In capoeira, it is important to develop a good balance between training, learning the instruments, learning Portuguese, and singing as well as understanding the roots and traditions of where it came from in Brazil. There is a great spiritual aspect that separates it from the rest of the martial arts in the world and this is a big reason why I fell in love with it years ago. How you learn to balance all these elements will determine your growth as a capoeirista. But what about outside of capoeira? How do you manage to take control of your career, family or relationships along with all the time and dedication you need to commit to capoeira?

From a personal training standpoint, I have dealt with many busy professionals who barely even have time to train, let alone make time for anything but their careers. What's the point of making a ton of money if you neglect your health and fitness only to deteriorate sooner towards your future? Life is one big obstacle but there are always measures you can take to stay in control of your life, not only from a physical standpoint but from a mental one as well. For the purpose of this article, I will discuss how you may be able to improve your mental wellbeing in order to balance the elements outside of capoeira.

I was inspired to write this piece because of a question that was asked at a workshop I attended recently with Contra Mestre Marquinho ("Meet the Mestres" workshop). When he was asked how he balanced capoeira with family, he simply responded "Sometimes you need to say "no" to capoeira and sometimes you need to say "no" to family."

1. What Are Your Priorities?

Perhaps your life is over consumed by your career, a relationship, family or too many social gatherings. I'm not saying to give up anything, but you should re-evaluate the areas where you can make improvements. There is always a way around everything if you really want to accomplish your goals. Set limits for yourself and work within those boundaries. For example, you may need to leave work a little earlier one day to make it to class or find a babysitter. If you don't need to go out five days a week for work, cut back on a day or two to allocate time to other areas of your life. Experiment and see what works best for you.

2. Plan and Prepare

Just as you need to schedule an appointment with the doctor or work meetings, you can schedule in your training as well. This is equally as important if you want to establish longevity in your life. Staying healthy will keep you happier in the long run for all the obvious health reasons: relieving stress, decreasing chances of chronic diseases, uplifting mood, boosting energy levels, and building self-confidence. The clients I've worked with who have stayed consistent throughout the years are the ones who have adopted an overall healthier lifestyle. If you are serious about training capoeira, you need to figure out where you can fit the time in and set a minimum training frequency goal for yourself that is achievable but not extreme. Of course this will get more difficult when you have a family or a growing family, and as you take on more responsibilities as a higher chord. Again, there is always a way around everything. Figure out your priorities. Family should always come first, but you need to learn to balance what's more important to you at that time of need.

3. Be In Tune With Yourself

Being happy and healthy in life also means to be happy from within. None of us are perfect and we have plenty of faults and issues. Your perception of life and how you overcome your obstacles and challenges will help you make a better person and a better capoerista overall. How many times have you heard that how you plan in the roda is a reflection of how you live life? We can always express ourselves in the roda, however difficult it may be. It's a great feeling when your growth as a capoeirista comes together in your game. Outside of the roda, you can start by acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses as an individual and work on making improvements whether it be in your professional, social or personal life. There is always room for improvement, but you need to figure out where you should start.

4. Take a Temporary Mental Break or a Vacation

Too many times, I have seen people crash and burn or even become injured as a result of doing too much and not taking care of their mental health. We deal with enough stress as it is in our daily lives but we are not machines either. Give yourself rest when you need to or take a break. Sometimes even a few days or a week off can make all the difference in the world. When you drive yourself to the point of excess, you may eventually lose focus, motivation and even become depressed. You need to find that balance between your personal, professional and social aspects of your life.  Also overtraining and not enough cross-training is a disaster waiting to happen. Your body can only take so much and without proper rest or nutrition, you will eventually break down. It is important to always refresh your energy so that you can come back with a clearer head. Take a different class, dance class, yoga, meditate or do anything fun to set your mind free. You may even realize how much you miss capoeira if you're away for too long.

5. Proper Nutrition

Last but not least is one of the most important factors for a healthier state of mind. If you do not eat properly, how will you have enough energy not only to survive your day but to train at the same time? It never ceases to amaze me how so many people do not understand the importance of proper nutrition. As an active individual, you already need more calories than the average sedentary person. What you eat and when you eat is crucial in helping your body replenish its energy stores and rebuild the lean muscle mass to keep you strong and healthy. Cut down on caffeine, too much processed foods, sugars and salt and opt for more balanced meals. Incorporate fruits and vegetables, lean protein, good fats and complex carbohydrates to fuel that energy throughout the day. One of the most important things often neglected is enough water hydration! Cut down on the sugary beverages and increase your water intake to help prevent dehydration, flush out toxins, lose weight, aid in digestion and constipation, exercise better, relieve fatigue, prevent cramps and strains and support a healthier immune system.

Food along with hydration equals energy. Without the adequate amount to support your daily activities, you will never be at your physical best which will in turn affect your mental state of mind.

For more information about nutrition, check out the previous articles A Capoeirista's Guide to Energy and Nutrition and Capoeira Nutrition Part 1 and Part 2.

Conclusion

What you have just read may be of no surprise to you. You know this already and you know what you need to do. You need to take responsibility for your actions and recognize the areas which have been neglected. Perfection is not the objective, but learning to make improvements along the way will help you grow as an individual from the inside out.

Take a moment to stop and listen to yourself. There are many things you can work on to help your mental state of mind. You should not only be healthy physically but mentally as well for the best balance as a capoeirista. Life is not only about what you do inside the roda, but what you do outside of it as well. Growing is a never ending evolvement of ourselves as human beings. The balance of life is one of the most difficult challenges we are constantly struggling with. How you choose to take control of your life will help you become not only a better person, but a better capoeirista in the long run. So long as you stay true to yourself, everything else will fall into place.



Cindy Lai is a NASM certified Personal Trainer and runs Cindy Lai Fitness Bootcamp, a bootcamp in Central Park that incorporates all the above elements, a kettlebell bootcamp on the West Side Highway for non-traditional strength training, and a seasonal kettlebell conditioning and strengthening class for Capoeiristas. She has been certified by Kettlebell Concepts for the past several years and continuously attends workshops and conferences dedicated to this unique training method of kettlebells. Check out her site for more details.

Photos by sandra.scherer, Redvers, nattu and gagilas via CC BY-SA 2.0