Flexibility….Yoga and…Capoeira?!!!

I’ve been reading up on some new things fitness (still sticking with TT here for the long haul. For those new to this blog check out the right of this blog site)…but I’ve developed such an appreciation all these other forms of exercise philosophies such as Yoga just recently…and it has opened doors to a lot of other approaches to cardio than a standard run on a treadmill or bike. It really has opened my eyes to a lot of things regarding flexibility, conditioning and basically, a certain type of fitness mindset.

Open your mind to new things…but don’t mix it up with what you’re doing now. If it works - stick to it. Stick to one form of training and nutrition – but add variety for the sole purpose of keeping things from being stale in your workout schedule! Believe me: it will keep things fresh to move on the fitness journey. Boredom can be an obstacle in fitness and we simply can’t allow that to happen. Keep it fresh, keep it fun!!! So open yourself to new ideas but stick to routines that are your foundation. In my case, that would be TT and rosstraining.

Interestingly enough, I’ve found heaps of benefits from Craig Ballantyne’s Turbulence Training Principles, Ross Enamait’s Rosstraining Principles, Boxing type conditioning workouts, volleyball conditioning..now YOGA routines…but I have always been fascinated by a very unique form of martial arts – Brazilian Capoeira. Unlike Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which focuses on grappling and ground fighting (mixed martial arts) – Capoeira involves almost dance like moves that can be a great form of cardio exercise to do on off training days. Nothing too advanced here..just the basic stuff I'm interested in. I’m not flexibile to really kick some butt with it (heck I don’t even know exactly where to start!) but am willing to learn some basics of this fighting style. And the great thing is: I don’t need a sparring partner to do them and I can do them at home or on grass at a park with the kids.

Back in 93, there was this pretty cool movie called “Only the Strong”…very basic story theme here but capoeira was coming out pretty quickly at the time and ever since I've been a big fan of the art form.

Again, with family and work – I honestly don’t have the time or the means to go to a school and learn anything at all…but I do make time for exercise! So I rely a lot on self teaching through reading. Some internet, some books. So I went on amazon.com and purchased 2 items for my own personal reading enjoyment and learning. One book I ordered is a Capoeira book on strength conditioning, titled:

"Capoeira Conditioning: How to Build Strength, Agility, and Cardiovascular Fitness Using Capoeira Movements"

And a DVD by Paula Verndino – “the Capoeira Workout”

Did not really put a hole in my wallet with the purchase (very discounted prices on both by the way)…so I thought I’d read up on this great form of “aerobic” type form of martial arts at home or even at work.

Paranaue!!! Paranaue!!! Hahah!!!

Again..this is all for the enjoyment of reading and education. If it’s something I want to do, in anything – I’ll make sure I get the basics down first. This ego of mine is definitely in check. Don’t want to risk any type of injury here. Lots of leg movement, lots of flexibility here as well(shoot, 95% of the moves I don’t think I can even do! Backflips? Handstands?). Whew! I almost see it like breakdancing almost during the original hip hop days. I was a big fan of that growing up as a kid (never was good at it either but was a big fan of that dancing art as well.


Paranaue!!! Paranaue!!! Hahah!!!

Here’s a great video of the basic “ginga” move:



Here’s another one which is more thorough including kicks, this girl's pretty good:



I may not even attempt doing any of this at all as I do have some goals I want to accomplish at a fitness level standpoint at this time.

But it should be one helluva a good reading experience!