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[Decoy of Fenris]

52. Okinawan Goju Ryu. Also, a brief reading error on your part.

No, we didn't learn Kata only for a year, but we learned Kata, only, for a year. Our White-belt training period was close to three years long, consisting of several grades of dan leading up to graduation to Purple belt.

And aye, we didn't start sparring for a year and a half after start, roughly. Even then, it was not full combat: It was with full padding and no contact was permitted. Only once we graduated to second-degree purple belt were we allowed to begin true kumate, but we were still expected to exercise extreme caution and restraint.

The only time we started fighting "For realsies" was almost a decade later, during our brown-belt test; it was simple, with only a few rules: No sweeps, no breaks, fight until you can't fight any more.


Also, keep in mind that goju-ryu has very few throws; we're a strictly strike-based combat system, blending strikes with control of hostile movement in pertinence to our own bodies.