Proper conditioning is essential in helping a Capoeirista achieve his or her maximum fitness level. Strength, flexibility and balance are all key components in the physical aspect of the game.  One of the most important elements, if not THE most important, is core strength.



WHAT IS CORE STRENGTH?

You hear the word "core" in virtually anything that involves fitness; from yoga to Pilates to every martial arts or sports you can think of.  A strong core is paramount to every balanced training program especially in injury prevention.

Simply put, you need a strong core to function in your daily life.  It is fundamental to all body movement since you hardly make a move without engaging your core.  Whether you're walking up and down stairs, bending down to pick up something or carrying bags, your core is constantly working to provide balance and stability.

In Capoeira, you can avoid a takedown or vengativa, escape with a negativa de Bimba or execute a martelo more swiftly and efficiently all by improving your core strength!

The muscles of the abdomen, back, pelvis and hips form your core.  It is the foundation that connects the upper body to the lower body and allows it to function as a whole. Strengthening this part of your body will help provide proper balance and posture and help prevent injury down the road. The strength or the weakness of your core will also dictate the ease in which you move in the roda.



CORE EXERCISES:

If you are not incorporating exercises on your own, you are missing a very important part of cross training.  Below are some suggested exercises to help increase your overall strength.

Plank on Elbows

Prop your body up on your elbows, shoulder width apart with feet tucked underneath. Keep your pelvis neutral and your body in one straight line as you hold yourself up for a minimum of 30 seconds.  If this is too easy, work your way up to a few minutes.  Challenge yourself, as this should not be easy!

Add a Side Reach to the Plank on Elbows

Start with plank on elbows, keep your entire body aligned as your turn your body towards the side.  Reach one arm up towards the ceiling as the bottom arm stays on the floor.  Think of forming a straight line from your bottom arm to your top arm.  Come back to plank on elbows before switching to the other side. Start with 30 seconds and work up to 1 minute.  Push yourself to your limits and work.

Jack Knives

Lie with your back to the floor.   Raise your arms and legs up at the same time keeping your lower back against the floor. Think of the way a jackknife operates and while engaging your abs, reach your fingertips towards your toes, forming a "V".  Make sure your core is engaged so you don't compensate with your lower back. Depending on your fitness level, start from 10-20 repetitions.

Superman

Lie with your stomach to the floor.  Pull your abs in and melt your bottom ribcage to the floor as if you're balancing yourself only on your stomach.  Lift both arms and legs up a few inches off the floor while engaging your core.  Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings at the same time and think of your body working as a unit.  Hold your body up for 1-2 seconds before lowering your arms and legs to the floor. Do 10-15 repetitions.

Leg balance with Bençao

Stand on one leg and execute bençao but hold for 5 seconds in that pose. Bring the leg back to starting position.  Do 15 repetitions before switching legs.  To make this harder, step back into a lunge before the bencao.

These exercises are just a few recommendations that can be combined as a supplement to your program.  These are also a tiny portion of the exercises I include in my Cindy Lai Fitness boot camp.

There are numerous core exercises with or without equipment which can all be helpful in increasing your strength.  For much more advanced moves, train your body functionally in all different planes of motions.  Add resistance such as dumbbells, medicine balls and kettlebells for best results.



CONCLUSION:

To be a good Capoeira student, one must have strength, balance and flexibility.  Balance is needed for movements of kicks and sweeps which require keeping one's leg steady while exerting force with the other.  Strength, especially core strength is needed in executing a good ginga, handstand, au, queda de rins, vengativa, takedowns and the list goes on. A good Capoeirista also understands how important cross training is and the only form of training should not be restricted to Capoeira.

If you are serious about improving your capabilities in your game, you cannot neglect core strength.  Not only can you enhance overall athletic performance, you can help prevent injuries, prevent chronic lower back pain, and improve posture.  A stronger core also means better function and an overall powerful physique.

A core, when not trained or weakened, will most likely cause problems in the long run.   As a personal trainer, I cannot stress the importance of a strong core in developing your game.   There is always room for improvement!  Don't get stuck with what you're comfortable with and work only on your strengths.    A good Capoeirista is a knowledgeable one.   Maintaining a strong core is vital to your health...now let's get ready to ginga for life!


Previously:
Why You Should Warm Up (Especially Now)
A Happy Holiday Survival Guide
Issues Facing Active Females
The Importance of Stretching and Flexibility
Joint Pain & Common Capoeira Injuries (Part 2)
Sprains, Strains & Common Capoeira Injuries (Part 1)
Capoeira Nutrition (Part 2)
Capoeira Nutrition (Part 1)
Capoeira and the Importance of Cross Training


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 and a kettlebell bootcamp on the West Side Highway for non-traditional strength training. Check out her site for more details.

Capoeira photo by Dale Harvey via CC BY-SA 2.0
Exercise photos by Bedirhan Cinar