Scorpion kick
Kick from an inverted position in capoeira
In capoeira, escorpião (scorpion), originally known as rabo de arraia (stingray tail), is a distinct inverted kick over the head, resembling the stingray's or scorpion strike.
Rabo-de-arraia with both legs is one of the most dangerous capoeira technique, both for the person who executes it and for the one who receives it. If executed properly, it can have fatal consequences for the opponent. Capoeiristas rarely use this move today, except as a last resort, as it goes against one of the basic principles of capoeira: to always avoid close combat. The kick was successfully used in a famous match against jujutsu champion in 1909.
Rabo de arraia is very old capoeira technique, which was very popular in capoeira carioca and capoeira Angola. The same technique is found in African martial art engolo, the ancestral art of capoeira.
The position is similar to the scorpion pose in yoga, but in capoeira it primarily serves as a kick.
Other Capoeira kicks
Japanese terms for kicks
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 回し蹴り | mawashigeri | roundhouse kick; turning kick |
| 飛び蹴り | tobigeri | dropkick; flying kick |
| ハイキック | haikikku | high kick |
| マルテーロ | maruteero | martelo; roundhouse kick in capoeira |
| ネリチャギ | nerichagi | axe kick; ax kick |
| かかと落とし | kakatootoshi | axe kick; ax kick |
| ケイシャーダ | keishaada | queixada (capoeira kick at the opponent's jaw); outward crescent kick |
| サイドキック | saidokikku | side kick |
| 後ろ回し蹴り | ushiromawashigeri | spin kick |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q122332872 (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.