New Years Resolutions

My old master would give me a drill, I called it the GPS drill, where we would ask ourselves three main questions:

1) Where am I now?

2) Where do I want to go?

3) How do I get there?

I always ask these questions, but the thoughts are much deeper when it comes to the new years time. Tomorrow is the last day of 2011 and all I can say is GOOD RIDDANCE! I am so happy this year will be over. I had such a terrible year personally. I want to kiss it good bye! I am welcoming 2012 with open arms and ready to enter a new era! There will be a lot of great things happening and a lot of great new beginnings, which means new adventures.

I am moving out on January 1st, and this I am really excited for. With that comes a lot of new goals for me to taking control and responsibility to other aspects of my life. As far as business goes I have a lot of great goals and new programs I will be doing in the new year for martial arts purposes, fitness purposes, and healing purposes. I will be teaching Tang Soo Do forms and Shotokan Karate forms, along with new weapons curriculum, and I am hoping to learn and be able to teach Songham Taewondo style forms. In fitness I may be incorporaing p90x and insanity workouts in new classes, and I may be able to help people with their personal goals through other means. All good things!

My training is going to be a big one. New routines, new schedule, new curriculum for myself, a lot of mentor time with the five mentors. I have Professor Lisa Sargese who has mapped out a completely, well balanced and well rounded mental training curriculum which she has set forth for me toward my mastership. Master Peter Bardatsos has me sparring again, competing again, and giving me the opportunity to transform my sparring to advanced level to elite level! Master Samuel DeJesus will be teaching me different arts of self-defense and giving me the ability to learn arts such as Hapkido and Krav Maga. Charlene will be making sure I am keeping good care f my body and pushing my fitness levels to master trainer level, and Master Kevin Balon will make sure my technique and goals will be met by the time he gives me his test in June.

I am going to take control of my sleeping and eating habits once again this year to be a better me. I am going to not only work and train but find some "me" time and do things that make me happy like taking pictures, watching movies, making day-cations to the city once in a while and things like that. I am going to complete some personal projects like my books for example! Make some good progress with that! I am going to continue competing, and coaching in Taekwondo. 

Bottom line, I am going to bring myself to the next level of my life with the beginning of a new era. I have wonderful mentors, fantastic friends, and a supportive family. And on top of all that, I have drive. I have ambition. I have Qi! This is what is going to make this year different and better beyond all others! This is going to be my year. I intend to seeing that through. This is my master year! 2012, look out, Trento is coming!

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO

Show Off Pet Peeve

"A skilled man does not show off, but a man without knowledge usually show off."
-Annonymous

I have a really BIG pet peeve and I have never talked about it before. And as such, a situation presented itself and my entire blog post came to mind! Have you ever walked through life and you run into people who are sometimes conceited, maybe overconfident, full of themselves, maybe even act as if they know EVERYTHING in the book, and they not only tell you, but SHOW you. And they show off, because they absolutely do know exactly what they are boasting about.

Those people, believe it or not, DO NOT bother me. if you're proud of what you know about or can do, then strut it, I don't care. Be proud, the lesson of humility will find you when you are ready for it. But there are also people who say they know and can do things and really cannot, which I find to be obnoxious, but still I have great compassion for those people and hopefully one day, if those people really want to do or know whatever it is they say they can, it will become true for them! Again, the lesson of humility will find them when the time is right. Maybe even when they finally accomplish what they want.

But no, those people do not bother me either. What DOES bother me, and has been a HUGE pet peeve of mine is when someone does something extremely well, and other people around them either cannot do what the other person can or cannot do it as well. And when those people see the other person doing something GREAT, they call them a SHOWOFF because they aren't doing it as well. I absolutely (what's a better word for in place of hate?) utterly DISLIKE.

Yesterday I was training three of my Black Belts for a level test they are taking together next month in January. As you know, one of my Black Belts is Robert Lisciandrello. He is testing also and has been doing a lot of training with me since end of the summer. To be blunt, he is the most prepared for this test. He makes no mistakes doing the forms, has them all memorized, knows all the historical general knowledge required, and spars aggressively and forcefully as Olympic sparrers should. And when he did all that was expected of him, he was called a SHOW OFF.

I know the others were kidding, but it REALLY bother me. It bothered me more so because it led to a reference point, quite a few actually, when I was going up the ranks. When I was a colored belt, I took my martial arts training very seriously and trained very hard, and even then held these very high expectations for myself. I made it my business to know everything I had to and to be able to perform exactly how it needed to be performed. And when I was in class with other people and friends, they would call me a show off. I would get so angry. I never let them know it bothered me, but it annoyed the hell out of me so much!

So I am a show off because I do what is expected of me? I am a show off because I do things correctly and the right way? I am a show off because I put extra time and effort into my training? I am a show off because I work really hard? I am a showoff because I always do my best and it shows? But at that time I kept my mouth shut. And I dealt with that for the entire ten years I trained under my old master.

So when Robert was called a show off yesterday, I couldn't help but open my mouth for him, because I knew (like me) he wouldn't have said anything. And if it didn't bother him, I didn't care. I do not want any of my students, let alone Black Belts, to call someone a show off just because they do EXACTLY what is expected of them and puts he time and effort into their training to meet the expectations and goes above them. That is what a Black blt is supposed to do. Not JUST meet the requirements, but go above and beyond.

And that goes for any other activity, project or sport. If you know or CAN do something, be humble about it and let actions speak for themselves. But if you're a bystander, do not call them show offs, acknowledge it with encouragement and/or praise. And the best praise is to follow suit if you must! We can all learn by watching. I always did my best going up through the ranks and as an instructor to lead by EXAMPLE and show how you should train or perform, or teach, or live life etc. And I follow what my mentors can do. As Robert does. He trains with me, watches me, and has even watched me with my mentors and then HE follows suit, and it made him better.

By calling someone a show off, even in jest, you promote an energy that does not align you with your goals, but away from them. Be proud for those who can accomplish, not jest in their achievements!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

Why Texting is Damaging

I know I am told by many people that I am an old soul. However, be as it may I am for the most part up and about with the times. I got a cell phone when I was 16 and it was months before I learned how to text anyone. AT the time, not many people would text and I would only text one person (Kristin). Then my next phone had NO text. Then I had to get a cell phone for my college which HAD texting but limited minutes, then I got another cell phone, again no texting.

What I liked about not having text was that my friends were forced to actually call my phone in order to talk to me. Then I switched to Verizon a few years ago, which most of my family and friends had and calling Verizon to Verizon was free minutes. But I got unlimited texting. Ta Da! I was up with the times!

But I was the guy who would use proper punctuation and grammar rules when texting. I capitalized proper nouns, used commas and question marks, apostrophes, etc. I also knew the correct there, their, and they're to use, and I would type out I'm instead of im. But then I would get lazy with the rest and quick texts like ur, im, 4, w/o, btw, etc.

Do you know how many people actually write those things out in essays in school? They look so stupid! Now I am not saying I am smarter than anyone else, but even I remember my first through fifth grade teachers teaching me proper punctuation and such. But grammar usage is not the most damaging thing in texting. There are greater dangers that as I get older, I see more and more and it is absolutely ridiculous.

A few months ago, I had a conversation with Kristin. I was training her for her Black Belt test and I don't know how we got into the topic of texting. But we are both afraid to bring children into this world, because we know so many people who have absolutely NO social skills because of texting. It has become a point in this world that PEOPLE, not only kids, but PEOPLE don't know how to even talk to other people unless they can text or instant message their thoughts. They don't know how to express themselves either. And the ones who DO know how ot express themselves, still cannot speak verbally important things unless it is via text.

Isn't that sad? And it must be a great pet peeve of mine. I also think texting had made people become RUDE> I had a friend that when he was with me and my other friends, we could be watching a movie or eating dinner, he was having a full fledge conversation texting, not partaking with us. WHY BOTHER being with us then? When I am with someone, I want to be in YOUR company, and that's that. I found it rude to be texting.

Granted, there are times where it has it's uses, and God only knows I have also succumbed to then temptations of it. But I'd leave my phone in another room or something unless I had a feeling it was important. And if it is not, I don't answer right away. But some people take it as the highest insult if they don't get a response! As if you called them an obscene word or something. It's absolutely ridiculous!

I had a golden rule with all my friends that if I had something important or deep I wanted to talk them about, it would not be instant message or text, I would do it face to face, MAYBE even on the phone. But I did that because even as a young teenager, I understood how emotions get misinterpreted or people read the way THEY want to read it, and not in the way it was intended. When I see adults do this, I do ballistic! Where is the maturity we were once taught when we were younger? Is it becoming extinct? Because of texting?

Like I said, I text, I do it a lot. Sometimes it's my one way of talking to certain people. And it could be stupid stuff back and forth. But for the most part, if I am with someone else, it's away. Or I will check and unless it is urgent, will I respond. If it's important or urgent, or even deep, I save those conversations for a verbal conversation spoken in person or maybe the phone. And when someone texts ME something, I do my best to not to take it personal or serious. We read things the way we want to hear them usually, and though sometimes we may be right in the interpretation, or if we are wrong in the interpretation, if we don't know, get over it and have it verbally! It's the mature thing to do.

If we are to live in a world that cannot socialize with each other unless a computer screen of some kind is in front of us, or cannot properly write because we are pushed to being lazy, putting the most thought we have in a text quickly, or can only approach topics with other people by pressing buttons with our thumbs, then I don't know if I really want to be a part of it. Don't be lazy, don't be rude, don't take things personally. Time to grow up and be HUMAN.

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

The Christmas Memories Book

My Aunt Lisa had this red Christmas Memories book that for 20 years, she would have everyone on Christmas eve and/or day write in. People would write a little memory from that day of the year, or a message to my Aunt Lisa, or just a basic merry Christmas wish. I loved writing in her book every year and it was fun to go back to the older years from when I was born or a baby, or even the years BEFORE I was born.

In the book would be my great grandparents handwriting and great-great aunts' handwriting and messages from my Uncle Bob, who passed away, and it was like going back through time. And the people who were no longer with us, they're spirit in Christmas was still alive, and their voices were heard from the past. And I also liked seeing all the cousins and siblings first Christmas's and so on, and how ever year we did the fish dinner, and what friends joined us for what year etc.

When Aunt Lisa finished her 20 years in the book, she bought me my OWN Christmas Memories book. So she covered the first 20 years, i got the second 20. So I have been doing this since 2006. I go back and laugh seeing my cousin Elliot's first Christmas as a baby, and my cousin David who is now 7, how he knows how to write now, and aunts and friends who were with us some years, and people writing memories that we would forget like when it felt like summer one year, or it snowed one year, or how Nonna Olegna gave heavy duty massage on year, or how cousin Anthony had played piano for us one year, it was a time capsule for sure.

So once again, it was that time again to bring the book out! It is always fun to hand it around and have people write in it, and read from past years. I can only imagine when we get half way through it. I cannot believe this is the sixth year I've done this book already! How time flies. Always treasure your Christmas traditions and hold onto the good memories! Merry Christmas!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

The Fish Dinner

I am the fifth generation to do my mother's family Christmas Eve fish dinner. It started many moons ago with my great-great grandmother, Maria Paladino, in Italy, and then passed down to her children (she had like 10 children). The youngest of her children was my great-grandmother, Yolanda, who married Norwegian Tonnesson.

My great-grandmother cooked this dinner with her children as well and was at the helm of the kitchen. And then when her daughter, my Grandma Yolanda, had her own house and five children, great-grandma continued cooking the dinner at her house. All the uncles would come and help, clean the fish, great-grandma Tonnesson would boss everyone around. But you felt the great Christmas tradition and spirit.

Preparing the shrimp scampi

Making the anchovy sauce for the pasta

 When my grandmother and great-grandmother cooked the dinner, my mother and aunts and uncles would also end up helping make the dinner for Christmas eve. So growing up, watching this dinner being made, and knwing a little of the tradition, a few years ago, I wanted in! As you know by now, I am very big on traditions. And I would LOVE to carry out this tradition as well. SO I have always made sure the last maybe five years to be a part of making this fish dinner, and this year my eight year old cousin Samantha even joined in on helping!

Before great-grandma Tonnesson passed away, my Aunt Lisa sat down with her and wrote down all the recipes and my grandmother typed them up and gave it to all her children. Now I have my own copy as well! 
The Italian tradition is a seven fish dinner, but sometimes we do a little more sometimes. We did the seafood salad with calamri, then we cut up the shrimp and breaded them and all for shrimp scampi.The rest of the shrimp we coke for the shrimp cocktail. Aunt Lisa and I worked on the alege sauce, or anchovy sauce we put over pasta. On Christmas eve we have to add eight ounces of water. The bacala (codfish) needed to soak more so will be done the day of the dinner, and so will the clams.

But my most favorite and most time consuming dish are the muscles. The sauce we put over the muscles is DYNAMITE! And we make at least 30 pounds of it. And we also make a whole tray for us the night we cook the fish BEFORE Christmas eve! Always a tradition.

We steamed them, Samantha and I broke off the extra shell, we poured the sauce and cheese, and our mouths just watered. And of course a side of linguini, the spaghetti or for Christmas eve. True Italians! This dinner is made at MY mother's house now. So Grandma was over, my mother obviously, my Aunt Lisa, our long time family friend Sue always comes to hep with this dinner, Aunt Jeannette came when we finished LOL, and then a few cousins came for wine and dinner. It's always so nice to have everyone together to make this dinner and I know my great-great grandmother and great-grandmother must be thrilled!

There is going to be soooooooo much food! But if there is one thing I always know we'll have, it's our Christmas fish dinner. And I hope my own children will want to continue this tradition as well. 

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO

White Christmas

My favorite Christmas SONG is not my favorite Christmas carol. Just clarifying that in case it comes up later on, LOL! Grandma Cyn's favorite song is WHITE CHRISTMAS. She sings it all year round, come to think of it. She sings it at every opportune moment as well. But I also have a little tradition that goes along with this song.

When I was in the sixth grade, I had a teacher named Mrs. Campbell. She is an excellent teacher, very motivating, and I loved being in her class. She LOVED math, loves to read, and had a great way of connecting with her students. For the holidays, the elementary school I was in had began a School Sing Along tradition. It was the first year the school did this. They had the entire school sing several traditional carols and songs, but White Christmas was NOT one of them!

Mrs. Campbell heard me say White Christmas should have been a priority and agreed! So what did we do? Me, another teacher named Mrs. Martin (a very good friend of Mrs. Campbell's), and Mrs. Campbell sang at the top of our lungs White Christmas for the entire auditorium to hear. It was silly, and funny, but we enjoyed it and said it wouldn't be Christmas without singing that song! Well the next day it snowed!

I graduated elementary school that year, and when I was in middle school the following year, before Christmas break, I returned to Mrs. Campbell's and the three of us sang White Christmas again! Well before you knew it, it became a tradition that every year on the last day of school before break, after I graduated elementary school, middle school, and even high school, I continued to go back to sing White Christmas with Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Martin.

