I started cold here on Guitar Tricks about 6 months ago with the 'how to hold the guitar' lesson. I found that I looked down and turned the guitar up so I could see. This make fretting properly difficult. Anyway, I've noticed that the better I get, faster chord changes, etc etc. that my position and hold of the guitar is changing. I don't turn the guitar upwards anymore, because I'm finally getting able to change chords without really eyeballing it or thinking overtly about it. That's for songs that I know, for new songs, I turn the fretboard upwards again till I memorize the patterns. I've also tightened/shortened the strap so that my left hand no long supports the weight of the guitar at all. I found that I was doing that without knowing it, and it was slowing down my fretting hand etc.

Anyway, my point is, that the better you get, the more your hold will change to a position that will help you fret faster and cleaner, etc. I love being able to look away or even close my eyes and still go through an entire chord progression without screwing it up :)

GG