the power of capoeira
Don't underestimate the power of capoeira
I sometimes get frustrated when people don’t see how powerful capoeira is, when they seem to be blind to its positive impact and instead have a negative attitude about it. But then I realize that I have my blind spots, too. Sometimes I don’t realize how much capoeira has given me!
Today I was reminiscing about a trip several years ago. I was home in Brazil for a visit after living in Paris for a few years teaching capoeira. I wanted to explore, because at that point I knew more about other places than I knew about my own country!
So I did! From São Paulo I went by bus to Bahia, stopping in many beautiful places along the way. Eventually I arrived in Caraiva, an exquisite beach, almost untouched by people. It was amazing, just a little town in the sand, with small houses and campsites. Walking along the beach, I met a couple headed in the same direction, and we started walking together. The man told me about himself and his career as a lawyer. He looked at me like I was this poor guy lost in life. His arrogance became even more noticeable when I told him that I was a capoeirista and worked teaching and performing capoeira.
After a while, I shared my story with him, including all the places I had traveled - Israel, Tunisia, Germany, England, Mexico, Austria, Spain, Italy, the USA, and more all because of capoeira. I told him about different moments in my life and how capoeira always supported me. For example, the time I was almost robbed on a train in Paris, and what saved me was the simple fact that I was Brazilian - the “criminals” knew about capoeira and liked it, so they didn’t steal from me; we ended up chatting. This appreciation for Brazilian culture was not an isolated incident. In all the places I performed, people loved Brazil! I found it gratifying but also sad, knowing how many Brazilians don’t respect or give value to their own roots.
After a long walk, the man’s arrogance was replaced by curiosity and excitement. He became my fan, asking me everything about capoeira. I’m happy to I know that I could change his point of view, even just a little bit, and help him see how much capoeira represents for us. Especially for a poor kid that dreamed big - to become a capoeira master and share capoeira with the world!
5 reasons to start capoeira
1. Capoeira boosts energy
It sounds counterintuitive, but the key to increased energy is more exercise, not less! Feeling tired from a full day? Don’t have the energy to do what you need to do? Capoeira can help! Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. When your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily activities.
Capoeira creates energy in the body by getting the endorphins flowing. Exercise also helps you get a better night’s rest. When you sleep soundly, you feel more refreshed and energetic to face the day.
2. Capoeira helps with body functionality
Capoeira works different physical and mental capacities, including power, speed, agility, flexibly, mobility, rhythm, reflexes, coordination, creativity, and spontaneity. Capoeira is a great tool to develop body consciousness and functionality.
3. Capoeira improves mood
Need an emotional lift? Or need to blow off steam after a stressful day? A capoeira session can help. Physical activity stimulates brain chemicals that leave you feeling happier, more relaxed, and less anxious. You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.
Capoeira combines movement with music, bringing a different energy to the class. Music and movement on their own are good ways to alter mood and relieve stress. Together they are even more powerful!
4. Capoeira keeps your heart healthy
Capoeira is a great cardio workout. Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? Being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases.
5. Capoeira controls weight
Exercise is important to prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.
Why capoeira? It is one of the most complete art forms. It works the whole body; in one class you can burn almost 1,000 calories!
The bottom line
Capoeira gives you a chance to engage in activities that make you happy and connect with new people in a fun, social setting.
I decided to chase my dreams
12 years ago I made the decisions that changed my life.
After training capoeira for more than 10 years, I got invited to go live in Mexico to teach capoeira. Without thinking twice I went; with no money, no plan, just holding onto my childhood dream, to be able to live doing what I love.
I lived there for 5 months then went home to Brazil for a visit. When it was time to go back to Mexico to teach, I discovered that the person who had been “helping” me with my visa had lied and stole from me. I was not allowed back into Mexico.
So I was back in Brazil, again with no money, no job, and no plan, but I didn’t lose hope. I was still trying to figure out how to get back to Mexico, but then a new opportunity came my way. I was driving with my teacher and a few other friends, in my teacher’s old Beetle, when he told us that he had been invited to an event in Paris. One of my friends turned to me and said, “Hey Cabeção [my capoeira nickname], why you don’t go with him?” On the spot, I made another decision to risk everything for a new opportunity. He told us about Paris on Wednesday, and by Sunday I was leaving for a new adventure in Europe, with a bag of clothes, 40 Euros, and the same big dream: be able to live doing capoeira!
This journey made me who I am today. I met many beautiful people, and also ugly people who tried to get in my way. But these experiences made me stronger, more kind, more mature, and knowledgeable, so I am grateful for everything that happened.
12 years later, I still taking risk, making mistakes, and learning new things. I still have the same dream, to share the power of capoeira, to show people how much capoeira can change your life. And I can say for sure, little by little I am making my dream come true!
I’m already living my next adventure here in Miami and seeing where this will take me.
And you – what was your big decision in life? Your big adventure? A decision that made you afraid, but you knew deeply that it was what you really wanted?
Please share it with me!
5 Myths about capoeira
5 Myths about capoeira that is not real
1. You need to be born with it
Like many things in life, to be good at capoeira you need to be dedicated, work hard, and find good guidance. I have seen some of the most innately talented people give up in their first year of capoeira, and I have heard the most amazing capoeira players tell stories about their difficulties and how capoeira has helped them persist and overcome.
2. It’s too hard
Capoeira can be complex, it’s true. But most of what we see is performance by people who have dedicated their whole lives to this art. I have seen many people “play” capoeira within their first few weeks of training.
3. You need to have rhythm
You don’t need to have rhythm, strength, or flexibility to start capoeira. You just need to be open to learning! If you find a good teacher, you will get all this and much more from practicing capoeira. Capoeira is one of the most complete arts form, and it can improve your health overall - physically, mentally, socially, even spiritually.
4. Capoeira takes times
This is both true and false. You can absolutely benefit from capoeira in a short period of time, with gains in health, strength, coordination, etc. The more you do, the more you want to do! The time you dedicate yourself to this art is worth it. I’ve been doing capoeira for almost 25 years, and I never regret it. Capoeira is a beautiful journey full of amazing memories and moments.
5. Capoeira is not a martial art
In fact, capoeira is a martial art and much more. The combination of so many different elements makes capoeira unique. Students can develop in any direction they desire: you can be a fighter, a warrior, an artist, a musician, a performer, a teacher – an inspiration!
What are your goals after 2020?
In 2018 I moved to Miami. I had been living in Iowa, running a capoeira program there for almost 8 years. I was teaching capoeira in several schools and working with different nonprofits. I had a cleaning business on the side, on top of traveling around the country teaching capoeira workshops. I was so busy! But in 2018, I made a very hard decision. For different personal reasons, I left everything behind - my jobs, friends, family - to start from 0 in Miami. This decision brought to my life many difficulties, but also many blessings!
Before the move, for 3 months I lived out of my car. It was the middle of summer, the AC didn’t work, and the windows wouldn’t even roll down! Some nights I slept in one of the studios where I was teaching, other nights I slept at a student’s house. Imagine this situation!
When it came time to move, I rented a van, put all I could inside, and drove from Des Moines to Miami. My girlfriend, Diamante (her capoeira nickname), met me in Atlanta to drive the rest of the way together. On the road, we stopped at a Dairy Queen to get ice cream - a simple thing, but for me a sign that my new life was starting. I did not know what to expect, but I was so excited! Little by little, Miami has become my new home. Now I want to make my dream come true and open my capoeira school here!
A lot of careful planning has gone into trying to make my dream a reality. I went around to all the capoeira schools in south Florida, meeting everyone. I applied for an artist project residency at Deering Estate, an amazing historic site in Miami, and taught some free classes there. With their collaboration, I put together a documentary about capoeira in south Florida, and we were planning an event and film screening at the Estate. I started teaching capoeira at a local gym. Everything was coming together! It was February 2020, so you know what happened next: COVID.
Now what? After everything I’ve been through, starting from 0, all the planning - what was I supposed to do?
If there is one thing I have learned with capoeira, it’s that it doesn’t matter how prepared you are. Sometimes you can defend yourself from a good takedown, and sometimes life changes everything.
I won’t lie, it was hard! I got so disappointed and lost my motivation, like a lot of my friends working with capoeira. But I could not give up. In the middle of this chaos, the internet opened so many new opportunities. For sure we love to be with people, but to be able to connect with and learn from other teachers in Brazil, France, Israel, and all over the world blew my mind!
