Use these Capoeira Moves to get started in Capoeira.

The Top 5 Capoeira Moves to Get Started

Written by
March 20, 2014
Updated September 18, 2018
Category: Fitness

Before getting to the main point of this article, I would like to identify two different groups that may want to get their foot in the door of the art of Capoeira.



Why Learn Capoeira Moves?

Why should you learn Capoeira?

Capoeira touches many fields of fitness, skill work, and movement quality that could be distilled for the purposes of the second group, without the actual practice of the Capoeira basics, which are required for becoming a legitimate practitioner of the art form and body language.

Qualities that can be found in the art are active flexibility, balance positions and transitions, strength and mobility of posterior kinetic chain, explosive strength, tactical movement, dexterity, agility, relative strength, body control, rhythm, interaction on many levels, and expression.

The art could be used to develops various types of endurance and coordination. There is a wide range of topics that could serve the interest of the general crowd. I will simplify the direction of this article and address the first group with reference to the second group as well.


Capoeira Moves #1: Ginga

First move that is usually practiced by the beginner Capoeira practitioner is the ‘Ginga.’ This move is a dynamic combination of partial range Squat and Lunge. For various purposes the movement can be wider and deeper or practiced in different ways. This move usually first challenges coordination. At that level, the rest of Capoeira movements are usually rather confusing. After a few sessions the ‘Ginga’ gets better understood and performed, at that point lots of the capoeira foot work is made easier as well.


Capoeira Moves #2: Spinning Kicks

The second thing to learn is the spinning kicks. Those are movements that help us move around inside the Capoeira circle, as well as create a fluid interaction with a partner. The most basic ones are:

Meia lua de frente


Meia lua de compas






Capoeira Movement #3: Escapes

The third category of moves are the Escapes. Similar to boxing, we use dodges, to which we call escapes or in Portuguese: “Esquivas.” Escapes are what makes the capoeirista different then most other martial arts. A persons ability and quality of escaping could determine his Capoeira proficiency, and allow him to play an inside game, which is considered the more interesting form of interaction. While every Capoeira move could be a form of attack or escape, here are a few of the more basic escapes that are good to start with:


Capoeira Movement #4: Floor Transitioning

The forth category would be floor transitioning. From the most basic form of traveling the floor, allowing oneself to be at different places in relation to his or her partner, and the ability to move in all directions from any position. These qualities in the more advanced form could also serve as transitions between various acrobatics, keeping the momentum of moves, and translating them into further ones. At higher levels, the quality of the balance shifts between the four limbs increases, and the movement becomes more supple and fluid. Here are the basic floor transitions:


Capoeira Movement #5: Frontal Kicks

The last category is more efficient forms of attack, the frontal kicks. Those are harder to anticipate in a real fight situation, though it could cause a practitioner in the early stages to lose his flow, and use them in the context of eastern martial arts. It could be argued if these could be as important as learning take downs and counter take downs, but basically this is where the ‘bite’ should be encountered as to make the playful capoeira game more ‘real’.


Where are the Acrobatics?!?

Amir Solsky performing Capoeira movements.You might notice that I haven’t included any acrobatics in these five categories; the reason is that acrobatics are considered one of the least important movements when teaching a Capoeirista to communicate with his/her body. They are never a requirement for anything in the art. They are a very exciting part of capoeira and could be an entire art by themselves, however, acrobatics are considered the least Capoeira has to contribute to a person. Acrobatics also tend to intimidate many beginner practitioners. Keep in mind that for the serious Capoeirista, learning the music is by far more important than acrobatics.

Amir Solsky is a celebrity fitness trainer and nutrition expert and has devoted numerous years in the study of body movement ranging from martial arts to arial arts. He is a Capoeira Contra Mestre and is the founder of Fundamentals of Movement and Capoeira Los Angeles where he holds classes for students of all levels. He performs regularly doing various circus arts such as aerial and hand to hand balancing, Equilibre, contortion and dance. Amir has been featured on National Geographic’s “Fight Science” and has appeared in various music videos for artists such as Fall Out Boy and Natasha Bedingfield, and commercials such as “journeys”. He has a passion for continually developing his understanding of human physiology and movement and is demonstrating the possibilities and capabilities of our ever evolving and unlimited human potential through movement.
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