The Most Important Training

[KakaR0T]

This is a matter of opinion but what do you think is the most important training that Goku went through?
Training with Master Roshi, Training on his own in the woods, Training with Korin, Training with Mr. Popo and Kami, Training with King Kai, Training under 100G, etc...

I think that the most important training that Goku went through was his training with Mr. Popo. It was there that he truly learned that there will always be somebody stronger no matter tough you think you are. Plus the fact that he learned about sensing ki was also extremely important.

I wonder was Mr. Popo physically stronger than Goku when they fought? or was it just Popo's knowledge of sensing ki and not make unnecessary moves enough to give him the advantage?

Also, how awesome was his stick routine? Is there really an optical illusion like that?

[Savage68]

Kaio's training was obviously the most beneficial and long-lasting in Goku's life.

He increased his power more than any of Goku's other teachers, taught him the Kaio-ken and even the Genki Dama. The GD turned out to be crucial in a number of battles, including the final one.

[Kaboom]

I can't decide between either the above, or his year in the Room of Spirit and Time with Gohan. Mastering Super Saiyan just brought things up to a whole 'nother level.

[Cipher]

While Kaio's training may have given Goku techniques that served him to the end, Kami's training was the turning point between merely being incredibly strong, and being super human.

It's where he picked up every ability and way of mind that would be come essential for the series. It's where he first learned super sonic movement, advanced ki control, and the foundation for bukujutsu. He also spent three of his most formative years doing nothing but said training.

[Gaffer Tape]

I agree that the Kami/Popo (or maybe just Popo as Kami admits he didn't have much of a real hand in Goku's training in the heavenly realm) training was the most beneficial for all the reasons Cipher listed. For the sensing of ki alone, you might say it was the most important.

Still, Karin gets props for giving Goku not one but TWO separate bouts of powering up at two different points in the story. Granted, the latter was just a magical insta-upgrade. But the former... you have to give credit for improving Goku's skill that much in just THREE DAYS!!!

[Bussani]

I think that the most important training that Goku went through was his training with Mr. Popo. It was there that he truly learned that there will always be somebody stronger no matter tough you think you are. Plus the fact that he learned about sensing ki was also extremely important.

I'd agree with this. Goku changes quite a lot from his training with Popo and Kami, gaining a sort of calmness which sticks with him for the rest of the story. He also learns to fight efficiently, and we can see this way of thinking appear again; for example, when he's conserving power while fighting the Ginyu Force, or how he quickly realizes the drawbacks of the 2nd and 3rd grade forms and decides to take a different path.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Yeah, Goku's training with Kami and Mr. Popo was easily the most useful to him.

[the_abberration]

Most definitely his training with Gohan in the ROSAT.

Up until this point, Goku was not really around at an age that Gohan could benefit from. Since the beginning of DBZ he rarely got much time to spent with his dad to actually bond until then.

Gohan gets kidnapped by Raditz, Goku dies saving him. Gohan gets his first real fighting training and mentoring from his father's enemy. Goku comes back to life, Gohan leaves for another planet. Goku comes to save him and gets lost in space. Even during the three years, Gohan probably had to split his time training with Piccolo and school. In the ROSAT (at least in the anime) we get a glimpse of what was missed between the two.

Up until then, Goku has either been a student or his own master. Here, he has to actually "grow up" in the ROSAT. He realizes that his son is capable of surpassing him. Yet he still wants to coddle him, until Gohan tells him he can't. He has to take the role of father, teacher, and in a way son to Gohan during this time.

Gohan (at this point) has to learn his father's fighting style. He has to learn how to access the abilities of his race with SSJ. He also has to get his father to stop treating him like a child, not hold back, and hurt him so he can become a better fighter. Essentially, it is through this training that they are truly able to bond as father and son.

[KakaR0T]

^^ That seems to be the most important training that Gohan went through but not Goku.

