Increasing the Level of Difficulty

My favorite martial arts cartoon is the Dragonball series. The first series is called just Dragonball and in the series, two young kids train under the greatest martial arts master, the turtle hermit Master Roshi. Master Roshi agrees to take on these two students after many years of not training students and gets them ready for a world tournament.

The two young boys go through the turtle hermit's way of training. And they do the same thing for 8 months before their tournament. They do early morning training by getting up very early to deliver milk to the entire island by running through trees and over waterfalls, then they do mid morning training by digging for an agricultural ground with their bare hands, then breakfast, then they exercise their mind, then lunch, then early afternoon training is using heavy tools at a construction site, then they must swim across a large lake of sharks several times, and then dodge bees from a tree to work their dodging skills.

After the first day of doing everything, they asked "Master Roshi, are we going to have to train like this every day??" And the turtle hermit replies "Of course not...for the next few months you'll do the same thing but wearing 50 pound turtle shells!" Increasing the level of difficulty.

At one point the boys ask, "Master! When do you get to teach us fighting moves??" And Master Roshi reprimands them "There are certain basics of martial arts you need to learn before that and you're not ready!" He continues to say he can teach them fighting moves once they can move a gigantic boulder. The two of course try and cannot do it. But Master Roshi does it right before their eyes.

Several months later the two boys run up to Master Roshi "Come quick!" and they drag him to the forest and they both shock Master Roshi by moving these GIGANTIC boulders! Master Roshi could not believe his eyes! The two boys stare at the turtle hermit all excited, waiting to hear he will teach them fighting moves now! But Master Roshi says he is sorry to disappoint them,but he still won't teach them fighting moves. The Turtle Hermit Way of training is all about the training schedule which they do every day.to master these basics, and then increase the level of difficulty of these basics and push yourself past your limits. That is the whole secret to his martial arts.

"You boys don't realize but by repeating these basic exercises over and over again, you pushed your arms, legs, hearts, and even brains past their built in limitations. That is the whole art behind martial arts!" -Master Roshi

This was my training under my old master. I compare my training with my old master with Goku and his first master, Master Roshi. Training under him I was able to create phenomenal schedules for myself, and it was all about repetition. Repetition is the mother of skill he would tell me. And I saw the difference in it. It WORKED and it was true. He was very big on building up your basics because the basics are your foundation. When a house has a strong foundation, you can build on top of it. Very similar to what Master Roshi was trying to teach Goku and Krillin.

When I began training solo almost four years ago, that was the key to my success. The training schedule! And that's what the secret to my success now, sticking to the schedule! I have to be very discipline with the schedule and keep at it. And as the drills are becoming easier, it's not time to do harder drills. You make the drills you have NOW harder. I do 300 calve lifts. They burn, but not to the extent they did when I first started. Now it's time to add resistance, put dumb bells on my shoulder. Instead of doing 3 sets of 50 squat jumps, do 150 straight. After that, add resistance. 1000 jump ropes straight? Now do 1500! Sparring drills on the bag good? Now add resistance bands. Too easy? Next level of resistance. THAT is the way to train. That is what I used to do with the old master, thats what I did alone, that is how I teach and train other people, that is what works, that is what I will continue to do.

I get excited when I see where my training will lead up to. It is also very important to stick to your course! It's very easy to want to do other things, and try what other people are doing. But stay focused on one thing and then you will see the success that follows in your training. We live in a society that gets so BORED so easy. But proper focus and motivation and proper repetition is truly the key!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO