Rasteira
Sweep – a Capoeira sweep
- Type
- Sweeps and reaps
- Martial arts
- Capoeira
- Meaning
- Sweep
- Classified as
- capoeira technique
- Listed in
- Core techniques (capoeira)
King's Kung-Fu and Tai Chi has taught 5 Animal 5 Family kung fu, tai chi and chi kung in Southern California since 1982. These original school pages cover this style:
Rasteira is a foot sweep technique in capoeira, which usually counters high kicks. It is one of the fundamental techniques in traditional capoeira.
Rasteiras are quick, unexpected moves that can disrupt the opponent's balance. Instead of meeting the kick with a block, the rasteira follows the same direction of the attack turning the opponent's force against himself. Mastering the rasteira takedown technique is a hallmark of an exceptional capoeirista.
Along with meia lua de compasso, rasteira is considered as a trademarks of capoeira. Like many other core capoeira techniques, rasteira was developed within Angolan martial art engolo.
Capoeira sweeps can be done from crouching, standing, front, back, and fall positions.
Japanese terms for sweeps and reaps
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 足払い | ashibarai | ashibarai; foot sweep |
| 払い腰 | haraigoshi | harai goshi (judo); sweeping hip throw |
| 出足払い | deashibarai | advancing foot sweep |
| 蹴手繰り | ketaguri | pulling inside ankle sweep |
| 小内刈り | kouchigari | kouchigari (judo); minor inner reap |
| 双手刈り | morotegari | morote gari (judo takedown); two-hand reap |
| 大外刈り | oosotogari | osotogari (judo); major outer reap |
| 大内刈り | oouchigari | ouchigari (judo); major inner reap |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q122704958 (CC0); text quoted from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.