So what did I do today? I planned my entire day around going back to sing White Christmas for the eleventh year in a row. The kids sometimes even sing along with us, or just find it hilarious to see these three adults arm and arm singing White Christmas at the top of our lungs. And this year we all had sore throats. But it never matters because we do not break tradition. And I must say, it always feels like a white Christmas when I go back to sing in Mrs. Campbell's classroom.

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

Reconditioning Habits

"The victory means a lot to me. I won a bronze at the Beijing Olympic games and I have trained very hard to this day. I made history in Taekwondo and I am proud of being part of the history."

-Steven Lopez, 3x Olympic medalist in Taekwondo

The Olympic games had Taekwondo as a demonstration sport in the 1988 Games, 1992 games, and I think 1996 Games. It wasn't until the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games did Taekwondo become an Olympic sport. Absolutely amazing. I remember the year, and it was a BIG deal. And the first and only medalist for the USA was Steven Lopez. He won the gold in 2000 Sydney Games, and then again in the 2004 Athens Games, and then a bronze in 2008 Beijing Games. 

I used to know the exact steps to what one athlete would have to do in order to qualify for the Olympic Games, and a few of my adult students asked me in tonight's class. I answered as best I could and from memory, knowing the sport and rules always change. Wasn't too sure of the process. I knew a lot of team trials were important. And there were like eight phases one would have to accomplish. This is a little vague but it's the best I can do for now.

Tonight I returned to my mentor, Peter Bardatsos's, school to work with Steven Lin. Master Bardatsos asked me at Saturday's seminar if I would come in to help Steven in preparation to what I thought was the U.S Open tournament in Las Vegas in February. But it is actually for the US Team Trials in January where he will be fighting in the seventh phase of the Olympic process. If he continues on to the eight (to my meek understanding) he will be able to go to the Olympic Games. 

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is all I can say. WOW! WOW WOW WOW! And I get to spar with him? Once again, I begin to feel unworthy to partner with him, but I shook it off fast and got even more excited to feel as if I was a part of this future Olympian's journey. There were two other kids working out as well, but Steven and I were partners for the entire class. I wore three hogus (chest protectors) as I trained with him. I was literally the kicking dummy. I got to kick too, but it really helps me to watch Steven and allow him to kick me and get used to getting kicked again. Like I said, it's been sooooo long since I've done this Olympic sparring training.

I was there to help Steven, and I really want to be of help. And I hope I am. But the truth is, I feel Steven is being more help to me then I am to him. I said flat out to both Master Bardatsos and Steven, "Inadequate is how I feel." And watching some of the things Master Bardatsos is teaching us from stretches to kicking drills, they were a lot of stuff my old master taught me. Then of course it dawned on me, DUH, Master Bardatsos had trained my master before, actually tested my old master for his 4th Degree Black Belt. But there were a lot of things he didn't teach me in sparring, and didn't prepare me for. He made me a phenomenal martial artists, with values and technique, and a student to progress solo. But not in sparring and that is where I get frustrated.

Master Bardatsos told me, "It's just creating new habits. Making it a habit, so you don't have to think about it." And of course, my mentor is right. Just create the new habits. Recondition myself properly. I am testing for 4th Degree Black Belt in June. I want elite level sparring, as a master should have. And it helps to have Steven Lin, who is an AWESOME partner. It's great to make the drills real, keep me on my toes, give me pointers, communicates with me, and I know if I keep this training up, I WILL improve. He really is helping me. I just hope I can and am helping him as much. I am really proud of him. I don't think he realizes, I think of him as royalty when it comes to sparring. 

My friend George Valentino reminded me the other day, "You are very hard on yourself." True. But I have standards and expectations that need to be met. Big goals, and I need to be patient. Conditioning needs a boost, technique and range of motion need a boost. My legs are tiring out. And thank GOD for the oils. Panaway took away all the bruises, Peace and Calming relaxed me, and Lavender kept me at ease as well. Add a little Qi and we have some powerful stuff. I remember when I didn't train and when I began to train again I felt like "Did I really do this to myself?" And then months later I was in the best shape of my life ever. I kinda feel ths way now with sparring. "Did I really do this to myself?" But I will get there! I know I will.

Reconditioning habits. There are a lot of habits in my life I will be reconditioning, but it's all for a greater good, and a common good. But if there is one thing I can say about tonight's workout: God do I miss sparring! 

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO

Greatest Strength

"Sometimes your greatest weakness can become your greatest strength."

-Anonymous

I heard this story a long time ago. I must have JUST received my Black Belt and I have been telling the story ever since.

Sometimes your greatest weakness can become your greatest strength! Once there was a young boy of the age of ten who had lost his right arm in a very bad car accident. He always wanted to do a martial art ad walked into a Judo, hesitant that he would be shunned away and told he couldn't participate due to having his disability. But the sensei said having no right arm would make no difference in his Judo training. So the ten year old's parents signed him up and he began training in Judo.

After two months, the boy was only taught one move and was told to practice it over and over and over. He asked the sensei when he could learn something new, but the sensei said "You are to keep practicing this move and get it just right before you move any further!" So the young boy accepted this answer and did so.

After a few more weeks, the sensei signed the ten year old boy up for his first tournament. The young boy was petrified because all he knew was the one Judo move! Bu the sensei seemed confident in him and the young boy went on competing. He won his first match with such ease. The young boy was shocked! And o was everybody else. How was this young boy who had only one arm, winning all these matches. Well the young boy did so well he made it all the way to the final match!

The opponent was a HUGE person, three time the boy's weight and height. The referee almost called the match, but the boy's sensei said "NO! The boy WILL fight!" The referee obliged and the boy was the finish the final match. The boy was intimidated and scared of this HUGE opponent who obviously has been doing this much longer, and he knew much more. All the boy knew was ONE move? How could he possibly win?

Well when the opponent came at him, the boy used his one move and threw the opponent out of the ring, winning the tournament! The boy was shocked! And he went home with the huge first place trophy. As we walked out with his sensei, he HAD to ask him. He just HAD to!

"Sensei, how is that I won the tournament? How could I possibly have won, only knowing one move?" The sensei considered his question for a moment and then answered. "You won for two reasons. The first reason is that you have mastered one of the most difficult techniques in all of Judo. It is very difficult to grasp and your training and practicing it over and over again has served you well."

"What was the second reason?" asked the boy. "The second reason," replied the sensei, "is that the only counter to this move is if you grab the right arm." The boy's greatest weakness had become his greatest strength!

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO

Rose Fagan Cookies

Today I went down the shore to my grandmother's house to bake some Christmas cookies. Grandma has already done butter cookies and chocolate chip cookies and today we did a cookie where we rolled out dough and cut into very very thin squares and folded them over a little prune butter. But there is one cookie that has been my all time favorite Christmas cookie that I really wanted to bake this year and I have never done them before. So today we made Rose Fagan Cookies!

I know. You are wondering "What the heck are Rose Fagan Cookies?" Let me explain. Roe Fagan was a woman. Rose worked with my great-great Aunt Regina in the kitchens of Felician College MANY years ago. Side note: I met my great-great aunts who lived to be in their nineties and late eighties. Rose Fagan made these cookies with a particular dough she made and smeared melted chocolate on top and sprinkled finely crushed nuts over them. My Aunt Regina (Ridge we would call her) LOVED them and asked for her recipe.

I do not know when Rose Fagan passed away, it may have been mid 1980s, perhaps even early 1990s, but I never met her. And when she died, Aunt Ridge never got the name of the cookie. She only had the recipe of how to make them and that is it. So we always called the cookies "Rose Fagan Cookies" as a tribute to it's creator. And the recipe has been in the family for YEARS. Aunt Ridge died in 2004 at the age of 94 and we still make Rose Fagan cookies.

