Fitness trends come and go, and while it’s easy to latch onto the newest craze, sometimes history is the best educator. For hundreds of years, the people of Brazil have been practicing the martial art form know as Capoeira, an acrobatic series of fluid movements that incorporate dance and sparring techniques. In the last decade, Capoeira has made a resurgence in popular culture and has made its way into the fitness scene. Not only is Capoeira beautiful to watch and fun to do, but it also has amazing effects on the physical body and mind.

Just ask Brett Hoebel, celebrity trainer and lifestyle coach in New York City—and the go-to guy for health-minded supermodels and actors for more than a decade. After traveling all over Brazil and training in various techniques, he found that conditioning benefits of Capoeira were too good to not include in his own program. Home in Manhattan at the eponymous Hoebel Fitness, he crafted fitnessBrasil, a series of classes drawing inspiration Capoeira, yoga and kickboxing. A typical workout includes Capoeira sequences, kicks, jabs and other aggression-busting moves, stretching and strengthening. This unique routine targets core muscles, hones balance, increases flexibility and also, and maybe most importantly enhances mental clarity—helpful in New York City.