My personal point of view about Budo is that it  is a continue research to find the better techniques or the better way of training, and I always liked to study hard it.
After receiving in 2004 my blue belt in  Brazilian Jiujitsu by Royce Gracie, and in one week-end, after I submitted all the other blue belts at the seminar, I started to study more in depth this art, under the direction of Alexandre “Batatinha” Vasconcelos, leader of the Gracie Barra organization in Italy.
BJJ is not too much different from the Judo that Kaicho studied for many years, but the transition from one position to an other is more fluid, and Brazilian fighters and competitors seem to introduce every year new ideas in ground-fighting.
Friday 27 of March, after 14 hours of airplane, finally I landed in Rio de Janeiro.
Despite all the wonderful images of the “carioca” town that we are used to watch on books and videos, Rio de Janeiro shows immediately his dark side.
The car never stopped at the stops or when the red light of the traffic-light is on,  and , after some moments of panic, the driver told me that it would be dangerous to do it, due to the armed attacks at the cars by the criminals!
Most part of my training took place in the Gracie Barra Academy in Barra de Tijuca.
The dojo is on the last floor of the By-fit Academy, and the stairs and the smell of sweat remembered me the Honbu in Ikebukuro!
I was enough fortunate (although at the first time it seemd more Unfortunate to me) to be able to train with many of the strongest Brazilian fighters, including the leader of the academy: Jefferson Moura, 2 times world champion in heavyweight division, Gustavo Ximu, one of the strongest shoot-boxer in Brazil (www.gustavoximu.com), Lucio “Lagarto”Rodrigues, one of the strongest fighter in -99 kg. in the world, and many others.
But who reallt impressed me for his superior techniques and budo attitude was Master Carlos Maia, one of the finest technician trained by Carlos Gracie Jr. (for his impressive resumee go to: www.carlosmaiabjj.com).
Carlos really played with many of the black belts of the academy, and submitted them in few moments every time.
I trained from 4 to 6 hours every day, and, despite the heath and the difficulty to train with the competitors, who train like professional, I did a good impression on them.
Ground fights are 10 minutes each, and in one class you spend  ¾ of the time in fighting.
The level of the techniques is very high, and it needs a good condition to complete a class with 30°.
I used often my judo skills and what Kaicho explains to us at each seminars, his use of the centre of body to press the opponent and his way of using the kata-gatame is unique!
I explained to them who Kaicho is and what is Kyokushin Budokai, and Master Carlos Maia showed a great example of good manner by inviting me in his dojo to explain to his students the particularity of our style.
After 12 days it was time to pack, put my dirty kimonos inside, go home and wash them!

Osu

Andrea Stoppa