Bênção
Literally: blessing
Bênção, literally blessing, is a front pushing kick of capoeira with the foot, usually to the chest; formally called chapa de frente.
Quick Facts
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Too much force can make the attacker lose control, fail to withdraw the leg in time, and fall forward on a miss; an overforceful, ineffective attack also exposes him to a counterattack.
About
Bênção, literally blessing, formally chapa de frente, is a front pushing kick of capoeira. The capoeirista usually steps forward from the ginga, raises the knee, and thrusts the hips forward to extend the leg, striking with the heel of the flat foot while the supporting leg stays flat on the ground. The most common target is the chest. The name refers to Brazilian slave owners who blessed the enslaved each morning, especially on Sundays, who had to bow and show gratitude despite their mistreatment. The ironic name hides an attack under the guise of a blessing, in the spirit of malícia. The kick comes from the Angolan engolo, a direct forerunner of capoeira, where pushing kicks are common. There is a low variant from the ground, usually from queda de quatro, and a jumped bênção pulada using the weight of the whole body. Sources consider the kick very dangerous, both for its force and the sensitivity of the struck area.