Cabeçada

Cabeçada(pronounced: ka-be-SA-da, lit. headbutt) is aheadbuttin capoeira. It is a commonly usedstrikeand one of the fundamental techniques intraditional capoeira.
Although simple to execute, headbutt is one of the most dangerous moves, often causing fatalities.Headbutt was a deadly technique in 19th centurycapoeira carioca. In the contemporary capoeira game, violent headbutts are generally avoided.
In capoeira, there are specific head butts, such asarpão de cabeça(head harpoon) andescorumelo.
The sole major addition to capoeira, aside itsengolokicking core, washeadbutting, a common African practice in the Americas, known asjogo de cabeçadas.In the 19th century,headbuttswere the capoeiras' primary technique, as per police records.Between1822and1824, the German painterJohann Moritz Rugendasdescribed capoeira as a headbutting game:
Incapoeira carioca,cabeçadawas a deadly technique. An English visitor toRio de Janeirowrote in1826on this lethal technique:
Lethal headbutt techniques were used in the 19th centuryBahiaalso:
Although headbutts was prominent in street-fighting capoeira due to their effectiveness, it remained relatively infrequent in the game environment.In modern capoeira, headbutts are used more as a defensive tactic to keep a dangerously close opponent at bay rather than as a prominent technique.
To perform a headbutt, the capoeirista lowers their body and launches themselves towards the opponent, striking them with the forehead. The headbutt can be delivered to various regions of the body. The preferred targets are:
As long as there's an opening in the defense, the possibility of a headbutt remains imminent. In this technique, the attacker rapidly approaches, gliding their head along the opponent's chest, usually targeting the chin, nose, or forehead upon contact.It's crucial to emphasize that this technique should never be fully executed in a game situation due to its serious consequences.
According tomestre Pastinha, the headbutt under the jaw, from bottom to top, is very dangerous and can be applied when the opponent is very close.According tomestre Bimba, "its application requires a lot of cunning."
According tomestre Pastinha,cabeçadais amaliciousblow that can be applied to the chest or face, with a quick turn of the body when the opponent believes the attacker is withdrawing.
Capoeiristas use a variety of tricks to execute headbutts. For example, inginga, they may tilt their body to a side as if dodging, but instead prepare for a headbutt if there is enough distance.Capoeirista may also drop objects and then deliver a headbutt when picking them up, especially when facing inexperienced opponent.In addition, if a capoeirista is held by two men, they can free themselves by lowering their body and delivering a headbutt.
Incapoeira carioca, headbutts were so important that they had different names depending on how they were performed. For example, thecaveira no espelho, meaning "skull in a mirror," was a standing headbutt to the face, while thecocadawas an upward headbutt under the chin.
Thecocadaheadbutt is a simple but effective move. To perform it, the attacker approaches the opponent and suddenly lowers themselves, striking the opponent with their head on the underside of the jaw, chest, stomach, or even the face.This move is similar to therabo de arraiain its consequences, as it can be very disorienting and even terrifying for the recipient when executed correctly.
Arpão de cabeça(head harpoon) is a violent headbutt, where the attacker uses the entire weight of his body.The arms are initially crossed in front of the player's face to shield it from a knee strike. Upon impact, the arms are then opened, enhancing the power of the movement directed towards the adversary's chest or stomach.
Possible defense from headbutt is to throw the body backward, and strike the back of the attacker's head with the hand.Or to quickly descends as soon as notice the attacker's intentions, and kick him with the foot from bottom to top.