Thanks for the replies.
I've been checking out some of the match videos and wasn't really clear on what to look for besides stealing combos so general answers helps a lot.
http://minus.com/lSI7R4QIzZkOLThis is pretty much how my practice sessions go. I like to divide a combo into parts before building up the whole thing and then trying it out on the cpu to see how consistently I can land it.
I have some difficulty obtaining match experience as I am unable to wean my buddies off their respective games and my internet connection is unstable. A bunch of them play Tekken exclusively and get frustrated by 2d fighting mechanics or get easily intimidated when they see a better player. The other bunch plays SF4 and is more open to different fighting games although they prefer a slower pace.