Can PCPing be continued for capoeira?

During the peak condition project diet was by far the easiest part. Sure, weighing and storing and washing up did get to me, but the benefits were that I had a sense of freedom. I didn't worry about how much I was or should be eating. Getting targets for how much veg/carbs/protein for every meal, plus some restrictions like no alcohol, added salt, added sugar - sounds like hell on paper! It was actually kind of liberating. Guess you had to be there to know!

The exercise on the other hand was a moving target. Every week the reps got higher, the exercises meaner, and the final week involved 'supersets' when we did a batch of reps on opposing muscle groups back to back. Throw in some 8-minute abs for those who felt up to it, plus a load of mandatory jump ropes, and you get a few very nice lines on your body. Your muscles that just sit well on your frame.  Natural exercises mean integrated sleek muscles. This is what I want to build on and put to good use in capoeira, a natural exercise if ever there was one.

Now the exercise part is up to me and its become easier. If I want to slack off totally within the failure sets of the maintenance progams I can do. I'm not slacking, but failure is coming faster - a sign of a stronger body and better form (I am told). Feel more and more 'on top' of the exercises. Example:  I hit my first 1000 jumps in a row, the night I came back from an 8-hour teaching day and a five-hour journey. And it felt relaxing! My skipping has reached the form I was trying for all PCP - like a piston, smooth, steady. There are still breaks but these largely come from a lack of mental focus rather than my lungs being week.

The areas of my body that I will probably always be working on are


 1. Back flexibility and strength

2. Flexibility around hips and groin. I can't do a lot of exercises and stretches other people can. I need to do more of the simple stretches at home. I guess I think 'sitting down with your legs like this is too simple to be worth practising' - but I need it.

3. My brain! My mind rushes through moves when there should be quiet focus and a pause. And if I 'try to relax' it never works. I think just practice of the moves is enough. And start meditating more. Again, you'd think that just sitting still and doing nothing for five minutes would be easy, eh!

Looking forward to class tomorrow.

PCP II - Skipping turns Brazilian in the park

So this evening I was verrrry tired from a business trip to Hokkaido at the weekend, then a  late class. I thought I would just do some jumps and maybe 8-minute abs, a strangely addictive workout program. Instead, I decided to do the 'short maintenance workout' that I received on completion of the PCP program. Only with the addition of a bit of jinga, amarda, and martelo kicks.

One of issues I faced in the early days of PCPing was feeling self conscious about exercising, specifically jump roping or as my friend Hayden insists, 'skipping'. You can't avoid doing it in front of someone as you have to go outside. I got to skip early in the morning and strike up conversations with dog walkers, people sweeping the park, my neighbours, and it was lovely. I kept skipping outside, including one memorable morning on the platform at Kozu station. But I am still a bit self conscious as it just isn't something anyone does! Odd that if you go to a gym then you do exercise in front of everyone and you do see people checking each other out....Oh, to be a gay man!

This evening I did my jumps and then played around with some capoeira moves. The gravel in the park makes it unsuitable for any acro or 'upside-down' time, but the few moves were enough to break the ice. I need to be doing this much more if I'm going to get higher kicks and more control. Looking forward to the next class on Thursday and seeing what Cacapa has for us!

Eu Sou Bantus Capoeira - Bantus anthem

Cacapa pointed me to this song first of all. It's the anthem of Bantus Capoeira.
I've heard it plenty of times and joined in with chorus. Now, I know the meaning of the words, I really want to sing it ALL.

Querido mestre sua licença me dá
Pra poder falar do grupo
Pra poder me expressar

Dear master, give me permission

To speak in front of the group

To express myself

E aqui dentro que eu gosto de treina
Tenho aqui bons companheiros energia pra jogar

It’s here inside, that I like to train
I have good friends here, energy to play 

Eu sou Bantus Capoeira
Subindo o morro descendo a ladeira
Eu sou Bantus Capoeira

I am Bantus Capoeira
Going up the mountains, descending the hills  

E Bantus Capoeira Bantus Capoeira
Eu sou Bantus Capoeira
Subindo o morro descendo a ladeira

Its an easy tune, but I can't work out how to sing some of the words... I'll have to just listen and sing along a few times. Portuguese feels easier to copy than to read as the pronunciation is pretty way out.

