Justification by Anecdote

There was an IBJJF where I decided I was going to hit an uchi-mata. I dead drilled it after class. I performed it cleanly during the belt test. The head instructor gave me his secret tips.

During the competition I was able to take multiple shots at uchi-mata, and was countered every time. Improvements in my form did not translate to getting takedowns (it did contribute to being taken down).

During the pandemic I started training at home with friends. I stopped trying to do throws and started locking out into a Shrimp or a Bridge while trying to put weight on my partner (lab partners described it as kind of a zombie shuffle). Over time this has developed into being able to hit small trips on my peers.

3 years practicing uchi-mata led to getting countered and thrown.

3 years of practicing leaning on people like an idiot led to hitting destabilizing trips.