Last week I made a split decision to roll, at least 1 time in every class, with the toughest blue belt in the class. The guy is a beast. He can tear through any other blue belt and in earnest I have not rolled as often with guys who are as explosive during sparring. But in class last week I had a sense of 'If you can't beat them - join them' (or else it was an inner question I asked myself  "How will you really be respected if you don't roll with the toughest guys?') and I made eye contact and asked for a roll with our resident phenom.

As soon as we started rolling he did things that shocked me (like when I was in his guard and trying to grab his lapel - and he simply held my arm sleeve with 1 hand and stopped my arm from moving ANYWHERE...which I found amusing and scary at the same time)...even when he wanted me to try to do a technique it is like learning from a Tasmanian devil. Much more aggressive. I play defensive BJJ. So this is a huge difference.

I really respect his game. During rolling he actually 'encourages' you verbally when he starts to get the advantage to make you push a little more. I thanked him after rolling and asked him if I could train with him every class. I know he is the top of the heap for my weight and class so I think the only way I will start to be able to work my game with a guy like this is to learn from him. It's that old story where you hear a prizefighter goes to the camp of the fighter who beat the crap out of him last fight so that he could learn what he is missing.

There is no reason in the world to be afraid to learn. Your academy, as our Youngest members of our competition team have said (watch), is a safe learning environment so take advantage of that.

* I would like to note I had just finished reading 'A Fighter's Heart' by Sam Sheridan (buy at Chapters Indigo) so that would likely have been the reason I did this. I'm recommending reading this to anyone who wishes to discover more about what makes 'real fighters' (which I do not consider myself..)