? Or are you a pure body-weight strength training machine?
If you have any experience lifting + doing capoeira, do you have any advice that you would like to share with us? I would love to get some insight on what my fellow capoeiristas think are the best exercises and routines.
Let us know in the comments!
Filed under: Media
Remember the new capoeira video game I mentioned a while ago? Well apparently it hasn’t died an untimely death (yet) and things seem to be progressing admirably.
It seems they are using motion capture with actual capoeiristas to generate the animation, which is a good thing.
The group they are working with is Grupo de Capoeira SOLUNA in Rome. Their site is in Italian, which I can’t read, but I figured I’d give you the link anyway. Even if I can’t read anything, it sure looks really cool!
The game actually seems promising, but we’ll see when it’s finally released (though, not sure if I’ll get a chance to have a go at it, because I don’t own a Wii, DS or a PSP, my PS2 is broken and I don’t care to fix it or replace it, and I hate playing fighters on the PC).
As always, I will keep you updated with any of the latest stories and news on this upcoming capoeira video game.
Filed under: Creativity
Photo by carf (Flickr)
You may have seen capoeira videos on YouTube and thought to yourself, “Hey, I want in on that action!”
Worry not, fellow videophiles! Because Faisca (founder, owner, and sole member of FaiscaFilm Productions) is here to get you on your way to fame and fortune as a capoeira movie director.
Since this isn’t a YouTube video making blog, I’m not going to go into too much depth about the technical aspects of actually putting the video together and uploading it to the Web. I intend this to be more of a “what to keep in mind when making a capoeira video” post. I will post links to some resources that can get you started in the actual editing and uploading process.
You don’t have to be Martin Scorsese to turn out a decent capoeira video, but you will need some basic tools to get started. I’m gonna go ahead and call these the “Three C’s” just because I can.
- Capoeira. This will be the easiest thing to come by, obviously. At least, it should be, because if you want to make a capoeira video I’m going to assume that you either A. do capoeira, or B. know someone who does capoeira. If you don’t meet either of those assumptions, then I really don’t know why you want to make a capoeira video in the first place.
- Camera. It’s best if you have a digital camcorder, though, there are (annoying) ways to transfer non-digital tapes onto your computer. If you don’t have a camcorder, you can go out and buy one (they are a worthwhile investment if you enjoy this sort of thing) or you could borrow one from a friend. Also, make sure that you know how to connect your camcorder to your…
- Computer. Yes, you will need a computer. But I have it on good faith that you do indeed have a computer, or at least have access to a computer, because you’re reading this post! And, as for connecting your camcorder to your computer, most digital video cameras connect via a FireWire (aka IEEE 1394) cable (they may also connect by USB). So you’ll need to have one of those, and a FireWire port on your computer. Some computers come with FireWire ports already, but if yours doesn’t, you can go out and buy a FireWire card.
- Video Editing Software. This is really the most important piece of the puzzle, but if you own any kind of modern computer, chances are you have some video editing software. If you own a Windows PC, you’ll have Windows Movie Maker. If you own a Mac with OSX, you’ll have iMovie. I’m not going to get into how to edit the video because there are tons of resources online that will teach you much more than I could explain here.
(I know I called these the Three C’s, but you can just ignore the fact that there are four requirements, and one of them starts with a V, because the last one is connected to the one that comes before it, so it’s OK.)
There you have it folks, those are the three (four) basic ingredients for making a capoeira video. Not as hard as you thought, huh?
Now that you have the basic requirements, you need to keep some things in mind as you record and edit your video:
1. Use a tripod if you can. Tripods keep the camera steady, which keeps the video from being shaky, which keeps people from throwing up when they watch it. There are plenty of hand held videos out there (in fact, it’s probably the majority), so don’t worry too much about it. But, if you just want to make a sampler of your own moves, you’ll need a way to record yourself (though, you could always make a ghetto tripod by setting the camera on top of some books or something).
2. Film everything and edit later. When you’re actually filming, don’t be too concerned with starting and stopping the camera to catch specific moves or moments. It’s a lot better if you just keep filming, and then when you’re importing the video and making your edits, you can pick and choose the shots you want.
You might end up missing something awesome if you’re constantly turning the camera on and off (I’ve learned this from experience). Just be sure to keep some extra batteries handy if you’re going to be filming for a long time.
3. Use transitions and effects sparingly. If you are new to video editing you may be awed by all of the cool effects and transitions that come with your software. Don’t fall into the trap of using all of them (or most of them, or any of them even). Stick with the basics. Use simple cuts (one clip ends and the other begins with no transition) or maybe simple wipes, but don’t go crazy and put all sorts of circles and colors and blind effects into your video. It slows down the pace of the movie, and it just looks really bad.
