Comments on: U can’t touch this!

By: Javier

Javier — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:07:30 +0000

I just want to thank you for having this blog, It’s great to see so many posts about Capoeira Angola and especially the issue of respect within a roda, I completely agree with this post especially, about the grabbing, I consider it incredibly childish and something someone resorts to when they don’t understand how capoeira angola is about communication and to grab someone is like cutting the word play with the bodies with a big fat ugly period. anyhow, axe irmao, muito obrigado

By: angoleiro

angoleiro — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:35:43 +0000

you are right though. the play of your hands. the distraction, the expression and the strategical placements alongside the usage of them because you have to when you want to do a nice Au are alright. As I said, it was just related to the grabbing part which is not part of the angola game!

By: Cantor

Cantor — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:05:48 +0000

E aí Angoleiro? Interesting post, it got me thinking some more about the use of the hands in the Angola game.
I guess the grabbing part grew to be obvious to me that this is not the way to go, but I never realy stopped to think about it. But your post made me think about the use of the hands more, especially positioning and blocking.
I’m still chewing on it though. And I find it hard to describe somekind of ‘rule of thumb’ about it.

What I’m trying to say is that while you shouldn’t use your hands to grab, I think in the Angola game, probably more than any other, the use of your hands remains very important. Not merely to block your opponent’s kicks, but to position them in a place (on the ground) to block your opponents direction of movement, strategicaly forcing him to move otherwise, preferably to a direction of your own interest.
Secondly I think the hands may also be used as some kind of ‘hypnotic’ mechanism. But now I’m taking it too far for a blog response.

PS: “O Dona Alica não me pegue não, não me pegue não me agarre que eu não gosto não”

Abraço

By: angoleiro

angoleiro — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:20:47 +0000

No, I wouldnt see a vingativa as an intrusive movement. Of course it is stopping and arresting the other person’s movement, and it is definitely not the kind of movement which does promote the fluidity of the game, but it is fair game, cause actually you are not using your hands (which would be so much easier, eh?). The way I learned it you usually use your shoulder, I have seen the version with a cabecada, but your hands are not used in a way to touch the other person…

By: akira87

akira87 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:34:40 +0000

I’m not a fan of the arrastao, which is a double leg takedown using hands and body. I prefer to rely on tesouras and leg sweeps. I’m curious, would you include vingativa as an intrusive movement? I don’t care much for this movement either, but what is your thought on it?

I don’t mind them being used on me though. I just prefer not to use them myself. I’m a regionalista however, not an angoleiro.