New talent: Most people measure the worth of a training program on the basis of the best people in the room. I prefer to assess it on the time it takes new people in the room to make progress towards the level expressed by the best people in the room. Nick Ortiz is a very talented Puerto Rican grappler who has been working with us in NYC and now in Puerto Rico. Last weekend he competed in a local show in Boston after helping me film a new instructional video there. Look at the relaxed poise of his leg lock game as he expresses the fundamental squad leg lock themes of targeting both legs, switching from form of ashi garami leg control to another to compensate for an opponents defensive movement (switching from one leg to another, from front side to backside back to front side finish and from inside foot position to outside to counter an opponents defensive turn), culminating in a fine 50/50 finish on the inside shoulder. Well done Nick Ortiz!
