Capoeira Training and Flexibility

Summary

Background: Nowadays, a commonly used sport that helps enhancing physical fitness components, including flexibility, is Capoeira. This modality is defined as an athletic sport composed by an individual attack and defensive system, which was originally created in colonial Brazil. Capoeira is characterized by its main movement, the "ginga", and by other several dodging, unbalancing, traumatizing and acrobatic movements. The literature empirically discusses that Capoeira contributes in general physical fitness by modulating several variables of human movement. Among these variables it is possible to highlight the influence of Capoeira in the amplitude of movement of the practitioner's joints. However, no study with a control group has investigated the alterations in flexibility of beginners using an experimental protocol based exclusively in basic techniques of Capoeira, without applying any usual stretching exercises that are commonly used, independently of the specificity of the sport. Objective: To analyze the effects of eight weeks of basic training in Capoeira on the flexibility of beginners in the sport. Methods: Twenty-one individuals, divided in two groups \[Capoeira, n=13; 26.1±7.2 years; 22.7±2.7 kg.m2(-1) and Control, n=8; 27.1±0.5 years; 24.3±3.3 kg.m2(-1)\] participated in the study. The Capoeira group performed eight weeks of basic training (two sessions per week lasting 60 minutes each). The experimental protocol used was exclusively based in basic techniques of a programmed Capoeira training system. Before and after the intervention measurements were performed aiming to analyze: trunk flexion flexibility, through a sit-and-reach test using a Wells' Bench (WBtf); and passive tension (PThf) and maximum amplitude of hip flexion (MAhf) through goniometry. The hypothesis of this study is that the group Capoeira (beginners) will increase the linear and angular flexibility after eight weeks of basic training in the sport.

Conditions

• Flexibility
• Range of Motion

Interventions

OTHER

Capoeira training group

Capoeira training: The experimental Capoeira training protocol, based in the modern styles of Capoeira was applied by an instructor with 17 years of experience in teaching Capoeira, followed the directions of the Basic Programmed Lesson, created by Geraldo Pereira d'Santana (Master Santana) in a Capoeira group called IUNA from the city of São Paulo, Brazil. In order to perform the Basic Programmed Lesson program, the activities were divided in four stages, being composed of the main movement that characterizes Capoeira (the "ginga") and by other movements such as: dodging, unbalancing, traumatizing and acrobatic. An important thing to highlight in the experimental protocol is that the training performed in the present study used only specific movements of Capoeira, without applying any other traditional stretching exercises. Therefore, it is possible to infer that the results obtained are due to the experimental protocol.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Pernambuco

  collaborator OTHER

• Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

  collaborator OTHER

• Universidade Federal do vale do São Francisco

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Sérgio R Moreira, PhD · Universidade Federal do vale do São Francisco

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

45 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-02-29

Primary Completion

2012-03-31

Completion

2012-05-31

Countries

• Brazil

Study Locations