Capoeira isn't just a form of exercise - it's more like an art form and takes years to learn. Expect to take a year to be ready to take your first grading (and receive your first belt, or corda). As you get more advanced, it may take two to three years to progress to the next level.

Capoeira (Portuguese pronunciation: [kapuˈe(j)ɾɐ]) is an Afro-Brazilian martial art and game that includes elements of dance, acrobatics, music and spirituality.

Capoeira developed in Brazil, derived from traditions brought across the Atlantic Ocean by enslaved Africans and fueled by the burning desire for freedom. It soon became widely practiced on the plantations as a means of breaking the bonds of slavery, both physically and mentally.

A practitioner of capoeira.