Latest news with #Capoeira
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
The martial art which is helping Parkinson's disease patients overcome their symptoms
Parkinson's disease patients are seeing their symptoms alleviated thanks to a well-known martial art. Capoeira is a movement practice that originated within the large enslaved communities in Brazil, where nearly 5 million kidnapped Africans disembarked during the transatlantic slave trade that started in the 16th century. It is considered both a martial art and a dance, combining ritual, exercise, spirituality and music – and it is helping patients living with the neurodegenerative illness. Nilma Teles de Freitas, an 80-year-old retired teacher in Brazil who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease more than a decade ago, says she used to fall over all the time. That changed after she began attending a capoeira class in downtown Rio de Janeiro especially designed for people with the disease. 'Capoeira gives me freedom to work on my body. What I can do. What I can't do. So I can have balance and a more comfortable life,' Teles de Freitas said during a recent class. Practiced for centuries by Afro-Brazilians, it has since become popular around the world. UNESCO recognized the practice in 2014 as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The project started in 2018 with physical therapist Rosimeire Peixoto, 60, who at that point had been attending capoeira classes herself for over a decade. After working with many patients with Parkinson's, she said she became convinced that introducing them to capoeira may help alleviate some of their symptoms. Parkinson's has a range of different symptoms, and along with difficulties in balancing, some common ones include slowness of movement, tremors and stooped posture. Patients can also experience anxiety, depression, sleeping disorders and nausea. 'I had the idea after reading an article that said alternating both hands when using a cell phone stimulates both hemispheres of the brain,' she said. 'And as a physiotherapist treating neurological patients, I was lacking exercises that would motivate them.' Peixoto's project was dubbed 'Parkinson na ginga' — or 'Parkinson's in the swing' — a reference to the first fluid, rhythmic step that capoeira practitioners learn. She now holds classes twice a week in the Progress Foundry, a sprawling cultural center in downtown Rio next to a famed white 18th century aqueduct and surrounded by palm trees. Capoeira helps improve balance, coordination and strength, with music loosening up tense bodies, Peixoto says. 'There is a lot happening in a capoeira circle. They feel the vibration, the energy, they pay attention to the music and to the partner to dodge blows' and to themselves, she said. During a recent class, Peixoto walked among the students, placing a gentle hand on a back here and there to help with balance, patiently repeating demonstrations and offering words of encouragement. Antônio de Azevedo, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease a few years ago, said he could hardly stand before. But since he started practicing capoeira, his stability returned. 'It's the best thing that's ever happened to me,' he said while he attended a capoeira class with around 10 other people, all with Parkinson's. Peixoto tries to make the classes a fun and social event — she often suggests a group samba dance at the end of the class, and regularly brings a cake to share. Teles de Freitas, the retired teacher, says that she loves the camaraderie among the class. 'We are there for one another,' she said. 'Feeling and conversing with friends gives strength.' She remembers how when she got her diagnosis, she left the doctor's office crying, terrified of the future. 'Today I'm smiling,' she said. 'I'm managing to live. I'm managing to interact with other people. I'm managing to be happy.'
Irish Independent
15-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Kerry students unite to celebrate their international community
Organised by the Parents Council-Cairde na Scoile- the idea was to recognise and celebrate the many cultures represented in the school. According to the Chair of the Parents Council, Mary Carroll, the idea was to bring the school community together to celebrate the diversity of the cultures in the Killarney school. The International Choir from KASI (Killarney Immigrant Support Centre) performed for the students as did Wilson da Silva of Killarney Movement and Fitness club who gave a fabulous display of the Brazilian martial art, Capoeira 'Often in Gaelscoileanna we might not realise there is a large diversity of cultures represented. In Gaelscoil Faithleann we have counted 21 different countries amongst our parent community, from Ghana to Lithuania to Portugal and Chile - today is a day to acknowledge and celebrate all these cultures.' 'Our International Day was full of colour, fun and learning, with flags, food, music and Brazilian martial art! Parents came into each class to talk about their culture and the children loved to hear facts about these countries, and to realise all the diversity in the school.' Mary said this is now an annual event that allows students to learn where their fellow students come from. 'This is an annual event that allows the school to recognise other cultures and make children aware of the value of diversity. It is a fabulous opportunity for children to meet directly with people from other countries and to hear first-hand what it is like to live there.'