Who knows where the Fagan family is today, but they have no idea how we think of their ancestor every Christmas when we make these cookies. So today, at my grandmothers house, she took out THE ORIGINAL hand written recipe Rose Fagan had given Great-great Aunt Ridge. To me, this paper that was no bigger than five inches high, three inches wide, was GOLD to me. I got to make the entire cookie, minus the nuts because I have a cousin who is deathly allergic to them.

Yes, it was like a spiritual experience for me. I know it may seem silly for others, but this traditional cookie, channeling Rose Fagan and my Aunt Ridge while playing Christmas music was such an awesome ritual to be a part of for our Christmas.

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

Inadequacy at its Best

INADEQUATE: Not feeling competent or being insufficient; lacking

Today I was at my sparring mentor's school in Little Falls, Master Bardatsos. He was holding a seminar for about 4 hours today. I registered and went alone. I didn't have any of my own Black Belts available to come and when I got there, I noticed there were a lot of younger kids there. At first I thought I signed up for a seminar that was geared toward the younger crowd and felt stupid. Not that I wouldn't have still trained with them and worked hard, I absolutely would have.

It's been four years since I've done real Olympic Taekwondo sparring. I'm not saying I didn't train for four years, but this level of Taekwondo sparring, and to actually spar is a big change for me. The conditioning I once had has been lost and is being found. And most of my 15 years of training I never had people to consistently spar. The one constant I had was the bag, but the bag never kicked back nor moved. How much training can I get from this bag!? But it's always there for me!

So I know I needed to spar, and in my mind's eye I was thinking of the best I knew and needed to get better in my sparring. Master Bardatsos keeps telling me there is only one way to keep getting better. Keep sparring and go to every competition and practice practice practice! So a few minutes later who do I see but the cream of the crop of the Invictus Team: Steven Lin, Eleni Lianos, and Simone (her last name escapes me). That's when I knew I was in for a damn good sparring session.

I stood in the front next to these three. I felt unworthy to be standing next to this sparring royalty. Steven is a phenomenal fighter and I aspire to have his sparring ability. Simone is fantastic and Eleni, who took a three year break, is still kicking like the champion she is. I can just watch these three and be in awe of what they can do. We did a long time of sparring plyometric warmups. And as I kept up with them, I only had one word keep flashing in my head: Inadequate. That is how I felt the entire time. Compared to these guys, I felt so inadequate.

I did not feel I coordinated enough, I did not feel flexible enough, I didn't feel my range of motion was anywhere near these three champions, and although I kept up good intensity and worked hard, I couldn't get the word "inadequate" out of my head. It was flashing in a big red light in my head. But I am a hard worker, this doesn't come naturally to me anyway, so I could enjoy the challenge.

After stretching we did paddle drills. I was in the line with the royal champions and Master Bardatsos held for us. The brand new targets were being destroyed by these kicks they were throwing. Ease and powerful, once again the flashing sign of INADEQUATE came into focus in my head. But that is okay, every day in every way I am getting better and better (affirmation to be used).

We then put our hogus (chest protectors) on for drills and partnered up. I was partnered with Steven. I was thrilled to have him as a partner. At the same time, inadequate. I did not feel worthy, I didn't want to affect his training because I was inadequate. I even ran to my car and put on some Valor oil and the original Warrior Blend oil Lisa made for me for the Garden State Cup, to get me focused. Years ago when I would go to Queens once in a while to spar at Bardatsos Taekwondo, I remember the elite fighters wouldn't even bother with the sparring students who were not "up to par" and was so afraid Steven would feel that way with me.

But if Steven did feel that way, I didn't know it because he was such an AWESOME partner to work with. And I am not used to having awesome sparring partners. I mean hardcore, sparring partner. Going up the ranks, most people did NOT like sparring and I was also taught a lot of things wrong. I was very tense as a sparrer, because I did not spar a lot other than in competitions, and being that tense fighter was conditioned into me. However, I'm not like that when I spar my Black Belts. But then again, I hold back A LOT when I spar my Black Belts. I feel that is also conditioned me to not let go and be so cautious in my sparring because of that. I never had "Steven Lin" partners.

Steven called me out right away "You are so hyperactive, you need to relax!" Story of my life -____- he has no idea. But as far as sparring goes, yes, RELAX. Been that way since I was 13. Master Bardatsos tells me patience. Okay. God only knows I will be if I must. I'll get frustrated in the meantime, but patient I will be. I asked Steven what he thinks I should do to relax more. "Motions follows emotion, and emotions follow motion." A true Black Belt answer! JUST what I needed to hear. He hit it right on the head.

The other thing was I haven't done hogu drills in YEARS. I am going back like maybe 3 or 4 years ago, when I was with my old master at my old school. years before I even left there. Who did I have to do hogu drills with? And I remember why I began working on my ab muscles when I was 13 years old and on in the first place. PHEW! Steven Lin kick to the stomach reminded me A LOT. I LOVED it. And I know he was holding back too. I loved every minute of it. He encouraged me to throw the kicks as if I were going for the point to make it more real for him, and he did the same for me. He really was a lot of help. But I still couldn't shake the word "inadequate" out of my head. 

 

Here I am doing these hogu drills and I am getting kicked (loving each one) and in awe of Steven's fluency, wondering if I'll ever get to that point. UH OH! IF? IF? How about, WHEN will I get to that point? Well this is the time to pick up my game. 2012 is going to be explosive for me. 

 

I couldn't express to Steven how grateful I was for his encouragement and help. He asked me to come by more often to train. Well I plan on it in January to be doing just that. PLAN? PLAN? Once again, I have to be aware of the things I say. I WILL be doing just that in January and on. 

 

Oh! I forgot to mention something. Steven, Eleni, and Simone along with a few other students are training for an international competition coming up, the U.S Open (on my long term list). So of course I WOULD choose to go to the seminar that they all come out for to get ready for this international tournament. You know they are going to be working hard and on their game! Watching Simone and Eleni was epic! These girls mean business and watching these new styles of sparring was like waking up and receiving presents on Christmas morning. And then after several hogu drills, I got to spar Steven again for two 2 minute rounds. I felt I held my own, but my hyperactivity did me in. I got VERY tired. I probably would not have been so tired if I did what Steven and Master Bardatsos and Matser DeGeorge kept telling me: RELAX. 

Being that tense really takes a lot out of you and you end up wasting energy. And my legs actually got so heavy that when I wanted to kick, the knee wouldn't even go up. Master DeGeorge asked me if I do enough cardio and if I want to get to this elite level of sparring to pick it up. If he only knew the steps I am taking to "coming back to life." I did three more sparring matches before the seminar was up. I didn't do too bad, and I noticed my hearing has improved because I was able to hear Master Bardatsos's comments as well as Master DeGeorge's comments. Applying in the moment, well I'm getting there.

At the end of the seminar, Master Bardatsos said I worked hard and was intense. But you got it, RELAX. Big lesson. Then, before I left he asked me if I wouldn't mind coming in a few times before next year to come in to work with Steven. He's getting ready for U.S Open and needs to work on some more body shots. Sooooo be Steven Lin's practice dummy? Nothing would make me happier! I thanked Steven too for being patient with me and helping me get better, but he said "You're going to help me get better too." I don't know if he was saying it to be nice, or if he really meant it. But it was very nice to hear that from an awesome champ like him.

When I got home I had a few bruises which I LOVE seeing as my medals of honor. LOL! It's been so long. I took out my Panaway Oil and applied it onto the bruises and almost instantly those spots became very hot, meaning it was healing. It is amazing what good Qi and healing oils together can do.