So I looked at myself and said, “I will do everything I can to be better. The day will come when I can do what I want, the way I want - to open my academy, teach my method to new students - and I will be ready. I will be an amazing professional, teacher, coach, mentor, and capoeirista.” Then I started to learn: I took capoeira classes, business classes, mentorships, content creation and digital marketing classes. I researched, read a lot, researched some more, and 2020 passed!
I know a lot of people lost so much, and I deeply respect that.
But I know that 2020 was one of the best years of my life, because this takedown showed me how much I could be better. After so much research and work, so many classes, tests, and mistakes, I know that I’m the best version of myself. From all the darkness came light, and I was able to create something unique and beautiful, better than I ever imagined!
So what are your goals for after 2020?
Mine are to keep growing, evolving, learning, and sharing.
I want to create a place where we can all support each other, become better physically, mentally, and spiritually, and share our different cultures. Together with friends, partners, and families, we will build this beautiful and special community!
How capoeira can help you
Before capoeira, I never saw my son smiling the way he does now.
When I moved to Paris in 2008, I had a bag of clothes, $40, and a dream: to share with people the magic in capoeira and how much capoeira can change your perspective, how simple things can be more important than status and money.
We don’t realize the power we have to do whatever we want, the power to chase our dreams.
I understand that life happens, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed. It can be hard to make positive changes without any support or motivation.
This is why I believe in capoeira, because I saw what a big impact capoeira has on so many people.
Im 2012, I moved from Paris to Iowa. I remember my first capoeira event there. After the kids got their belts, one of the moms, Carrie, came to me and said, “Before capoeira, I never saw my son smiling the way he does now. “
That was when it clicked: my job is not to just to teach people how to move, but to show people a way towards a better, happier life.
In my last post I shared with you why people stay in capoeira, and what inspired me to create this unique method.
Now I want to talk about how capoeira can make all this possible in your life!
Thank you for watching my videos!
I personally love the community, the support, and the culture inside capoeira. When I go play capoeira, I forget about time, about my problems and frustrations. I love the way that I can create movements, sequences, and music. I love the ritual and the celebration. I love how capoeira can bring us together, connect us. And I love how capoeira can make a person evolve in so many ways!
I want hear from you, so please leave a comment below if you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions!
Julio
Can I really learn capoeira?
Have you seen capoeira and asked yourself, "can I really learn this?"
I often tell my students, "It all depends on you and how much you want it!"
In this video I share how my method can help you learn capoeira in 12 lessons!
I believe that to learn anything, you need these 3 things:
Reliable information
The right guidance
Consistency
I have seen people from many different backgrounds overcome their fears and limitations to become amazing capoeira players!
This is why I know you can learn capoeira with my method. It’s amazing to see and feel the transformation capoeira can bring to your life. Feel better and live better now through capoeira!
Julio
Why capoeira?
The big reason why people fall in love with capoeira
Capoeira is one of the most complete art forms. Through capoeira you can develop amazing skills - incredible body control, cool movements like kicks and flips, walk on your hands, play instruments, and so much more.
But there is a special reason why people fall in love with capoeira. Watch below to find out why capoeira is so powerful!
Thank you for watching!
In my next video I will teach you how the capoeira game works and how you can learn capoeira in 12 lessons.
Please leave your comments bellow, I’m excited to hear them!
Julio
I didn’t always fit in.
I started capoeira in a poor town in São Paulo, Brazil. It was 1996; I was 10 years old. I had no coordination and 0 sports skills. The truth is, I did not have big expectations for my life. I was just a poor kid - no money, no talent - without any big dreams.
But luckily I found capoeira and my life changed!
I started training every day, taking all the classes I could. Guess what I did in my free time? Capoeira! I was a fanatic, and I still am. It is because the more I give to capoeira, the more capoeira gives me back.
Little by little I started to be noticed: at home, with my family, in school, and in capoeira. I started to teach, perform, and travel. Capoeira changed my perspective on life. I started to see so many opportunities.
In 2007 I went to Mexico, then France, Austria, Belgium, Germany, England, Spain, Israel, Tunisia. All teaching and performing capoeira. How could I not be in love?
Through capoeira I met my partner, and through capoeira I have seen almost all my dreams come true!
With capoeira I have more energy, confidence, and focus. I move better and feel better, and I'm part of a beautiful community. I know that capoeira can help anyone in the same way.
