Capoeira's twisted cartwheel and the first link in the raiz chain. From a backside stance the front leg and same-side arm swing hard behind the body to drive the flip, while the opposite hand crosses in front with the fingers rotated to point back toward the ground — the hand plants in the middle of a 180-degree twist, and without that internal rotation the shoulder simply cannot turn. The hands land one at a time with most of the weight on the first, the body arches over a shallow bridge, and the exit pushes through triceps and shoulders to land in an eagle position with the chest up and the back leg cocked to swing. The harder the leg swings the harder the trick flips, and a good gumbi skates low and smooth across the ground instead of bouncing. From here the progression removes hands one at a time: sailor moon, touchdown raiz, then raiz itself.
Key cues
- Swing the front leg and arm hard behind
- Cross the reaching hand with fingers turned back
- Put the hands down one at a time
- Keep most weight on the first hand
- Skate low and smooth over the ground
- Push off to land in eagle with the chest up