Again I am reminded of why it pays to train on days and at times when I've got plenty of time to spare.
Almost an hour after class, Prof Rodrigo is talking with a couple of folks about some of the techniques he and others are working on. He makes the point that I've heard him and other black belts make before: you can learn more about what is really working and what guys are really counting on by watching tournaments more than instructional videos.
This time, though, Rodrigo goes beyond that to talk about how he watches tournament footage.
The idea was to watch the whole tournament through. Beginning to end. See the whole thing first before you decide what to pay attention to.
Then go back and start focusing on the sweep or the pass or submission or takedown that really caught your eye, that made sense to you and looked like something you'd be able to add to your game.
Sometimes others will catch on. Rodrigo talked about seeing one move show up a few months later in Graciemag - a move that had been a big deal in a tournament earlier in the season. That's where you start experimenting with the move, really taking it apart and getting to know it from the ground up.
The main point is that out of an entire tournament, you may only find two moves that you are (a) really interested in, (b) can truly fit into your game after practicing and drilling.
But those two moves are likely to be pretty potent moves. As Prof Rodrigo said, "Now I use it on everybody."
