Capoeira Training and Flexibility
Condition: Flexibility; Range of Motion
Study type: Interventional

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.
    


Intervention name(s): Capoeira training group
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): 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.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Capoeira training; Range of motion; Flexibility; beginners