It takes a lot to do something on your own. Shared experiences are strong, and it’s easy to for a singular night of watching TV, playing a videogame, or reading a book. A lot of those nights could easily replaced by social outings, hanging with friends, or chilling with family.

Absolutely no one likes homework, but the complainers don’t realize that the power of the learning comes from it. It’s what most leaders know they have to do to get better, get to the next level, get to apex of their sport, industry, or field. The works happens at home alone, then it brought out to the world.

Capoeira is the same thing, except it has a lot of those elements that need that individual time. We all know we could sing more songs, play a little longer, pick up that pandeiro even though we don’t know how to play it well for a long period of time. These are the moments when a little extra work, after hours, can add value to the academy your in.

Instructors will tell you that you need to come to class, and that a lot of the learning will happen there ,but that’s untrue. The learning doesn’t happen in a room full of 20 people. It happens when an idea is brought you, you take the time to digest, and finally, it’s processed, providing nutrients to your body and mind.

You wouldn’t know what a folha seca if mestre didn’t tell you, but he can only watch you do it for so long. There’s only so much time in the day, and he has class, and errands, and other responsibilities. You’re going to have to work on it on your own (and safely.)

Teachers don’t force you to learn, because that’s not what teaching is. Teaching is providing tools to have your path, a machete to cut through weeds of doubt and uncertain, pointing in the right direction of where the goal is, creating a way to get there. If we could just hand you a skill, we would. Things would wonderful and the world would eliminate doubt.

Until then, there’s practice, so suck it up and do your homework.