The Gun Seminar

Master Sam De Jesus is a 4th Degree World Taekwondo Federation Black Belt, Muay Thai Instructor, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Brown Belt Instructor, 2nd Degree HaganaH Black Belt, HaganaH Fight Instructor, Israeli Tactical Knife Fighting Instructor, Ground Survival Instructor, Israeli Combat Shooting Level 1 Certified, IPTT-Israeli Counter Terror Warfare Level 1 and 2, Combat Pistol Certified, NRA Basic Pistol Instructor, Fit 2 Fight/Combat Fitness Instructor, Heart Saver- First Aid Certified, Heart Saver- AED Certified

This is my self-defense mentor. I have written many blogs about him before. Master DeJesus and I met June 29, 2009 when he was testing for his 4th Dan and I was testing for my 3rd Dan under Master Kevin Balon. It was there I saw for the first time HaganaH self-defense. My first thought that day was: this guy is going to teach me this one day. My second thought was: I just made a friend for life.

Master DeJesus is a fantastic martial artist, always looking to improve and grow and learn new martial arts. Besides Taekwondo, he has several certifications in self-defense arts and ranks in other martial arts. You know me and certifications! BIG fan of them! Master DeJesus, in my opinion, is the best at what he does, and there is no one greater than he when learning self-defense. What I also admire about Master DeJesus that I can identify with is his never ending search for how to improve not only himself but to benefit his own students in growing in the martial arts as well.

The day after Sam Volk, Andrew Kranich, and I officiated in Pennsylvania with Master Balon, we went to a gun self-defense seminar at Master DeJesus's school in Rockaway, NJ. Master Balon and some of his students from Fastkix Taekwondo were in attendance. I was thrilled to be with both my mentors in the same dojang!

Master DeJesus is not only a fantastic instructor but he has a great heart, and you see that in his teaching. Even though it is a seminar for self-defense that requires serious focus and an understanding that you have a survival mentality that can become intense, he still has as an instructor the air of humility about him. You know his intentions are to teach you to protect yourself.

I have done these particular gun defenses, and I am happy Andrew and Sam got to experience the drills too. I was also happy to be in the presence of Master Balon as well, who I think spearheaded the idea for MAster DeJesus to host the seminar. It was informative, insightful, good hands on application, and excellent drill-oriented for what we needed to know as basics.

Sometime this year (probably much sooner than I think), Master DeJesus will be testing for his 5th Dan Black Belt. I am excited for him and inspired. As I currently train and work on my journey towards 5th Dan, and accomplish all the goals I have set for myself within these next four years, it excited me to see one of my own mentors doing it right before my eyes.

I am very grateful for not only his mentorship but his friendship. He has been there for me as a fellow martial artists, as a mentor, and as a friend with my own training, with my Black Belt tests, and as a business owner, and I thank him so much for offering his tremendous heart to me, as well as his expertise. I look forward to his test, and a job well done at the gun seminar, as always! (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER TRENTO