I really like the opening:

Querido mestre sua licença me dá
Pra poder falar do grupo
Pra poder me expressar

There's respect for the mestre, as well as a celebration of friendship and individuality in just three lines.

I didn't know 'falar' meant 'speak', and it seems odd as there isn't any 'talking' in capoeira in the literal sense, but a roda is one giant conversation; the individuals playing, the mestre, the music, and the clapping and singing capoeiristas forming the roda. 

Here it is again!

Eu Sou Bantus Capoeira

Feeling stretched

I feel a little bit like I did in the first few weeks of the PCP, which is worry that I'm getting into something far beyond my capability. Of course, that is exactly the reason TO get into it. To keep it simple, I've decided to try to replicate the PCP program in the sense of it being like a project, slightly obsessive, and with a fixed end point. This bit is easy at least - the trip to Brazil and then a capoeira camp in August 20th. It's now June 14th which works out at 10 weeks.

Every day, I want to follow PCP principles too, they will help me stay strong and rested. I want to get to class once a week even though I've got a tough schedule with work. If I can get to a roda or event that's even better. This blog is going to be part of how I get myself ready for the festivals - in Brazil and with my group. I want to have a few songs that I can sing with a strong voice and know the meaning. I'd also like to be able to have enough vocabulary to enjoy the classes with Brazilians. This will mean attuning my ear a bit more. I've started listening to a podcast called 'Cafe Brazil' which has awesome music and conversation in Portuguese. Of course, it doesn't make sense, but I'm picking up words here and there. Finally taking my advice I give students!

There's a lot to do and I feel a bit overwhelmed. I'm going to ask Cacapa to recommend a few key songs to learn, and to get my berimbau strung again. That's another sorry story....

It's odd that other hobbies/past times haven't really made me want to think this much about how to improve. I've just shown up and had a bit of a laugh. I do laugh during capoeira classes and have fun too, but for some reason, this has got to me a bit. I want to take it seriously, but without being earnest. This is a new experience for me.

Marinheiro so - Lonely sailor - David Gray

I've always enjoyed hearing the songs of capoeira, but relied on Cacapa for translations. Until now, when I poked around the Bantus site and found this resource!

It's a great set of capoeira songs with English translations. There are some linguists that say 'oh, never translate into your native language' which is fine if you are a two-year-old kid, but I'm a wee bit older and need the translations.

Here is one song that I really like..Marinheiro so, 'Lonely Sailor'.

It's melancholy and funny at the same time. And the words about 'who taught you how to swim?' answered as 'the sinking of the ship' are pretty cutting too.

Marinheiro só

Vou ao Brasil!

Verrrrry happy! I just booked a ticket for Brasil. I will be living off beans and 100 yen shop food for two months, but I don't care. It's going to be a blast, to see my friend Bolinha in his native country, learn more about capoeira, and get to practice, practice, practice.

AXE and out.

Bem-vindo ao meu blog sobre capoeira!

Bem-vindo au meu blog sombre capoeira!

I started capoeira last year in Japan, had my batizado in September and plan to go to Brazil this summer for the festival in Belo Horizonte.

I want to be a better capoeirista in the roda (pronounced 'hoda'), the circle in which we play a game of capoeira.

There are four things I will work on.

1. Música

• Berimbau basics
• Beats, torques, rhythm
• Different kinds of songs, calls and responses of the roda

2. Capoeira moves

• Defensive
• Attack
• Movement around roda
• Acrobatics

3. Brasil

• Survival Brazilian Portugeuse
• Key terms related to capoeira
• Songs!  
• A bit of samba and maculele for good measure! 

4. Peak 

Continuation of the Peak Condition Project (March - May 2011).

• Nutrition
• Muscle stimulus
• Rest