Defensive Capoeira Moves

Here, we explain the defensive capoeira moves. In some sources you may find them as escape capoeira moves. They are called escape or deffensive due to the fact that they are used when a capoeira fighter wants to escape from the opponent. Not like in any other martial art, where blocking a kick is much more preferred than escaping from it, in Capoeira the players try to continue the flow of the Capoeira game because for every Capoeira player it is the source of life.

Cocorinha

Cocorinha is a very simple and easy capoeira move but also very useful. The body goes low to the ground to escape from an incoming kick. All a capoeira fighter has to do is to squat knees to the chest with feet close to the ground and lean on one hand for a support. The eye contact and the hand protection are required here as well.

Esquiva

Also called escape or dodge, the Esquiva exists in many forms during the Capoeira game. Below you will see several variations of Esquiva.

• Esquiva de Baxia

In English Esquiva de Baxia (also called Esquiva de Frente) is translated as “low escape”, “low dodge”. It is very similar to ginga in which the body is low to the ground and the hands move with the legs respectively.

• Esquiva Lateral

Esquiva Lateral (translated as a side escape; side dodge) means to move your down either to the left or the right side of your body, depending from where the kick is coming. The hands – one hand is used for support and the other to support the face.