Here’s another fusion that’s going to put extra levels of challenge to your yoga practice. You’ve seen fly yoga, you’ve seen yogalates. But Capoeira Yoga? Now that’s definitely something new!
Origin of Caponyasa Yoga
Combining the power of famed Brazilian martial arts and traditional Vinyasa yoga, Caponyasa is the result of New York yoga instructor Carlos Rodriguez. Finding innovative ways to add a zesty twist to the Practice of yoga is hardly anything new nowadays. The challenge, in truth, lies in the perfect mesh of two concepts without one overpowering the other. It can be a tricky balance to pull off, but once achieved can turn out to be a most effective combination.
Compatibility Concerns
For those who have not tried Capoeira, it may seem like a curious combination. However, for you to appreciate the theory of this fusion, you at least have to know what is entailed in Capoeira and Yoga.
What makes it compatible is that both Capoeira and Yoga, in general, do target the same muscle groups, though not exactly in similar manners.
Yoga on one hand focuses more on static movements, holding poses for a fixed number of minutes. This staticity is important in pushing the muscles to develop, bearing the weight of the entire body itself in that singular pose. Vinyasa, in particular, is considered a full-body workout, tapping into your Core muscles, as well as incorporating the proper breathing techniques to get optimum results.
Capoeira, on the other, requires a more dynamic movement, bustling from one point to another in a vigorous, dance-like act. It incorporates handstands, cartwheels, and high kicks, all while keeping to a certain beat and rhythm. The challenge is upped in Capoeira as these actions are curtailed in force and speed, slowing it down until that point where it rests and becomes static as well.
Target Results
Because of the focus on the flow of movements, both Capoeria and Yoga enable you to strengthen your core, improve your agility and flexibility, and of course, provide an intense cardiovascular workout while developing long and lean muscles for your body.
Of course, we already all know the many health benefits of yoga. There’s the rehabilitative aspect of the practice, as well as the strengthening of the bones and muscles. Not to mention, it does allow you to center on your own zen. In all, yoga provides for a literal total workout, tapping into the physical, mental, and spiritual balance.
Meanwhile, the effects of Capoeira are also not limited to its physical benefits. As the level of the practitioner progresses you Become stronger and confidence also improves. Imagining yourself to be strong and powerful can already do wonders for your confidence, but what more if you actually see yourself doing strong and powerful movements?
Both also give serious lessons in control, be it physical or psychological. With yoga, holding the poses require a huge amount of concentration and focus in order to stay still. Capoeria also requires control with the movements. Inasmuch as you are free to kick as high and hard as you can, you still have to be mentally alert as to when to control the speed and force of the movements.
Caponyasa: A Successful Fusion
In light of these similarities, and even intrinsic differences, it appears that there really is a bright future for the fusion of Capoeira and Yoga in the form of Caponyasa. The workout requires a full hour of rigorous physical training, that can allow you to burn as much as 800 calories.
There will be a lot of jumping, squatting, kicking, as well as ginga. And as if that’s not challenging enough, Caponyasa is practiced in a hot room. No wonder you’re going to burn so much of those calories! Of course, observing the breathing is also going to be very crucial in Caponyasa. It is not just about moving to the beat in sync, but more importantly, you’re going to put your breathing and movements in perfect harmony.
In all, Caponyasa sure is a great way to put a creative spin on the practice of yoga. Of course, it would all depend on what kind of practice you would prefer, but at least if you feel like switching it up, you know you’ve got this as an option.
Check out www.doyouyoga.com for more information about all other kinds of yoga.