So feeling inadequate. That is why I have to keep doing this. Any fears I have of my sparring and the work I need to put in to overcome those inadequate feelings, that is EXACTLY why I need to continue doing this. And there's nothing greater than working with the best of the best.

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

Remember the Names

I remember almost every student I ever taught. Don't believe me? That is okay. I would probably find it unbelievable too. I have taught hundreds, maybe even thousands of people over the years of all ages. And I always prided myself in two things: I remember each one, because as I taught them I made it my business to know who they were. And two, I remembered their names first time I taught them. Once I knew their names, that was it, your face has been engraved in my mind.

I know many instructors and masters who know their students by a number and nothing more. And if they DO know the students' names then it is because they have been there long enough to get a belt high ran enough to remember your name! But I made it my business to know the person's name and something about them. Their likes, dislikes, school life, weaknesses, strong points, fears, motivation, etc.

Kristin and I did that when we taught together. We took these kids on as if they were our own. Technically, they were ours. At my grand opening, I had students who I haven't taught for years show up to support the opening of TMAFC, and many were afraid I would not remember who they were, even if they grew up a little. Well I remembered each one of their names and they were in awe that I did. I impressed the parents and my friends too. But that is because I invested in all my students.

Last week, a former student from five years ago walked in front of my school and when his mother saw me, they walked in. They walked in to say hello, and right away I remember the boy's name. "Hello Raymond!" he couldn't believe after all these years I remembered his name! I also remembered his sister's name, who was not there, from years ago. When he walked in so shy and quiet, when I called him by his name, his whole demeanor changed. He was talking and confident. I don't know what it is, but knowing someone's name shows you care about someone, I guess. And young Raymond felt that.

It's funny because when I run into old students like this, and there are MANY, my current Black Belts, like Robert, Samantha, Andrew, Frankie, and Erin all have so many things they remember about me. Stupid jokes or mannerisms, sayings, and stories of me of how I would teach. And Robert and Sam exclaim "You've been using those same jokes since I was a white belt!" But the truth is, there are students before their time, after their time, and more students who will come who will never meet perhaps, but will all have the same stories and remember the same things about Mr. Trento. I hope they remember my name, just as I remembered theirs.

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

The Alumni Sing

Me singing with the alumni at the SBHS Holiday Concert tonight

I loved high school. And I always go back for any reason I can think of. Yes, I am weird to the "normal" student of high school. Most people run away from it, even if they do miss it a little. But I always return to visit my teachers and principals and for school events. I really loved my old schools. And as most know me, traditions are very important in my life. They bring continuity and great emotion to my life.

My entire family went to Saddle Brook High School, as I did, and I even had MANY teachers my parents and aunts and uncles had. My grandfather even worked with many, and my grandmother went to school with a few. These teachers became family to us. But the most special to my family was Mr. Broadhurst. He was the former choral director of the school and began a tradition at all the Christmas concerts. The last three songs were always Carol of the Bells, Do You Hear What I Hear?, and the Hallelujah Chorus. And he would invite any alumni in the audience to come up and sing.

My mother and aunts and uncles always did. The current director, and one of my favorite teachers, Cindy Verost, continues this tradition when she took the post after he retired. When I was in the choir, I always looked forward to singing with my family and friends who would come back that graduated. After I graduated, I continue to go. It means a lot to me. It's one of the few things I look forward to doing every year, and every time I do, I know it is Christmas time. And it brings me great joy, almost tears to my eyes. I do love it that much.

Some people may find it silly, but it is almost like a spiritual experience for me. Mrs. Verost is a phenomenal teacher. I always would pretend to be madly in love with her and annoy the hell out of her during high school (and after I graduated =P) but she truly had an impact on me as well. A lot of my own teaching style and mannerisms come from her, and she really knew her stuff. She is sharp, educated, and knows how to relate and create great rapport with her students, while still maintaining professionalism and control, which in return she gets a great deal of respect.

I always admire how she never tried to be Mr. Broadhurst. Although she learned a great deal from him I am sure, she was herself and that's what kept the magic alive in that school. It is always a privilege to sing under her direction. This is my fifth concert as an alumnus to sing with her, and it never gets old. HOWEVER, one BIG boo boo all the alumni complained about-- she did Carol of the Bells earlier in the concert and left it out for the alumni. She won't make that mistake again next year >=/ .

I went through a lot this year, and I almost didn't go to this concert. So it was an even bigger deal for me to go. I didn't allow negative experiences this year take away from me doing the things that make me happy. This concert being one of them. It was fun to joke around with Mrs.Verost and have her snub me and act all rude toward me for the giggles. She does a fantastic job with the choral program and I hope she continues to do so for a few more years to come. I know she is thinking retirement in near future, I just hope not TOO NEAR of the future.

So yes, I will be there again next year. As long as I am an alumnus and the alumni gather as they do every year, I will continue to do the SBHS Alumni Sing! And I know Mr. Broadhurst is looking down frmo the angel's choir, smiling and being so proud! Well done Mrs. Verost! (BOWS)

Me singing with the SBHS alumni

Cindy Verost directing the alumni sing of the 2011 Holiday Concert at SBHS

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

Rising After the Fall

"Sometimes we are forced into directions we ought to have found for ourselves. To serve people takes dignity and intelligence. But remember they are only people with money. We are to serve them, but we are not their servants. What we do does not define who we are. What defines us is how we rise after falling."

-Maid in Manhattan, 2002

A few weeks ago, the 2002 movie Maid in Manhattan was on, I got to watch the ending of it. I have seen it before, quite a few times actually, but you know when you see something and it doesn't mean anything to you, than you see it at a later time in your life and something pops up at you? Well the above quote was just that for me. I identified with it, and it meant something now, that it didn't mean years ago.

"Sometimes we are forced into directions we ought to have found for ourselves." That is an understatement. Almost all of us go through life, missing the chances and opportunities that dance right in front of our faces, and yet once we notice they are gone, we mope about it and miss the NEW chances in front of our face. But each choice of where we look lies a new lesson for us. It gives us experience, which is what we get when we don't get what we want (Randy Pausch said that). Sometimes we have events in our lives that seem like the end of the world for us, and then we realize they were the best things that ever happened to us. We don't allow ourselves to see what could possibly come out of it.

"To serve people takes dignity and intelligence. But remember they are only people with money. We are to serve them but we are not their servants." I was taught about servant leadership when I was 16, turning 17 years old at the end of my junior year of high school. It changed my life in a very big way. This was also before I learned the law of attraction. To do for other people and not expect anything in return, and reap the spiritual benefits that come with it, are twice as rewarding because they come out of LOVE, the greatest power on this planet. Cliche? Maybe. But a real truth of our world.

But not to forget, the people whom we serve are only people. In business as well, they are only people. Masters we come across, they are only people. Family members we have, are still only people. To serve because it is the right thing to do. To serve out of respect. To serve as a sign of praise. To serve for unselfish reasons. Whatever the case, you are to serve the people you come in contact with but you are not their servants, not enslaved to do one's bidding. 

It always goes back to the power of intentions. Wayne Dyer wrote a book on intentions, and it was yet another reoccurring theme I found in my life. No matter what actions we take, if the intentions are positive and good, good things follow, no need to worry. If your intentions are ill and negative, be aware and make a new choice. That doesn't mean we don't do the wrong things for the right reasons, they are still wrong, but easily forgivable when you know the intentions are earnest.

"What we do does not define who we are. What defines us is how we rise after falling."AMEN! AMEN AMEN AMEN! That's all I have to say to that. It brings me back to my old favorite saying from the 2005 movie Batman when Alfred asks Bruce Wayne "Why do we fall, Master Bruce?" and he answers "SO we can learn to pick ourselves up!" 