4. For the most part, stick to a quick pace. This is sort of a continuation of my last point. Whether you’re doing a personal sampler or a roda highlight reel, don’t use long (longer than 10-20 seconds) clips. It’s better to use quick snaps of footage (a flip here, a cool combination there) to keep the video flowing. If you want to use long clips, you can cut them in with the snapshots, but don’t overdo it.
Now, after saying all that, clearly there are exceptions. If you want to make a video of an entire roda or performance, for example, that’s perfectly fine. Or, if you really want to show a long bit of great interplay between two capoeiristas, by all means go ahead. This really depends on personal preference. But most of the popular videos stick to the quick, highlight reel format.
Here is an example of a “roda highlight reel.”
Here is an example of a longer, complete performance.
5. When filming a game, keep both players in focus. Many times people will end up focusing too much on one player when they record a capoeira game. This might happen if one player is doing a cool sequence or florieo. I’ve also noticed that people just have a natural tendency to focus on one particular side of the game, and then the other player ends up getting cut off.
If your goal is to film a certain person’s performance (perhaps for his highlight video), then I guess it would be OK to focus on one player. But remember, capoeira is about two people interacting with each other. The flashy kicks and tricks may look cool on their own, but they look much better when they’re mixed into a great capoeira game.
Filming, Editing, and Uploading Basics
Here are the links I promised. Use these to get a good idea of the actual filming, editing, and uploading process:
Everything you need to know about uploading a video to YouTube.
How to choose the right digital camcorder
iMovie basics.
Windows Movie Maker basics.
Well, I think that’s enough from me. Now, go forth and make your videos!
If you have created any videos that you want to share with us, leave your links in the comments! Also, if you have questions about anything I covered here, or anything I didn’t cover, please feel free to ask in the comments and I will give you the best answer I can.
Filed under: Tips & Guides
Photo by bantusjp (Flickr)
Every capoeirista should take pride in being a life-long learner.
There is never a point in any of our capoeira journeys when we can sit down and say that we have learned all that there is about capoeira. We should always be open to tips, hints, lessons, etc. wherever they may come from.
With this in mind, here are 12 essential tips that every capoeirista should read and always keep in mind. I pulled these from a list written by Mestre Bola Sete, and translated by Shayna of Capoeira Connection. The list was written for angolerios, but I compiled the ones that apply to every capoeirista
- Aim to learn the ginga well. Remember that it is the main movement of capoeira, the first to be taught and, consequently, its base.
- Every good capoeirista, besides playing capoeira, must know how to play the berimbau and sing. Learn these.
- When you are playing, only execute capoeira movements of which you have complete control.
- When you play with a stranger, don’t show all of your game. Save your best hits for the decisive hour, if necessary.
- The graduated capoeirista who still finds difficulty in learning a certain capoeira movement must stop doing it, trying instead to perfect himself in the movements that he has already learned.
- Only after acquiring good technique through the execution of attack movements in a slow and progressive manner should the capoeirista worry about speed and, consequently, with the power of his blows.
- When practicing capoeira, keep your hands relaxed. If you make a fist for a brief instant, relax it immediately. The closed fist is completely foreign to capoeira’s characteristics, which consist of relaxed movements that allow the free circulation of the blood, and thus the execution of more spontaneous and agile movements.
- Wherever the capoeirista is, capoeira must accompany him. The body and the spirit must be prepared for any situation
- Observe your more experienced training partners. If you do this, you will learn better.
- While playing capoeira, do not apply aggressive hits, grappling, and kicks below the waist of your partner with players who are more experienced than you.
- Try to play without touching your body to the ground. Only the hands and the feet must touch the ground. The best capoeiristas used to play in white clothes without dirtying them.
- Only enter a roda when you are already completely prepared for capoeira.
There are more tips that I didn’t list here, but like I said, I think these are the most important ones. If you want to read the rest, head on over to Capoeira Connection, and thank Shayna for the translation!
And if you want even more advice on how to play capoeira well, check out these other posts here on The Capoeira Blog:
How To Get Better At Capoeira
Building Flexibility, Strength, and Balance for Capoeira
6 Keys To Building Upper Body Strength
The 5 Best Strength Training Exercises For Over The Holidays (And Anytime!)
Filed under: Off Topic
And I apologize for the terrible prank.
I totally forgot about April Fool’s Day, and during a break in my training class I scrambled for an idea. It was a pretty bad idea, I’ll admit. After I made the post, I thought of like 400 better jokes I could have pulled, but all was lost at that point.
I hope you had a good April Fool’s Day and that nobody got you too bad. I had half of my friends thinking I already got kicked out of my new apartment.
