Pastinha's Eagle claws technique

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RJODOaAURM

I stumbled over this old photo of Mestre Pastinha; and it is interesting. Pastinha stands in a low stance, both hands clawing upward, using Eagle archetype - looking much more like a kungfu master than a capoeira mestre!

What is going on here? Is that a capoeira technique? Or is Pastinha just joking for the camera?

Nope. This is probably a legitimate capoeiragem technique.

It is used when the opponent seizes your chest with both hands - a dangerous position for a capoeira! So you have to get out quickly:
Lift your hands and using Eagle archetype, seize both opponent's elbow joints from below with both Eagle claws (as shown in the photo). This also makes you squat down into the firm 'horse riding' stance.

Then squeeze with both claws while arching back(!); shouting "He!". This creates a nerve confuser; the opponent will lose his grip and be disoriented for some 20 seconds.

Mestre Pastinha would probably finish this with his favourite arm-spread Bahian cabeçada (see my other article for that) - it is a very natural movement from the above setup, as the back arch gives elastic power to the cabeçada; and take the opponent down.

For details on Pastinha's arm-spread cabecada

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This is a very nice, albeit a bit kungfu-ish, capoeira technique. I particularly like the way it flows from the Eagle claw grab to the arm-spread cabeçada.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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