The Advertiser
12-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Inquest to explore mystery of what happened to missing boatie Ashley McKellar
A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago. Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023. Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day. But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm. Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head. Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area. However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore. He is suspected to have drowned. But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined. Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study. "Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads. "He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland. "Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023. "We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity. "His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him." Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone. The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking. A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago. Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023. Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day. But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm. Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head. Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area. However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore. He is suspected to have drowned. But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined. Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study. "Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads. "He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland. "Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023. "We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity. "His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him." Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone. The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking. A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago. Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023. Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day. But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm. Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head. Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area. However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore. He is suspected to have drowned. But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined. Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study. "Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads. "He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland. "Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023. "We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity. "His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him." Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone. The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking. A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago. Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023. Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day. But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm. Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head. Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area. However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore. He is suspected to have drowned. But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined. Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study. "Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads. "He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland. "Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023. "We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity. "His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him." Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone. The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pirates ace Paul Skenes is working on 2 new pitches. Does he really need them?
SARASOTA, Fla. — The magic of Paul Skenes is obvious, visceral. Pittsburgh's superstar hurler is a goliathan who can throw a baseball abnormally hard. In other words: one does not need a deep, sophisticated understanding of pitching to appreciate the entertainment value of a Paul Skenes heater. That's because, when the hurler uncoils his 6-foot-7 frame and lets one rip, the rawhide flies out of his hand like a bullet, crescendoing into the catcher's mitt with an echoing pop. Skenes' style of motion, too, is undeniably distinct. Few people so large can move with such intent, such violence; he is a rhino doing ballet, Godzilla practicing Capoeira. And the result, as showcased by his shimmering 2024 NL Rookie of the Year season, is downright overpowering. So anytime Skenes climbs the hill, whether in March or September, it's an event, an excuse to lock in. But this spring training, the 22-year-old has given the baseball world another reason to overanalyze his outings: the sport's most enrapturing pitcher is toying with two brand new pitches. On Thursday evening, a chilly one by Floridian standards, Skenes unleashed the beta versions of his new offerings, a two-seam fastball and a cutter. In his second start of this spring training against