Add a Brazillian twist to your fitness regime with Capoeira workout

Capoeira workout incorporates dance, aerobics, music, and martial arts. Know how to do Capoeira workout and what are its benefits.

While many of us exercise regularly, it can become monotonous with time. However, there are plenty of fun exercises that can provide more or less the same benefits as intense workouts. One such exercise that promotes good health and is also intriguing is Capoeira. It is a combination of martial arts, dance, fitness, and music. It offers numerous benefits for both physical and emotional health. Know the health benefits of Capoeira workout and how to do it.

What is the Capoeira workout?

Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art form that mixes dance with acrobatics, and music. Capoeira workout routines normally contain a sequence of actions, kicks, spins, and flips that are done to match the beats of traditional Brazilian music. It is a great full-body workout.

What are the benefits of Capoeira workout?

Here are some of the potential benefits of this workout:

1. Enhances strength

Capoeira workout involves a lot of upper body motions, such as rolling, headstands, and other poses where you must move around on your hands. By using the abdomen and core during these exercises, one can develop incredible upper-body strength, says fitness expert Yash Agarwal.

strong woman — Capoeira workout can make you stronger. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock

2. Boosts flexibility

Capoeira requires a variety of flexible motions, including kicks, cartwheels, and handstands. These exercises increase the range of motion and flexibility in your body. Your muscles will get more pliable with time, which will make these exercises easier to do.

3. Improves mental health

Capoeira focuses not only on the physical components, but also on the mental and emotional sides. It’s a kind of art where concentration and focus are necessary. You will gradually notice an improvement in your capacity for mental strength when you practise the workout. It can also be therapeutic, assisting you in reducing tension and worry and enhancing your self-worth and confidence.

4. Tones core

Capoeira is a strenuous exercise. It includes exercises like lunges, head kicks, leg sweeps, and elbow thrusts that will force you to perspire off extra fat and give you the toned core you’ve always desired.

5. Improves balance and coordination

From handstands to cartwheels, capoeira is all about balance. It teaches the body how to regulate quick, intricate motions while keeping its equilibrium. Plus, practising this exercise enhances balance and coordination due to the need to preserve balance whilst executing complicated actions.

6. Improves agility

It enhances coordination, speed, and agility. Capoeira moves are similar to dance steps in that they must all be executed with grace and precision. Dancing is a martial arts form where quick, fluid movements improve response time and physical agility to counterattack other people’s moves. Superior agility and quick reactions are developed with regular practice, says the expert.

How to do Capoeira?

Here is a complete step-by-step guide on how to do capoeira workout:

1. Warm-up

Begin with a dynamic warm stretch such as arm circles, high knees, leg swings, and squats to prepare the body for motion, along with strolling and leaping jacks.

Woman doing stretches — Do stretches before trying out the Capoeira workout. Image courtesy: Adobe stock

2. Simple actions

Learn the fundamental actions of capoeira, which include ginga. The basic footwork (or dancing actions) in capoeira is called the ginga. It’s a sidestep that establishes the game’s rhythm and can be either a prancing or shuffle. The ginga is a representation of capoeira’s core quality, which is its incredible cunning ( a term used for describing triangular footwork which helps in distinguishing the capoeira workout).

3. Education drills

Practice drills such as basic kicks and Meia Lua de Frente (Front Half Moon) an outside-inside crescent kick that improves agility, coordination, and technique, focusing on repetition and precision.

4. Roda (circle)

Participate in a roda, wherein practitioners form a circle and take turns playing Capoeira, observed using track and singing.

5. Cool down

End the workout with a cooldown consultation, which includes static stretches such as upper back stretch, shoulder stretch, hamstring stretch, and calf stretch to enhance flexibility and prevent damage.

What are the side effects of Capoeira workout?

There are a few side effects of this workout you should be aware of:

Since this workout includes aerobatic movements, there may be a danger of strains, sprains, and different injuries, particularly if not done properly.
Extreme Capoeira sessions might also lead to overexertion, fatigue, or muscle discomfort, especially for novices or those pushing themselves too difficult.
Some moves in this workout involves high effect or twisting motions, that may place strain on the joints over time if now not completed well.

The best time for Capoeira varies based on individual preferences and schedules. Some people prefer to practise in the morning to start their day with energy and focus, while others find it more convenient to train in the evening. Ultimately, the key is to choose a time when you feel most alert, energised, and capable of fully engaging in the exercise.