[the_abberration]

^^ That seems to be the most important training that Gohan went through but not Goku.

It was just as important to Goku. We see Goku always focusing on the battlefield and training to increase his powers but until that moment Goku doesn't get to bond with him. In the amine (versus the manga), we see that through this training that Goku has finally grown into a real father, mentor, and master.

This training was also important to Goku, because he had to admit (at that moment), he had reached his limitations. There was someone stronger than him and he could not save the day. For someone like Goku, that probably was a hard pill to swallow. But he accepts it and moves on. Whereas in the past, he would focus on trying to increase his own power, he sees that it is time to let the next generation (so to speak) take over.

[Kiyza]

(or maybe just Popo as Kami admits he didn't have much of a real hand in Goku's training in the heavenly realm)

I actually don't think that's stated anywhere in the manga. There was a filler scene where Kami mentions that though, but I'd assume it probably just builds off of the filler between Piccolo Daimao and the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai.

[Gaffer Tape]

No, I'm fairly sure that is in the manga. The scene where Goku and Shen talk right before the Shen/Ma Junior fight is indeed in the manga, and the information is relevant. The whole reason Kami came to compete was because he didn't think that Goku had the power or the courage to kill Piccolo, which Kami admits he's not entirely sure on because he's not aware of how strong Goku is because he left most of his training to Popo.

[TriforceCaptre]

Most important of all was his training with Grandpa Gohan since if he hadn't trained Goku's body to be hard as steel our young hero would've wound up with a bullet in his head and we'd be treated to an awfully short manga .

[Godo]

Most important of all was his training with Grandpa Gohan since if he hadn't trained Goku's body to be hard as steel our young hero would've wound up with a bullet in his head and we'd be treated to an awfully short manga .

This.

He was shot in the head by Bulma and Lunch, and later he got an axe to his head.
Very important training indeed.

[Ex-Dubbie369]

I'd have to say his training in the After Life post-Cell. Sure, even in filler we see ridiculously little of this time period, but Goku attains 2 SSJ levels during this time. I'd have to give him big props for that.

[Rory]

I gotta agree with the majority here and say his training with God/Kami. This was basically a transition for Goku from one character to another. He comes out of this training much more serious and focused. Though the still has his childish charms from before, Goku seems to have seriously gone through some personality changes. He seems more calm and confident before the start of a match, instead of having that gormless teeth bearing grin he used to have (not that I didn't love it).
Sure he learns all his new fancy tricks, but this is the training that matured Goku (as much as he can be matured).

[Vegeta Jr]

No one has mentioned it so here goes:

His training in space after defeating Freeza. He had become accustomed to transforming at will and he was also taught the most important technique from that point forward; Instantaneous Movement.

Think about it, without it; Piccolo and Tenshinhan would have died against Cell, they would never have found a replacement for Kami thus no Dragon Balls, Cell would have blown up the Earth and so on and so forth.

This also spurred Vegeta on and allowed him to transform to. This came in handy because Vegeta saves his life against 19.

[Dayspring]

Most important of all was his training with Grandpa Gohan since if he hadn't trained Goku's body to be hard as steel our young hero would've wound up with a bullet in his head and we'd be treated to an awfully short manga .

This.

He was shot in the head by Bulma and Lunch, and later he got an axe to his head.
Very important training indeed.

I'm with you guys. Without Grandpa Gohan's training, Goku may possibly have died on his own after Gohan was gone, without ever meeting Bulma in the first place.

[Vegeta Jr]

If a lone baby Saiyan can take over a planet on it's own, then I don't see how Grandpa Gohan's training was even neccesary. I'm sure the bullet would have bounced off regardless.

[Piccolo Daimao]

If a lone baby Saiyan can take over a planet on it's own, then I don't see how Grandpa Gohan's training was even neccesary. I'm sure the bullet would have bounced off regardless.

Plus, Goku as a baby survived falling down a gorge (or whatever it was).