the Baltimore Orioles, Skenes worked into the fourth, striking out three while surrendering four hits and two runs. A tune-up, one that Skenes set was the best he's felt all spring. Through it all, he was, predictably, the main attraction. As Skenes entered the visitors' bullpen down the left-field line to warm up 20 minutes before first pitch, he was greeted by a huge throng of onlookers. Fans, their arms draped over the fence railing, oohed and aahhed as Skenes uncorked high 90s fastball after fastball. One kid, about 10 years old, quipped to his father, 'Dad, I don't think I'd be able to hit that.' During that bullpen, Pittsburgh's eye-catching ace appeared to feature five different offerings, a fact discernible via the glove signs communicated to catcher Endy Rodríguez. Besides the four-seam fastball, "splinker," slider combination Skenes leaned on last year, he clearly motioned for a two-seamer and a fifth pitch that was almost certainly the new cutter. Because the game was not available on television or MLB's public-facing Statcast pitch-tracking system, there's no specific data besides Ed Smith Stadium's unreliable jumbotron radar gun. For many hurlers, spring training is a time of tinkering and testing, an opportunity to experiment in an environment where the results mean nothing. That Skenes is playing around with new pitches is not exactly surprising. But given the context — he's coming off the most dominant rookie campaign in MLB history and already has six effective pitches — it's a compelling development. It also raises a straightforward, revealing question: Why? Why does a pitcher so overpowering need more ingredients? Skenes is already a force of nature with a deep arsenal and a hair-raising heater. He throws outrageously fast with elite deception. Hitters, as evidenced by that microscopic 1.99 ERA last year, can't touch him. Why bother futzing with the recipe? 'Really, [I'm] just trying to create more swing decisions,' Skenes told Alex Stumpf last month. 'That's what it boils down to.' Both pitches, at least in theory, give Skenes coverage in areas and situations in which he was undermanned last season. Let's start with the two-seamer. Below is a heatmap of Skenes' pitch location frequency against right-handed batters in two-strike counts. That inlet of blue stretching from the inner third to the middle of the plate indicates that Skenes rarely pitched inside in these situations. The new two-seam fastball has tailing action toward the hitter, but unlike his 'splinker' this offering doesn't have downward movement. That should enable Skenes to use the pitch up in the zone. The new cutter fills a less obvious situational void, but has a chance to be the more effective pitch. That's because the cutter — which was in the 90-92 mph range with a smidge of gloveside break Thursday — gives Skenes a pitch in a velocity range that was vacant in 2024. While Skenes' slider and sweeper move similarly to his cutter, the new pitch is thrown much harder. 'I didn't have anything like that before and it was kind of like, 'Well, I throw 100, why don't I throw a 90 mile-an-hour slider, basically?' Skenes explained after being asked about the cutter's utility by Yahoo Sports after his outing Thursday. 'Why don't I throw a breaking ball that's around 90? Because I can. My sweeper was around 85 last year, and so that's part of it, but the sweeper is so big that if I don't get any swings on the cutter, it's still going to get me swings on the sweeper.' Some around the game have whispered skepticisms about the additional offerings. That trepidation has nothing to do with the new pitches — they say anything Skenes uses will grade out well just because he throws so hard. It's about a potential reduction in the usage rates of Skenes' even more dominant offerings. Adding the two-seamer and cutter would mean tossing his other pitches less often, which could also be tossing hitters a lifeline. You're telling me the likelihood I see a Paul Skenes fastball or splinter just went down? Sign me up! The counterargument alluded to by Skenes is all about unpredictability. Skenes thrives, more than many other arms, on creating a sense of total discomfort for the hitter. His size, velocity, mechanics and release point all contribute to that dynamic. More pitches means more decisions and more decisions mean more discomfort. All of which is good for Skenes. How effective will these pitches be and how much Skenes will lean on them remains to be seen. There still isn't even pitch data on the two-seamer or cutter (that will happen at his likely next start, March 11 against the New York Yankees). But no matter how this pans out, it'll be must-see TV, because, well, it's Paul Skenes.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pirates' Paul Skenes is working on 2 new pitches. Does he really need them?
