"Come now, you have to watch that footwork!" Roshi declared as he walked over to Goku, stopping his and Tien's sparring match. Piccolo had gone off to practice the Special Beam Cannon, trying to figure out ways to power it up far quicker as apparently the move needed 5 minutes to charge ("Five minutes? Fighting isn't like pleasing a woman, Piccolo! Ya don't get a lot of time ta do it! Heheheh!") and that wasn't suitable for any real fight, let alone against someone as quick as Raditz. "I watched that fight thanks ta Isco and I saw how Raditz likes ta keep ta the ground! That means ya have ta remember your footwork, Goku!" He lightly smacked Goku's shin; not enough to hurt him but just enough to make him wise up and move his leg in the direction that Roshi wanted. "Ya have spent too much time fightin' in the sky or hoverin'… ya have ta remember fighting on some solid earth."
Goku, as always, took his scolding with good humor. Honestly that was what made him such a wonderful student. No one would ever claim that Goku was the smartest man in the world but Goku took instruction VERY well. Never became upset, never yelled or complained. He might be confused by suggestions but he'd ASK why he had to do something a certain way and then he'd try it out. No back talk, no sass. Even Gohan, the man and not the little boy, had sassed Roshi a few times during his training. Goku though took everything in stride.
It was why Roshi loved teaching him.
"Right, sorry Master Roshi!" Goku said with a laugh. "Sometimes I forget that while its good to be able to move up or down to get out of a tricky spot I still need to remember my balance!"
"Exactly!" Roshi declared, ambling back over to the 'sidelines'. He had drawn out a large square and was having the two keep themselves within the boundaries, just like as the World Martial Arts Tournament. While there would be nothing like that when it came to battling Raditz it did force both fighters to be aware of where they were and to economize their movements.
"So Gohan," Chichi said from where the two sat, watching Goku train, "why do you think Master Roshi is so concerned with footwork?"
The little boy tilted his head. "Because he might trip and fall?"
"Yes but that's not all," Chichi stated. Chichi had decided that today would be about fundamental learning, something Roshi fully endorsed. Too many fighters thought all they had to do was bulk up their muscles and they would be ready for a fight. They might be ABLE to fight… but win? That was a different story. So Chichi and Gohan were seated on the grass, watching as Tien and Goku began to go at each other again. "Footwork allows you to set up attacks, to better defend, and to force the battle to go the way you want."
"What do you mean?" Gohan asked.
"Look at Tien," she told him. "See how he has an even broader torso and wider shoulders than your father?"
"Yeah!" Gohan proclaimed. "He makes daddy look skinny!"
"Hey!" Goku complained even as he and Tien traded punches and kicks. "I'm not skinny!"
"Compared to Tien you are!" Chiaotzu called out with a laugh.
"Come on!" Goku whined. "That's not fair guys! I'm really strong!"
"Yeah," Tien said with a smirk, "for a skinny guy."
"Guys!" Goku complained but soon he and Tien began to spar once more.
Chichi turned back to Gohan. "Tien is more muscular than your father but that means he has to be even more careful about his footwork. Because that makes him top heavy." She gestured at Chiaotzu. "And Chiaotzu is smaller so that means that his center of gravity is more balanced."
"Center of… gravity?" Gohan asked, mulling over the words.
"That's right!" Chiaotzu declared. "It is all about weight! That's why when me and Tien spar I'm able to keep up with him despite him being so much bigger than me. I know if I hit him in the right spot he could go down."
"Oh!" Gohan said, delighted to have finally caught on to what everyone was getting at.
"Plus it saves energy to stay on the ground," Chichi stated. "Your father can fight far longer on the ground than he can in the air. Its like how you can walk far longer than you can run."
"You're really smart, mommy!" Gohan declared, causing Chichi to blush.
"Oh, I don't know about that…"
Goku though spoke up. "But Gohan is right! You and Bulma are the two smartest people I know! I would have had so much trouble if I didn't have them around! That's why its real important you listen to them when they tell you something."
"Goku…" Chichi said softly, blushing at his compliment.
And then crying out when Tien managed to leg sweep him, causing Goku to go slamming down hard into the packed down dirt.
"Daddy!" Gohan cried out as Goku groaned, rubbing the back of his head even as Chichi rushed over to him.
"Goku, are you okay?"
"Heheh, I'm fine!" Goku said but from the way his words were slurring it was clear he wasn't right as rain. "I've taken harder hits than that…" He stared at her, blinking. "Whoa… there are two of you?" He reached out and Chichi leaned back so he didn't poke her in the eye. "Wow Chichi, when did you learn the multi-form technique."
"Heh, so much for people sayin' Goku has a thick skull!" Roshi laughed.
"That is not funny!" Chichi roared, darting into Master Roshi's general direction, making him shiver with fear as she approached, looming over the expert martial artist. "My husband has a head injury and you think this is a grand joke?"
"Daddy?" Gohan said worriedly and Chiaotzu floated over to comfort the boy, allowing him to feel a bit of ease even as he stared at his father in confusion.
"Don't worry Gohan," Goku said, shaking his head (which in everyone's opinion would only make the damage worse). "I'm… I'm fine. All I need is a senzu bean and I'll be back to training-"
"Oh no you don't!" Chichi said firmly, moving away from Master Roshi, who sighed in relief, and approaching her husband. "We aren't going to be using any senzu beans on this unless we absolutely need too!"
That caused Goku to blink in surprise. "But… but Chichi…"
"The senzu beans can heal up any wound or injury, yes," she said, cutting him off, "but they shouldn't be used for minor aches and pains."
"But my head really hurts!" Goku whined before looking at Gohan and grimacing. "Uh… but not really, Gohan! Its fine. Heheh-ow."
Master Roshi rolled his eyes at that.
"Goku," Chichi replied firmly, "the senzu beans are for if there is an emergency. I know how you are… as it gets closer to Raditz returning you are going to push yourself even harder. And that means you are more likely to hurt yourself."
"Right," Goku said, confused. "And I'll just use a senzu bean."
"And what will you do if you wasted all the senzu beans on smaller injuries that just needed you to rest?"
"Uh… well, I'll get more!"
Master Rohsi though frowned. "Didn't Kayos say that Korin wasn't for sure when the next batch of Senzu beans would be ready?" It actually wasn't a question; the film maker had directly warned them all of that which is why he'd ended up giving the beans to Chichi to keep safe; while Goku might have been willing to try and sneak in and steal them from Kayos he wouldn't risk angering his wire and thus the beans were safest with Chichi.