The homeless guy deserves money just for making people laugh.

Yes, that control is the hard part that I'm wary about when teaching others. Always waiting for someone to go too far where it could easily be dealt with.

Some forms of capoeira use more or less snap kicking, so it depends. I'm not a fan and taught by those that aren't fans. Then again, I've also been taught how to step into such attacks and all. Sure, timing is key and everyone has a bad day, but for the most part I'm at that point where even if I fail a takedown, I'm inside the kick where at most I get nudged by a thigh.

I'm flexible. Can get me hurt, but I also never break anything and heal well. I can kick high and slip under and around people. I'm that thin guy that weaves. Block? Not so much. Dodge? Most certainly.

Well, that's generally true of a lot of arts. Watch anything Jet Li or Jackie Chan and you know the fights can be broken down to far less.

There are a lot of guys that like to showboat and, of course, figure to have fun when a camera is around. If you watch the guys who are the top of the food chain, they play two games. The showy, for fun games and then the heavy, testing their metal games. When they do the latter, there are very few 'advanced' moves involved.

And there are certainly a lot of tricks, but keep in mind the difference in culture. Capoeira originated with slaves that had to hide it, hence the dance incorporation, and did less than admirable things with it. For them, a trick ranged from a slight of hand to jack up an enemy's focus to hiding a razor blade on your person and slipping it between your toes before kicking someone.

I think the nicest thing about the art is that it involves a lot of cardio and fat burn, so people who are looking for that and only looking for self-defense as a secondary (all martial arts provide it, but obviously in varying quantities) really get their money's worth with this.

One of the best games I saw was between two, muscular guys, each 6+ feet, kicking and weaving within a 3 foot diameter without hitting the people that made up the circle or each other. Control up the yin yang.

Yeah, capoeira was one of those, "Okay, when Massa come this way, make it pretty and sing loud. He'll think we're just having fun." So the pretty is very intentional.

And with commitment almost any martial art can be good exercise. I think it's just a question of the specifics. You never stop moving in capoeira, so it keeps the heart rate high. The muscle building depends on how you play. If you're all about kicks, your legs get huge. If you're about ground movements, you bulk up high. I regularly switch between the two and don't tend to bulk, so it's more of an even toning.

I've known a few to get ripped doing it, but we're talking five times a week for a couple hours a day. If you really just want to get beefcake, go for weights or Krav Maga (although that depends more on exercises than repeating raw movements).

Not worried about the bulk, just an observation. Some people have hyper-striation, which basically means that you can gain strength, but you develop muscle density versus mass. You may not look bigger, but you can do more and weigh more. It's all cosmetic for the most part. For example, look at the bulk of a bear or raccoon (they are indeed related). Either one can do far more with its respective mass than a human can with equal mass. Why can a 2 foot raccoon beat the snot out of an adult male that exercises regularly? Well, it has muscle density on its side. Inch for inch, it just goes farther without having to try. I've seen a 1 foot high raccoon kick over a steel trash can filled with trash that I had trouble budging. It's just what it is.

And hey, I'm a nerd, but I've discovered cute, female nerds. Once you accomplish that, all is bliss.

It wasn't really broken, right? I mean, stubbed toes are worse than taking a chest shot from a high caliber rifle.

Ow, the pinky toe. Of all the toes. I weep for the Ryat.

I weep, not you.

Even with kids around, I would curse like there were no tomorrow. Then my wife would have to tell the kids never to say those words. And, through gritted teeth, I would say, "Listen to your mother."

-Exiled Possum 

I like Muffins!

Win!

Not so much win

SUCKER!

For the thrill.