Although not currently as trendy as yoga or Zumba, martial arts classes are an excellent option for those who want to get regular exercise. Whether your goal is to stay in shape or to just step away from the outside world and all its fountains of stress for a moment, your body and mind can always find refuge in the discipline of a defined set of movements and skills.
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Generally, when thinking of martial arts, we think of Bruce Lee – we think of the ancient eastern traditions, immortalized forever in cinema and television for alien civilizations to eventually discover while watching old VHS tapes, a thousand years from now. But amongst all the different martial arts you can practice in Barcelona, there is one that stands out from the rest.
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Capoeira
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Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that first originated in Angola. Fighting is a somewhat minor part of it, as music, acrobatics, and dance take the lead roles in the exercise. It uses quick and complex moves, promoting flexibility, speed, and high mobility. Since 2014, it is protected by UNESCO with the status of “intangible cultural heritage”.
Benefits of Capoeira
Stress reduction – Capoeira’s mix of body coordination, mental focus and musical rhythms are great to freshen up both body and mind.
Strenght – Handstands, rolls, and poses will contribute to the improvement of your upper body strength, as well as core strength overall.
Flexibility – Capoeira’s choreographies demand flexibility, which will increase your everyday mobility and lower your injury risk.
Cardio and stamina – Dance-fighting with top-notch coordination is no piece of cake, so get ready to feel winded after your first workouts. The huge amount of energy required to keep pace and form during the exercises will make sure your endurance steadily increases as you progress.
Self-confidence – With the practice of any difficult activity comes the satisfaction of being able to master it. It might seem hard at first, but nothing beats feeling like you’ve mastered a skill and are now capable of doing things you weren’t before.
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Classes in Barcelona
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Cordão de Ouro Capoeira
Cordão de Ouro Capoeira offers a wide variety of capoeira classes at different locations, both in and outside Barcelona. Make sure to check their full schedule to choose the class most convenient to you. These are two of their Barcelona classes:
Location: Grácia – Centro L’Athanor: Carrer Secretari Coloma, 4.
When: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
Location: Poble Sec – Espai Pedreres, Carrer Pedreres, 30, 1º.
When: Tuesdays from 6:25 PM to 8 PM and Thursdays starting from 7 PM to 8:30 PM.
There you go. You’re all set to start practicing an awesome martial art. Have fun and don’t forget to let us know how it went using the comment box below!
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