One of my favorite quotes (it’s actually from an ancient text) is: Iron Sharpens Iron. Those tough battles with your favorite training partners make you a better fighter.

But a leather strap will also sharpen iron. A stone wheel will also sharpen iron. The reality is, many things can sharpen an ax.

Value your lower ranked and less experienced training partners. They too, can sharpen your game.

If you’re an experienced grappler and you’re not getting better when you roll with less experienced people…that’s on you.

Just like you have to learn how to use a leather strap to sharpen an ax; you have to learn how to roll with less experienced training partners so that both their game, and yours, improves.

Joe