SARASOTA, Fla. — The magic of Paul Skenes is obvious, visceral. Pittsburgh's superstar hurler is a goliathan who can throw a baseball abnormally hard. In other words: one does not need a deep, sophisticated understanding of pitching to appreciate the entertainment value of a Paul Skenes heater. That's because when the hurler uncoils his 6-foot-7 frame and lets one rip, the rawhide flies out of his hand like a bullet, crescendoing into the catcher's mitt with an echoing pop. Skenes' style of motion, too, is undeniably distinct. Few people so large can move with such intent, such violence; he is a rhino doing ballet, Godzilla practicing Capoeira. And the result, as showcased by his shimmering 2024 NL Rookie of the Year season, is downright overpowering. So anytime Skenes climbs the hill, whether in March or September, it's an event, an excuse to lock in. But this spring training, the 22-year-old has given the baseball world another reason to overanalyze his outings: the sport's most enrapturing pitcher is toying with two brand new pitches. On Thursday evening, a chilly one by Floridian standards, Skenes unleashed the beta versions of his new offerings, a two-seam fastball and a cutter. In his second start of this spring training against the Baltimore Orioles, Skenes worked into the fourth, striking out three while surrendering four hits and two runs. A tune-up, one that Skenes set was the best he's felt all spring. Through it all, he was, predictably, the main attraction. As Skenes entered the visitors' bullpen down the left-field line to warm up twenty minutes before first pitch, he was greeted by a huge throng of onlookers. Fans, their arms draped over the fence railing, oohed and aahhed as Skenes uncorked high 90s fastball after fastball. One kid, about 10 years old, quipped to his father: 'Dad, I don't think I'd be able to hit that.' During that bullpen, Pittsburgh's eye-catching ace appeared to feature five different offerings, a fact discernible via the glove signs communicated to catcher Endy Rodriguez. Besides the four-seam fastball, splinker, slider combination Skenes leaned on last year, he clearly motioned for a two-seamer and a fifth pitch that was almost certainly the new cutter. Because the game was not available on television or MLB's public-facing Statcast pitch-tracking system, there's no specific data besides Ed Smith Stadium's unreliable jumbotron radar gun. For many hurlers, spring training is a time of tinkering and testing, an opportunity to experiment in an environment where the results mean nothing. That Skenes is playing around with new pitches is not exactly surprising. But given the context — he's coming off the most dominant rookie campaign in MLB history and already has six effective pitches — it's a compelling development. It also raises a straightforward, revealing question: Why? Why does a pitcher so overpowering need more ingredients? Skenes is already a force of nature with a deep arsenal and a hair-raising heater. He throws outrageously fast with elite deception. Hitters, as evidenced by that microscopic 1.99 ERA last year, can't touch him. Why bother futzing with the recipe? 'Really, [I'm] just trying to create more swing decisions,' Skenes told Alex Stumpf last month. 'That's what it boils down to.' Both pitches, at least in theory, give Skenes coverage in areas and situations in which he was undermanned last season. Let's start with the two-seamer. Below is a heatmap of Skenes' pitch location frequency against right-handed batters in two-strike counts. That inlet of blue stretching from the inner third to the middle of the plate indicates that Skenes rarely pitched inside in these situations. The new two-seam fastball has tailing action toward the hitter, but unlike his 'splinker' this offering doesn't have downward movement. That should enable Skenes to use the pitch up in the zone. The new cutter fills a less obvious situational void, but has a chance to be the more effective pitch. That's because the cutter — which was in the 90-92 mph range with a smidge of gloveside break Thursday — gives Skenes a pitch in a velocity range that was vacant in 2024. While Skenes' slider and sweeper move similarly to his cutter, the new pitch is thrown much harder. 'I didn't have anything like that before and it was kind of like, 'Well, I throw 100, why don't I throw a 90 mile-an-hour slider, basically?' Skenes explained after being asked about the cutter's utility by Yahoo Sports after his outing Thursday. 'Why don't I throw a breaking ball that's around 90? Because I can. My sweeper was around 85 last year, and so that's part of it, but the sweeper is so big that if I don't get any swings on the cutter, it's still going to get me swings on the sweeper.' Some around the game have whispered skepticisms about the additional offerings That trepidation has nothing to do with the new pitches — they say anything Skenes uses will grade out well just because he throws so hard. It's about a potential reduction in the usage rates of Skenes' even more dominant offerings. Adding the two-seamer and cutter would mean tossing his other pitches less often, which could also be tossing hitters a lifeline. You're telling me the likelihood I see a Paul Skenes fastball or splinter just went down? Sign me up! The counterargument alluded to by Skenes is all about unpredictability. Skenes thrives, more than many other arms, on creating a sense of total discomfort for the hitter. His size, velocity, mechanics and release point all contribute to that dynamic. More pitches means more decisions and more decisions means more discomfort. All of which is good for Skenes. How effective will these pitches be and how much Skenes will lean on them remains to be seen. There still isn't even pitch data on the two-seamer or cutter (that will happen at his likely next start, March 11 against the New York Yankees). But no matter how this pans out, it'll be must-see TV, because, well, it's Paul Skenes.
