Mestre Bimba was born the 23rd of November of 1899 "1900", in the suburb called Engenho Velho das Brotas in Salvador de Bahia. Son of Luis Candido Machado, famous bahian Batuque champion and Maria Martinhs do Bomfin.
Hi got his nickname after a bet between his mother and the midwife, during her pregnacy, Mrs. Maria was convinced that she would deliver a girl, the midwife was sure that it would be a boy. At the moment of delivery, the midwife cried Bimba, the popular name given to the masculine sexual organ in Bahia.

His initiation in Capoeira took place at the Estrada das Boias, today called Liberty Quarter, in Salvador. He learned with Bentinho, an african who was captain at the Navigation Company of Bahia, who style was Capoeira Angola. For over ten years, Bimba teached Angola. In 1932 he founded the first academy specialized in Capoeira. At a time when it was still prohibited and repressed.

At the Engenho Velho de Brotas he started developing his own style. In 1937, hi registered his academy as Centro de Cultura Fisica Regional (Center for Regional Physical Culture). In 1938 he teached for three years at the Preparation Center for Army Reserve Officials.

The army methods influenced Bimba's teaching of Capoeira Regional. The strong excersices, rigid dicipline and ambushes in the jungle were tipical military practices.

Bimba opened his second academy in 1942, at the Terreiro de Jesus. Thanks to its great efficency, his teaching method would be considered to be the most practical and perfect, it crossed over frontiers and became known worldwide. Many well known personalities of the High Bahian Society were students of Mestre Bimba.

He went to São Paulo in 1949 with some of his students to confront catch athletes at the Pacaembu Gym. The Capoeiristas won by knock-out.

With the desire to divulge Capoeira, he started traveling around Brazil giving presentations.

Through some of the many political personalities who became interested in Capoeira, Mestre Bimba arrived in 1953 to the Government´s Palace, in the term of Juracy Magalhães.

Gaining the respect and admiration of the maximal authority of the state, the way opened to a presentation for the President of the Republic, Getúlio Vargas.

This presentation for Vargas became a fundamental step for the development of the african culture in Brazil. The President legalized Capoeira and recognized it as National Brazilian Sport, after that he oficialized it through the Education Ministry.

Mestre Bimba´s last presentation took place in 1973 at the Architecture Faculty Auditorium of the UFBA, just before his voluntary "exile" to Goias.

In 1973 Mestre Bimba says good bye to Salvador and leaves for Goiânia. He dies the 5th of February of 1974 at the Clinic Hospital of the University of Goiânia, after a brain stroke. All academies in Bahia were closed for seven days as a tribute to the Mestre.

Mestre Bimba used a teaching method with a strong pedagogic control: with specific assigments, evaluations, scheduled classes and rodas in specific days, immatriculation books, flyers, payment control. Hanging on a wall was a frame with the diciplinary steps to be followed:

1. Stop smoking. Smoking is prohibited during the traning.

2. Stop drinking. The consumme of alcohol impairs muscle control.

3.Never show your progresses to friends outside the capoeira. Don't forget that surprise is the best way to win a fight.

4. Don't talk during the training. You are paying for the time in the academy, learn by observing the others.

5.Always do the ginga.

6. The fundamental excersices are to be practice daily.

7. Don't be afraid to get near your opponent. The nearer you get the more you'll learn.

8. Stay relax.

9. It is better to "get bump" in the roda in the academy as out in the streets.

Mestre Bimba was also very strict when it came to training-schedules and absences.