I have an annoying problem when i do rodas. I can do most of the moves ive learnt so far without any problems to a fairly profficient level... but when im in a roda, i find them harder to pull off. Not because of the situation or because its harder to apply them, but because im kinda nervous about hitting people. Anyone else have this problem?
personally i think its eaiser to do in a roda because you really have to move and when training because its not a real experience. you shouldnt be afraid to attack someone in a roda because if they are a higher belt than you are then trust me they know what to do, i can understand if it were a lower belt but if you watch them when they are training they know what they are doing and in a real world senario you cant be afraid to attack. good luck
Like nenn stated, you have to assess the other jogador. A fairly competent Capoeirista should be relatively adept at evading, but even the most competent Capoeirista can, and does, receive kicks or punches every now and then. Don't be afraid to tap Kosh. I tell you this much, getting hit makes you remember to move. It becomes hardwired in your Capoeira training. I like to call it hard learning! So far I've had both lips busted by a bencao, a lump on my temple from an elbow after a meia lua de compasso, a red cheek from being slapped, a martelo to the head (not full power of course, but enough to give me a good headache), and various chapas to the body. Those memories are constant reminders. Let'em have it Kosh.
I agree and disagree with this statement. I agree that most advance capoeira players should be able to get out of the way but it really depends on who is doing the kicking. When I first started doing capoeira my mestre pulled me aside and told me I have to be careful in the roda. That was because I was already competing in an advance level of tae kwon do. My timing was good. I didn't know how to ginga or the other fancy stuff but if I wanted to kick someone in the head I could do that all day. Capoeira players at my academy would leave themselves open to counter attacks all the time. Unless they had some training with kicking for accuracy and power then this did not factor into their mentality. Most students didn’t train capoeira with that mentality. They couldn’t kick a target with martelo, armada, meu lua etc. After class I would practice kicking targets and they couldn’t hang with me because they never thought about that side of capoeira. So if you start with that mentality then you are aware of how easy it is to touch the other person. My game suffered a lot when I first started playing because I knew I could touch them and they would still disregard my move as non-threatening and continue with their own attack. (Therefore I looked bad but my mestre and me knew the real story) After I kicked a few fools in the mouth they realized I was pulling back and gave me the space I deserved. (Just light taps) I think you should play your game and show you skill/ kicking level to the other students. One of the reasons you probably feel the way you do is because the older students are trying to dominate your space in the roda. A few well place light taps will let them know to respect you and give you space. I say this taking into account of your other martial arts background. If you don't have total control of your kicks then I would suggest you just ride out the storm. Eventually you will get over this phase. After awhile you will be able to play with a total beginner and kick as fast and powerful as you like because you will command your space in the roda. When something enters your sphere you can stop your movement on command. That is the highest level of capoeira. To play and touch your opponent as if you were brushing aside their hair with your foot. My mestre still impresses me to this day with his control.
I used to have a problem where I would keep forgetting my moves and somtimes in the roda I would be stumbling around not knowing what to do next, any way you just keep practicing, you get used to it and you learn to react correctly, that what capoeira is about.
