LOL, Darren. Maybe I should watch the Tae Bo tapes, so I can shed a few pounds. While I'm at it, I should also be watching some classic kung fu flicks so I can fly around and kick some butt!
Anyways, everything I learned from a tape didn't work all that well until I understood the basic principles of grappling. I worked real hard on basic survival skills so I wouldn't be tapping out all day (I'm still waiting for those to kick in), but I've always looked for an opening to try something that I saw on a tape. I used a guard pass that I learned from the Gracie tapes, and a Marco Ruas tape. They only worked against the guys at my skill level (almost nothing), and I was in danger of a serious triangle every time I tried the gracie one. I have passed the guard succesfully a few times using them, and I've never given up the triangle, but I was caught in an armbar using the Marco Ruas one against someone who actually has skills (I also took a heel to the forehead when I hit the mat face-down tapping
).
I like trying crazy stuff that I see in tapes every once and a while, but the stuff that works the best for me is the stuff that I learn while I'm there, or the stuff from other styles I do like chin na (joint locks from kung fu) and Tai Chi (helps me to relax so I don't use so much effort fighting my way out of submissions, but it's harder to apply on the ground). I'll always be sneaking in moves from tapes, but I'll rely on my real world partners to develop my skills.