I'm not actually a dominant, but I'll answer anyway. Your friend is probably Old School. Back in the day, in order to get to the people who had skills and information, you kinda had to prove your seriousness in wanting to learn. There was no Internet. The leather community didn't let in every Tom, Dick, or Harry who professed a desire to be involved. You had to play by their rules if you wanted to join the club, and it was not uncommon for a wannabe top to have to serve an experienced top. In this way, you learned what it felt like to be whipped, experienced what it is to yield, learned about protocol, and eventually got trained in techniques. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who still follows this philosophy, but it actually isn't a bad idea. In this day and age, literally anyone who pays admission to a dungeon can walk in with a toy and immediately declare themselves whatever they wish and find someone to play with. I should know because I've done it myself. I've had no shortage of men willing to let me practice on them with no guidance whatsoever and no shortage of inexperienced tops wanting to beat my ass. It's sad, really. Luckily, I've made friends with a pro domme, so if I really want to learn something and she's available, I can ask her.