BJJ is a better style than Goju-Ryu

The last few days I've been asking Supergroup lots of questions about her training and art. It's been making me really think if BJJ is better than Goju-Ryu or any style in that matter. On internet forums, one can run across many people saying that their style is better. I've always thought that one style isn't better than the next until now. I'm really questioning the practicality of kata or even bunkai for that matter. We never went up against full resisting opponents and tried to use our techniques on them. Of course, some of them you can't do. However, it still good to try to use them every time we learn them. What's good about learning stances??? They don't help when fighting.

All I know is that BJJ has taught me how to control a person when they go full out on me. We haven't really practiced striking and taking hits; but we didn't to that in my old dojo either. I know how to defend myself on the ground for the most part. I don't really know if I could have defended myself just with striking. Again, I'll all about how I can use my art in real life. I know that kata and bunkai teaches one how to move properly. However, it doesn't make sense not to learn how to use it when sparring. My old Sensei didn't require sparring as part of his curriculum.

Roberto says that BJJ is better than any other style out there. I kind of agree with him. I'm going to ask him about kata on Monday to see what he thinks about them. I know that getting good instructors is a very necessary part of the equation too. However, I know that Sensei Villa is a very good instructor for Goju-Ryu because he's pretty high in IOGKF. I know that he was or still is in the running for the top instructor in the United States. I know he's a much better instructor than Sensei Chinen. Sensei Chinen said that he was teaching self defense, but I knew I couldn't defend myself worth crap. Sensei Villa was much better about doing that. Again, I just wish that we sparred, did takedowns, and grappled more. I know that if one doesn't care if one can defend him or herself, it doesn't matter what style they choose. However, isn't that what's martial arts all about? One can do lots of damage to another if one wants to.

Hey, Guess What??? I did a little research about my old Sensei. I found out that Sensei Higaonna named Sensei Gene Villa as the Chief Instructor of the IOGKF-USA in May. However, he's not going to take over until January 2010. I'm happy because he's been wanting this position. Plus, he thought the current instructor was not a nice fellow.

I think it would be cool to fight in the cage. I would have get much better first at BJJ and striking. My body would have to be conditioned to have the correct responses when punched and kicked really hard, especially in the face. I don't know how my stand up would fair because I have bad balance, coordination, and reflexes. I know that one the ground, I don't have to worry about them so much. I know that at my old dojo, Ana, a black belt, fought inside the ring. I remember seeing her punches had lots of power behind them.

Class was OK today. I'm just sad that there won't be any BJJ on Friday or Saturday because I'm going camping with my ward's Relief Society for an Enrichment Activity. I'm totally excited about going camping. There's not going to be class on Friday anyways because everyone is going to watch Chuck fight. There's not going be class on Saturday at BYU because the club is going to the tournament at Throwdown. So, I'm just going to have BJJ twice this week which makes me sad. Oh well.

Anyways, when class first started, I got frustrated when training with Pinky. When working with him, I bent my big toe too far back when he took me down. I couldn't stop from falling either. It hurt. Now, it's sore when I walk on and bend it, so I iced it when writing this. Then, I bruised my shin when landing on him. That really hurt. So, I became a little upset because I was hurting. Then, I got a little more frustrated because it wasn't working when shooting towards Pinky's back. He kept on trapping me with a guillotine. Then, we worked on takedowns which Pinky was keeping always doing this takedown which I don't know how to defend. I didn't get any takedowns with him. So, I just got even more frustrated. My mood became much better when we drilled on chokes during the next class.

I learned how to defend from an armbar from someone's guard today. I put my hand's on his back, have my elbows on the inside of his thighs, and my head down on their stomach. I drilled that with Pinky; however, he got my head up by driving his elbow in my head. However, it worked with a new guy that I sparred with named William. I did pretty well against him. I remember Roberto telling him that I'm tough and Mark agreeing. I don't know if he went hard on me. He got me into this arm lock from side mount. I had no clue how to get out of it. I don't know if he was holding back from finishing the move either. Roberto taught me how to escape it by throwing my legs over his head.

After class, I heard Dan asking if Will could test for his blue belt when the time came. I found out that Roberto tests every six months. I couldn't believe it. I'm really used to my old dojo that tested every month. Well, maybe I can skip a belt in six months to green. I don't know though because I need to drastically improve. Well, I'm trying. After class, Dan said that it's important to be relaxed and slow and quick at the right moments. If we not, we fail. That makes sense. I just need to learn what are those right moments.