Piston

At my school we do practise knee stamps, ankle stamps (i.e low side kicks) check kicks and hooking legs out from underneath. This is mostly in one-step sparring though not in our actual sparring.

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mysteryninja

What is capoeira????? I've never heard of it!

Cool video Piston

Warrior189

here u go.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira

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Jon_B

I can't decide. Each of those arts have elements that make them diverse, but I don't think there is one ultimate kicking art.

Tae Kwon Do has great kicks that can come at extreme heights, and speeds. It is not straightforward like Muay Thai, but it also isn't extremely unpredictable like Capoeira.

Capoeira is filled with malandragem (The art of trickery) and cunning. Capoeiristas learn great timing when armed against opponent. This coupled with malandragem and cunning, and the natural ability for them to react in angles and positions that are uncommon in other arts make this effective.

Muay Thai makes your legs into great weapon with your hands. Analagous to the uncommon positions of Capoeira, Muay Thai teaches one how to effectively use almost their entire leg as an advantage.

Savate kicking has it's roots in Muay Thai, but the kicks are very graceful, and the foot is the major part of the leg used.

tkd_wrestler

It's true there is no martial that has the absolute best kicks but for purposes of speed and effectiveness I always lean towards TKD. We're talk to kick high so we can do our leg kicks faster in a street fight.

I have to say that I'm a big fan of Muay Thai and Capoeira's leg techniques. Muay thai for it's power and capoeira for it's sweeps.

aku aku

I've also heard that savate was influenced by the chinese and that it was developed independantly. I don't think there's enough proof of any theory for people to agree on its origins.

Jon_B

Capoeira kicks are almost synoymous (Not that they are rooted in each other, but they are very similar) with Tae Kwon Do kicks. I've taken both (Mostly Tae Kwon Do, but I know a little Capoeira):
Martelo
Chapa
Gancho
Ponteira
Bencao
-Giratoria
-Pullando? (Spelling? )
Queixada (Frontal)
Armada
Meia Lua De Frente
Translates to:
RoundHouse Kick
Side Kick
Hook Kick
Front Snap Kick
Front thrusting puch kick
-"Spinning" action (Chapa giratoria [O escorpiao is the other term for it I think]- Spin side kick)
-"Jumping" action (Bencao Pullando- Jumping Front Thrusting Push Kick)
-Crescent Kick with an entrance (Frontal is a crescent without the entrance)
-Spinning Crescent kick
-Inside Crescent Kick
I guess the fludity and motion is what really makes it different (That, and when you do moves in the roda, you usually stretch them as high as you can for training, rather than actually aiming [Except when you get close for some of the crazy combat stuff ] for the body).
These were good choices though. Muay Thai for direct crushing power, Savate for grace, Tae Kwon Do for sheer speed, and Capoeira for unpredictable moves.
Too bad I can't practice Capoeira anymore. Pensacola doesn't have any places that teach it... nor Muay Thai... nor savate..

TKD Student

There is no such thing as the best kicking art. Everything is great if used the correct way.
Though, Capoeira... I don't know if that would be effective in a fight... Sure, it's a beautiful art. I really love how it looks, but I don't think it's good in a fight.

Taekwondo: Powerful and fast kicks, wich is good. A kick has more power than a punch. And a fast kick is even better.

I would say the same about Kickboxing, and add that they punch more, which is more of a variation of techniques used. Also good. Don't know much of how fast it's techniques is though.

Savate: I have never heard of this?

Mr. Arieson

Mr. Arieson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_martial_arts

I did not see some other things I would consider "western", like Boxing, but this was pretty informational.

Jon_B

Capoeira is just a late bloomer. The self-defense part of it is included, but how one uses it is undefined. You don't have a set stance (Only the really good capoeristas can do the ginga in street situation [Which I've observed in person]), or set attacks that you absolutely have to use in it, but there's many practical techniques for some, just as there are techniques that are impractical to others. It's highly subjective on how it is used. By itself it may not be the best, but there's some people from Brazil that mix it with BJJ (Or do the art with a Vale Tudo flow to it) to make a good all-arounder in cage fighting, and street situations. Other schools automatically incorporate BJJ in what they teach, and some include boxing as well. I consider it to be a good striking style (That has some grappling included).

After a year Muay Thai, the average person will have learned enough to skills to defend themself.
It would probably take at least 5-6 years to get that out of Capoeira. Perfecting techniques, developing unpredictability (And sometimes the ability to break the rhythm of your opponent), and gaining those cat-like reflexes take a while to perfect.

I also agree with your statment about styles: I don't believe there is a best style either. I believe the kicks of our good friend JKD sort of mix of both muay thai style kicking (Not from the actual art, but the baseball bat swinging motion), and the more oriental art style kicking (i.e. A TKD roundhouse) just as an example.