To keep the universe in balance, we're complimenting our previous episode about beginners with one about creaky knees and incontinence. We ponder the idea of aging gracefully in capoeira, and try to grow out of the desire to look cool. It's gotta happen sometime, and that time is  when Azul waves bye-bye to ponte forever.

Everything you need to know to get started in capoeira. How to find classes, what to expect when you show up, how to make friends and destroy enemies, etc.  Bonzinho optimistically suggests trying a couple different studios in your area, Azul is confident the community will support you, and Varal is overly concerned with sleazy instructors for some reason.

Today we run through an intro workshop that Varal taught to a group of bright-eyed, enthusiastic college kids and how it made him grumpy. Turns out having no instruments is cool, but bloody injuries aren't. Luckily college kids have no legal framework and they never even thought to sue.  Plus, a quick PSA to say that farting in front of your partner can save you a trip to the hospital (seriously).

Bonzinho leads the discussion today by posing the question: what does capoeira have in common with other previously-fringe sports like skateboarding or yoga, and why did those go mainstream while capoeira has languished in obscurity? Azul says the hierarchy ain't helping so let's get rid of it, and Varal says let me please just keep this hierarchy cuz it's real nice at the top. More importantly, when the hell will capoeira get its hands on some goddamn white wine spritzers?

Varal taught a workshop where he talked too much.  Azul got lazy and fell into a tesoura de costa.  Bonzinho assessed where he is in capoeira and discovered that he's not an ogre.

Following up on our last episode, does your teacher believe capoeira is about conversation or about domination (if we're being reductive enough to say those are the only options)?  We debate some tells that let you know whether your instructor is training you to reduce your opponent's mobilization or to give a "yes, and" in the roda.

It's a simple question - is capoeira a conversation?

https://www.capomaha.com/capoeira-angola-a-primer-for-beginners

Our feeble minds can't be holding up this podcast all day long, so we thought we'd take a look at what our listeners have planned for 2022. What goals do we all have? Can we somehow take your dreams and aspirations and then distill them down into a 45 minute podcast with a few fart jokes?

For next episode: https://forms.gle/yaoUeaV7AvVQjdEi8

Varal says why not do a deep dive on the misunderstood nature of testosterone?  Then we work back over to capoeira to, in our amateur way, diagnose the best medicine for capoeira's reform in this year of our lord 2022.

Azul takes over the controls to talk a little about the year and wish everyone a good start to the next one.  It's been a tough year for a lot of us, and we wish you all the best for 2022.  After all, time marches on regardless so we may as well use it wisely.