A importância de equilibrio

("The importance of balance")

With any activity, excellence is achieved through dedication, effort, and pushing one's limits. Anything physical also promotes the release of endorphins and adrenaline, which can be somewhat addictive. But, any serious stress of the body requires rest to heal. Injuries, however, require a bit more time.

A trip to the physiotherapist had me lying on the table while my upper hamstring was prodded with an ultrasound device, which is supposed to help break down of scar tissue and promote blood flow, which is kinda important when tendons don't have a lot of blood vessels to begin with, which will naturally make them take longer to heal than any other body part. After giving me a list of stretching and exercises, I am advised to stop training for two weeks. At least.

Because it's addictive, it becomes a little difficult to know when to quit, so having a life outside of Capoeira is very important. Being that I essentially DON'T, it's tempting to spend all of my free time at the Capoeira studio (of which I have plenty). That, and compounded with my age (I turn 30 this summer), I don't nearly heal as fast as I used to.

It also underscores the importance of proper warm-up and stretching. This was actually brought about due to an older injury (two weeks previous) with an improper stretch (trust is very important with a partnered stretching exercise), which I wasn't really expecting last Friday, considering that I was warmed up quite well and was playing some of my best Capoeira in the roda that night.

Apparently, it's only a grade 1-level tear, which doesn't require surgery, but still requires proper care and time for recovery. Time to start practicing my music.

Cada núvem negro tem forro prata

("Every black cloud has a silver lining.")

It finally happened...and I was having a really good day too. After two weeks of a tight hamstring, it finally pulled in the middle of a movement that I must have done a million times. Playing against a lower-belted student in the roda, I went in for au amazonas, only to feel a crunch sensation followed by a sharp pain from my left leg. Weakly limping out of the roda, I went home and hung out at a friend's place, sitting on an ice pack for the better part of three hours.

I initially intended this blog to be not so much as a resource, but some opinions, theories, and experiences in the art of Capoeira, an Afro-Brasilian art form which combines martial arts, dance, music, history, and culture. But right now, this blog is just about the only thing that's keeping me sane.

Regardless of what I'm going through in the day, everything disappears when I'm in the roda. The berimbau rhythms inspire aché which in turn is spread among others in the group. Regardless of who I play, I am never more alive even when I hit the ground.

So, with three weeks on the injured list, what else is there to do? I have a relatively large library of songs to learn and memorize, a berimbau cabaça which I was supposed to have custom painted a long time ago, and I can always brush up on my Portuguese. Onde e o banheiro?

That, and I can share my life in Capoeira in the blogosphere.

Aché!