We cannot fear failure, or mistakes. We cannot allow doubt and uncertainty to limit us and keep us in the same stuck place. Get through it or do something about it. It is not what we can do, but what we choose that really shows who you are. And one of the golden rules is take of of yourself, or you will unable to take care of anyone else. And don't let the failures and mistakes you do make affect you in the way of moping and wining, remaining in misery. Rise! Raise yourself up above all the challenges! Raise yourself up above all the uncertainty! Raise yourself up above all the fear!

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO

Follow Your Calling Against Ego

"I would say that the best way to begin to figure out who you are really meant to be is to ask the universe, God, that question. God, how can I be used in service to myself first and how can I then use that service to serve the world. Use your life to serve the world and you will find that it serves you.One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they think they have to paid a lot of money or get paid anything to honor their calling. You must honor your calling whether you are paid for it or not. When you honor it the calling in your life, it feeds everything else into your life. It makes everything better for you."

-Oprah Winfrey

I was over Kristin's house with my god-dogger Sadie and the TV was on. Most people who know me, I do not watch television. But I was flipping through the channels and what do I run into but the OWN channel, which stands for Oprah Winfrey Network. O.M.G.

A show was on called Oprah's Lifeclass. I LOVED the show. Apparently, it is like a show where Oprah gives these life lessons that she has learned form her experiences of life and people who have touched her that she has met through her 25 years on her talk show, etc. I had the opportunity to watch two episodes and the first episode was on Listening to your Life's Calling, and the second episode was about the False Power of Ego. Two awesome topics!

In the episode of following your calling, people just BEING WHO THEY ARE brings great joy and happiness, like Lady Gaga, not afraid to express or share her joy in what she does. Many people love her for the messages he sends out of being true to yourself and setting yourself free. Oprah says that following your calling sets you free and good things follow.

I know Oprah Winfrey's story pretty well. She was a news reporter and was miserable for years. She stayed in the job and her father pushed her to stay even though she was happy. She was 22, making $22,000 a year and her father kept saying "Where else are you gonna make that kind of money at your age?" and blah blah blah. She was also pretending to be someone she was not. She always tells the story how she pretended to be Barbara Walters. It wasn't until she decided to be a better OPRAH than a better Barbara did life fall into place.

Years ago when I learned to teach, I was trying so hard to be my master. i did the same thing as Oprah. Once I chose to be a better ME than a better version of my master, I excelled in my teaching and in my training. All good things followed, and continued to follow. When she was taken off the 6:00 news, Oprah said t was the best thing that ever happened to her, although at the time it seemed like the world was coming down on her. The same with me, best thing that ever happened to me was me getting fired, and at the time I thought the world was ending. Well if Oprah wasn't taken off the 6:00 news, she would never have had the opportunity to have her own talk show and now today she owns an entire network! And she made a living BEING HERSELF. If I was never fired, I never would have began my own martial arts school, and I be myself everyday!

I remember watching an interview with Oprah saying she would ask God to use her. She didn't know how, but just "USE ME" she would pray. Well God and spirit worked together and brought her to television where she was used to do more than just talk, but she inspired and helped millions of people in ways you could not even imagine. God has used me through martial arts to do similar works, and I am only in the beginning to what I can really be doing. She said we are all beacons of light for one another, use your life to serve the world."

Oprah talked in the second episode how she thought her weight and her identification of her form was an attachment of what kind of person she was. Ego can be deceptive and an impostor imposing on the real you and making you think you are something you really are not. She told the audience to close their eyes an see the thoughts you are having, and see that silence when you are observing your thoughts, that is your TRUE self looking in on your ego self. "Understanding the ego is having the awareness of your true self and ego self." 

Often what holds us back and keeps us from being who we really are meant o be is our ego. it can block our success, our view of our selves, and what we can do in this world. We cannot have ego take us away or distract us from finding our calling in life. I learned a lot about ego from Master DeJesus, one of my mentors, and I think there really is a lesson in knowing TRUE SELF and EGO. But he truth will set us free. Truth on situations, truth of ourselves, and the sense of who we are in situations with ourselves and with others can help keep our focus and broaden our lives in finding our calling and to live fully and faithfully.

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

New Skills as a Master

Master Xu Wen-Zhong, well known Kung fu Master at age 76

"True Masters are those who have chosen to make it a life, rather than a living."
-Page 176 of Conversations with God

I have five awesome mentors. Each one is helping me get to a new level in my training on the road to mastership. And along with that, they are also helping me meet the standards I want to make for myself to being a master martial artist. I ask each of them to teach me lessons a master should know, each being a master in their own field. Charlene is a master personal trainer and is pushing me to my physical limits and having me challenge myself and give me the skills I should have as a fitness trainer. Master DeJesus will be able to bring me to more fierce levels in self-defense and tools a master should know of how to defend myself, as well as keeping ego in check. Master Baradatsos will get me to the elite sparring level I need to be at and to accomplish techniques and skills an Olympic champion should possess. Master Balon will give me the background knowledge and skills I should have for my techniques and Taekwondo to further my application, while making sure I possess the attitude to motivate myself.

Then there is Professor Lisa Sargese, my master in spiritual and mental conditioning. I knew I would be learning a lot with her as my mentor. From day one when I met her, I WANTED her as my mentor in my mental training. At the time I was learning the law of attraction and thought energy as a 2nd Degree Black Belt, and had accomplished many things with those skills. But never did I think I would be able to learn NEWER skills that will really just take my mental and spiritual training to a whole new level!

When I met Sifu, he really enlightened me to spiritual energy, and although Lisa was enlightened too, she was "pre-trained" in spirit. It a no brain-er for her to pick up so well, and I was able to pick it up due to my martial arts training and understanding energy. Well she has set me up for great standards of lessons and SKILLS that a true master should know in the healing arts. I really feel like I am becoming the Zen healing master these days when I work with her.

I have learned a great deal in what we cal nutritional healing. There are just some things that doctors don't know, they never go to nutrition for healing, and Lisa who has an amazing story and experience in her struggles and triumphs of different nutritional avenues she has tried for her health, has really opened up my eyes to a lot of things. Remember, I have been in fitness and nutrition for years, and I am still blown away with not only the information, but the RESULTS, because I always try things myself first before sharing with others. And seeing her results as well, I am not only inspired but proud of her.

The there are the healing oils. The first oil I had been anointed with was the abundance oil. Smelled heavenly and created abundance in every step. But my first WOW moment was with the sciatica oil made for Lisa for her new knees. When I got hit in the neck at our first competition, she put this oil on my neck, along with the nutritional healing of the gelatin powder, my neck was COMPLETELY healed the next morning, no stiffness, no bruise, and no injury. I have had many injuries before and this amazed me!

Then the oregano and thieves blend oil. I had a wart on my left hand on the ring finger since my sophomore year of high school. Since then I have tried dermatologists freezing it, cutting it, dicing it, the banana peel method, the acid tape, the duck tape method, I did it ALL. One drop of the thieves/oregano blend, its GONE! ABSOLUTELY GONE! After all these years, this one dab of oil cured it!? I have also used the thieves and oregano with clients who were congested, coughing, sick, stuffy, and when they used it, completely fine, no cough, opened up chest, and able to come take class or sleep well. No coincidences, coincide-ances. 

