Training Buddy Problems!

so here is the short and skinny...
One of my two training buddies has been getting frustrated with the ass beatings I've been handing out with multiple different characters. As a result of this, he had demolished two controllers, spiking them on the ground repeatedly until they are broken.
The problem here is that, I don't want to lose a training partner, but also I don't want to have to dumb down my game and throw fights to keep playing, I want us both to get better and level up off each-others' game. My other training buddy is not so great, so if i lose this one my ability to level up will be pretty much shot.