Both my grandmothers, two friends, and my brother LIVE by the lavender oil to help them sleep at night. And they tried melatonin, Tylonel PM, warm milk--nothing! Lavender, worked like a charm! My warrior blend oil helped me stay calm and relaxed and strong with my fight against Steven Lin. My father was hurting one night I used an oil to help him, and he was looking at me like "Now what is he doing," but was asking for it the next day because it worked so well for him! And I did the same with PanAway oil for my brother's foot. It worked almost instantly he said! A few clients had some grat success with it as well, jus from inhaling it, not applying it to the area needed.

The limbic system in the brain is where your emotions are stored and can only be accessed through SCENT! So the oils allow those chemicals from the brain to be released to do what they need to do. Along with spiritual energy, and good Qi, the healing is never failing. To visualize light and good energy flowing into the body and using my Qi (energy) with the help of the oils creates a warmth (heat = healing) that fixes up exactly what needs to be fixed up. I can sell these oils now if anyone were interested.

And Lisa is teaching me once again new levels of hypnosis! I have done some suggestibility tests and the relaxation and deepening scripts, but I finally got to the point where I have been successfully able to put people under. The purpose of hypnosis will be to heal people's pre-conditioning suggestions in their mind that they can't do something, or fears, or relieve them of limiting thoughts, or to create newer and better habits for themselves, etc. People do it for weight loss, stress relief, quit smoking, etc. I am now learning depth testing, and I am feeling so confident with these skills and the positive results it will have for people. When I first hypnotized someone I was really proud, I didn't think I could do it, but I did, and yet there is so much room for improvement, it excites me!

And to think I could learn even deeper levels of understanding and greater applications of the law of attraction. I am confident enough to say I can be an expert on it, not to toot my horn. But from my martial arts experiences, my life experiences, my small business experiences, I have really a great understanding of it. So when Lisa brings an entirely new spiritual stance on it, MIND BLOWING. That is all I can saw. MIND BLOWING. Learning to communicate with spirit, like I Ching, has been insightful and helpful, and the more I allow myself to listen to spirit, and to allow spirit to guide me, as I have been doing since summer, I will really have an edge of being the kind of master I want to be. 

My physical training is going to reach new heights as well. So far I am sticking with the December plan, a little of a struggle in the beginning, which I can assume to happen beginning something bigger and better, but the momentum, as Charlene has taught me, is impeccable! 2012: it's going to be MY year.

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO

Irony

ON July 25, 2011 of this past year my Uncle Johny Trento passed away. We didn't see a lot of him because his wife, my Aunt Dorris, really didn't like the Italian family and kept him away from the family for many years. A lot of time had gone past, and some may even cal it wasted.

In life Aunt Dorris really tortured my Uncle Johny. She made his life miserable and they really hated each other. why they stayed married for over 50 years, no one will ever know. They had no children. When he came to our first Trento reunion in Lake George, NY, it was the only one he went to and she gave him hell!

Well Uncle Johny died in July. it hasn't been a full five months yet. Only 4 and a little more. Aunt Dorris lived in a nursing home and the family, who she hasn't seen in over 20 years ended up taking care of her, because she was family. She fell a few times, and her health turned for the worse. As they filled out paperwork for hospice and finished it all, she died.

Not even five months after Uncle Johny died, Aunt Dorris died. Her sole purpose in life was to torture him and now that he was gone, she couldn't live without him. My poor Uncle Johny. He couldn't get five months in the afterlife without her coming to track him down!!!!!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

Powerhouse of Friendship

"You can tell you are on your way to mastery when you see the gap closing between Willing and Experiencing" - Page 10 of 'Conversations with God;

"The teacher can only guide, it is up to the student to carry out."

-Anonymous

 

I cannot even remember how many years it has been since I met Robert Lisciandrello. His sister Briana took the pre-school karate class at the time known as Little Ninjas. At the time it was once a week for a half hour taught by the one and only Kristin Barrett, and while that class went on, I would be training and working out before I had to teach my class after hers. And Briana's brother would have to tag along and sit and watch as the class went on. But he wasn't watching Briana's class. When we wasn't talking baseball with one of the mother's in the reception area, we was watching 14 year old me training.

 

Little did he know that one day he would be right in there training not only under my instruction, but WITH me. He watched a Black Belt test in October 2004 and he said that he would NEVER EVER do karate. Well never say never! For whatever reason, a few months later Robert joined the martial arts program and I was in charge of doing the first day students. To this day, almost eight years ago, I have never done as much with a student as I did with Robert on a first day. I taught him all his basic blocks, his basic kicks, his kicking combination, his techniques on the bag AND target, and I even taught him his entire form. It was an hour class!

Ms Barrett was gone maybe half a year later and the school worked at changed locations. I got sick for a while, and then when I returned I began teaching the classes and helping run the school once again. My old master was beginning a new leadership team (which as a nice way of saying recruiting new slaves) to help assist and learn how to teach classes and so forth. Robert was getting older and was getting into his training a lot, even though baseball was his priority. He was a really good kid. 

You know how you go through life and there are certain moments you can recall that are such defining moments but you don't realize it until way way after? Well one of those defining moments for me was one Friday night when I finished teaching my sparring class that Robert used to assist with me. Robert learned more than he ever did assisting with me on Fridays about sparring than as a student in the class. Well, I was going to go out to the mall and hang out with a few other friends and I decided to ask Robert to come along. "Hey Robert! (I always call him his full name) Wanna go to the mall with us?" Well the rest was history. And an awesome friendship began. I've known his family for so long, Briana was like three years old and grew up with me teaching her and betting her junior Black Belt, how many holidays have we gone through, and his parents trusted me with him which I was very mindful of. We just had a very good time whatever it is we did. And it could something as simple as going to the store to buy something.

When my old master let me go, it was Robert's house I ended up going. No rhyme or reason, I just found that was where Rosie (my car) steered me. Robert, Briana, and his family really stood by my side that day when I distraught. And I let Robert see my vulnerability for the first time. I don't think many have ever seen me in my worst moments. Robert did. And I'll never forget him saying "Do you know what it's like seeing the strongest person you know look so weak?" I think it scared him at the time. But he stood by my side and followed me. His mother allowed me to use their basement when I as teaching six or more students at a time for the 16 months before I opened TMAFC. And Robert took that dream of mine as if it were his own. It meant something to him too. 

We used to kid around before my departing of my old master that how funny would it be if I started my own school and Robert became my first Black Belt? Well, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR. November 16-21, 2009 I gave TMAFC's first Black Belt test and Robert and Erin would be my first Black Belts. And Robert as the first person I wrapped the Black Belt around for TMAFC. The kid who vowed never to do karate became my first Black Belt. 

Robert taking his deputy Black Belt test in November 2009

Robert doing self-defense on his last day of Black Belt testing, Nov. 2009

Robert signing the Black Belt oath as TMAFC's first Black Belt.

He took the honor of being the first Black Belt quite seriously. And he has transformed into a wonderful young man from what he has learned through the martial arts. He's still a little stubborn (as most of us Italians are!!) but he has learned a great deal of controlling anger, building up focus, remaining calm when it matters most, patience, etc. When I was going up the Black Belt ranks training and growing, he would watch a lot, and see what I was going through in my training and he really took what I would teach him to heart. When he was younger he really took the mental training I began learning back in 2007-2008 very seriously and would be amazed at the things I would accomplish, asking me to do it for him. Although, I was trying to explain he could do it all too. And once in a while he would train with me and do my drills in the park that I would do.

When I went through my trauma almost a year ago and I was with my family, Robert came to find me. And he stayed with me and my family the entire time. Once again, Robert saw me in what WAS my worst moment. And Robert became as hurt and angry as if the trauma had happened to him. If there was one thing I knew but was witnessing in an entirely different light in that moment, Robert's loyalty was beyond anything I have ever felt before from anyone. Robert has ALWAYS been my most loyal friend, and I am most grateful for that than anything else. Did I ever imagine I would have gained the POWERHOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP that day I asked him the hang out in the mall? I had no idea. 

Now Robert as a student! He in a pain in the ass and proud of it! He works very hard at that LOL!!! But He works very hard in general. And his work does pay off. This past summer, there were many nights after classes were over that we would train. HE ASKED ME. I never asked him. It was HIS choice. He knew I was struggling in getting back onto my feet with my own training, and he knew this would help if he were right in there with me doing it (he doesn't think I know what he was doing =P).

After he took his maintenance test for 1st Degree Black Belt in December 2010, he said he wanted to continue training but not test again. Well it surprised me for him to tell me he was going to level test this January. He was very very behind in classes if he wanted to qualify. Well in a matter of four months he took so many classes and did so much extra training that he caught up and surpasses the others who are testing in January with him! And he trained with me every week in the morning at 7-7:30 for two hours this whole time in my training cycle. And thank God for Robert, because I really don't know if I would have gotten up to do my training. 

 

 And Robert has been making tremendous amount of progress. His forms are greater than they've ever been, his sparring which he really didn't like before he has really gotten into and improved drastically, his focus is great, and hi conditioning is better than it's ever been. And he is taking his training seriously. He researched on his own time, he still practices in his basement, or after class for a little, just to make sure he is prepared. He makes it his business to know what he needs to know. He is applying all the lessons, skills, and strategies that I have been teaching for YEARS to all my students. 

As an instructor I cannot explain the thrill I get from a student to put this much work in, getting the results, and taking the training seriously, yet not TOO seriously. He was calling me up the other night to ask questions for his notes he was taking for his training (which I ALWAYS encourage my students, especially Black Belts to do) and he was doing them yesterday with me during the day. And his notes were so detailed and organized! I was like the proud father seeing him do this. And with all this time and effort, he still goes to college and maintains good grades, makes time for friends and family, he goes with his cousins when they are around to the WaWa for sandwiches, he works at CVS, and has family time. He embodies what a Black Belt is all about: Optimum Balance.

Without him I don't think I'd have had the motivation to get out of bed in the morning or make any dent this fall. Because of him I did. For Robert, I'd get up in the morning for. Not me. And that is not necessarily good. I need to be able to wake up for me. Well spirit has already brought up the test. Next semester, Robert's schedule will not allow him to do the training in the morning as much as we did this past semester. I think Spirit is saying to me, "Now it's time for you to do it for YOU." Spirit works in mysterious ways. And Spirit is right. It's time for me to do it for ME. I have to do the training alone again. I have to put the energy and the effort and work all together like I used to. SEVEN MONTHS until the master test. And the road to mastership is one to make alone, but to share. 

I will finish my plan out for December, and then January to June is going to be the race to the finish line. I speak directly to Robert now. Thank You. Thank you for being a phenomenal student, a fantastic representation of Trento Teachings of martial arts, for being an awesome TMAFC Black Belt, for being who you are, for your loyalty, and for being one of the best friends I could ever ask for. Who would have known when you used to watch me training when you were nine or ten in the window you'd be actually doing it with me eight years later. And no matter how many times or ways I can think of to show you my gratitude, nothing can truly express it. Thank you, to the powerhouse of friendship that you are! I am proud of you.

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

The Road Map to Mastership

"A positive attitude is contagious. A negative attitude is destructive."

-Coach Howard Schuman, SBHS

"Be optimistic, have a positive outlook, and be part of the good energy. You and everyone around you will benefit."

-Mr. George Valentino, ATA Martial Arts in Springfield

Today, I went down to Roselle Park, NJ to see my friend, George Valentino, take his last midterm level test before he goes for his 4th Degree Black Belt. We both are testing for 4th Degree in June (not at the same place). I have known George since the first grade. We took the school bus together, and we both began training at similar times when we were younger. He took a break from his training for his four years of high school before coming back to training. He ran other people's schools and developed a great reputation for being an instructor who cares and had an opportunity to run his own school with a partner which he is doing successfully in Springfield, NJ, right around the same time I opened my own school.

We never trained together, nor have we ever seen each other perform. But we always heard a lot about the other was doing in their "martial arts life." We would always run into each other at church or at the gym, but never talked about each others martial arts experiences. No reason really, it just never came up. And yet here are two people equally passionate about martial arts and lives the life the martial arts sets forth for us, and a passion for sharing it with others through teaching, and have similar stories from our former masters.

Well I broke down the wall in the summer when I was planning Kristin Barrett's 2nd Degree Black Belt test. I did not want my own Black Belts judging her, and I wanted our former instructors to judge. But I wanted to get outside masters to see this test as well and I wanted someone who I knew had the same love for what I do. Well George was the first to pop into my head! So I called him up! And he not only judged, but graciously performed a bo staff form in honor of Kristin's test. His precision and strength was a joy to watch. And I LOVE that my students got to see other martial artists perform (Mr. Valentino brought two of his students as well).

So when he told me he was mid term testing, I was excited to go! I love seeing other schools do Black Belt testing, and if I know people who are testing, it's a real treat for me! I was supposed to go to a sparring seminar today but was canceled, so I knew spirit was working with me today! The school was twice the size of my own and the mats were the old mats I used to have at my old school. The ambiance was wonderful, and I was in Black Belt heaven! MANY adults, and there were at least 33 candidates. The main instructor actually facilitated but did not judge. Three senior masters sat at a table in front, and they didn't say one thing. They observed, took notes, and would beckon the main instructor to do things while he facilitated.

Two words to describe George and his fellow training partners: ENTHUSIASM AND DISCIPLINE. There was no doubt about it. Every single one of them were very enthusiastic about doing their forms, their weapons, sparring, and breaking. But I have the highest respect for the level of discipline they all had. I think I admired that most of all. The attention. The loud answering. The snap of their attention. Impeccable!

I enjoyed myself soooooo much! It was like Christmas morning for me. I was able to watch George perform his forms which was magnificent, he performed his bo staff form again, I witnessed brand new Taekwondo forms (It's on my list of course ;] ), saw some sparring and cool breaking, met some very high ranking masters, and I met George's partner Mr. Delano who was also midterm testing.

However one thing that REALLY caught my attention was the patch on Mr. Delano's arm which he explained to me as the Songahm Taekwondo star which symbolizes the Master's journey! I think I died a little bit on the inside, I ate EVERY word he explained to me.

The Songham Star is the pattern formed on the ground of all 18 forms of this Taekwondo system. In a perfect star, the distcnace from the center point to the top is nine feet. the total distance from the top point equals 18 feet, representing the number of forms in the Songahm system. The middle white line represents the white belt, then the other colors represent the belt system. The eight outer points all connect back to the center point. The symbolism behind the points of the star is like a road  map set out for students on their way to becoming Black Belts, and a rood map for Black Belts becoming masters. When Mr. Delano told me that I felt like a bolt of lightning hit me!

This logo was exactly what I am doing! I was looking at the road map to becoming a master. The Way of the master is to first choose mastership, then live with honor, be loyal, use your knowledge and continue to grow and learn, have vision to where you want to go with that knowledge, have respect for all you come in contact with, have humility in your heart and live a humble life, live with gratitude, and live with nobility. I got so much out of this logo!

I thank Mr. Valentino for sharing this test with me and inviting me to get a glimpse of his world. I am humbled and grateful for the experience and meeting the wonderful family of the ATA family. And it was a privilege to watch him perform. It's an even greater privilege and even a comfort to know that there is someone else using that road map of the Songahm star to becoming a master!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO