I'll never forget watching that first Haganah test. Master DeJesus was helping me prepare for my 4th Degree test and I was learning Haganah for the first time. I remember thinking "Holy sh*t." LOL! Now I have been through some very crazy Black Belt tests in my time. I'm also told that my own tests are very extensive and intense. But when I saw this Haganah test, it really left an impression on me.
The candidates, Jim and Viv, did an amazing job. They really were put through the ringer. I was a spectator for the test but the entire time the adrenaline was high! But I also had two others thoughts: I really want to do this-- was my first thought. The second thought was-- I wonder if I can do this. People who knew me were saying "Ah you'd do great!" As always, we have that inner doubtful voice that says "Think again buddy." I know I can take a beating and I will push myself beyond my physical limits, as all my Black Belt tests have done in the past, but this kind of test was really something like I've never seen before.
I tested for 4th Dan that year and it's a couple years later. I continued to train with Master DeJesus each month, as I do with most of my other mentors, and I continued to practice, train, and study Haganah. Last fall Master DeJesus looked at me and said "Ready for your first Haganah test, sir!?" I started at him. "Um...what...?" "YEAH! You're testing next month! Be ready!"
Well, if the mentor says I'm testing, I'm testing. Better yet, if the mentor believes I am ready, I am ready. I have seen a few more since then, but I never participated myself. I was both excited and nervous. I knew the material, I have practiced it quite a bit, and I was intrigued at pushing myself. It was also a cool experience to test in a completely different art as I have been tested in Taekwondo under two different masters, I also tested in Kung Fu, so now this was a test in itself that was in a world of its own.
I tested with two excellent students named Christine and Vladimir. Vladimir was actually not supposed to test, he was choosing to take a little extra time. But he came to support us and participated and before he knew it, he was also testing with us! And Christine can pack a wallop of a punch! I'd feel sorry for anyone to cross her way! We did a tremendous amount of conditioning. The Haganah test is set up very much like a boot camp. The instructors were yelling at us, pushing us, hitting us, maybe throwing s few insults at us. They tried to break us, as they would do in the military.
Spectators looking in on this may think, holy crap, why the hell would they be so brutal? Why would you take such abuse? Well first things first: when you're out on the street and you're being attacked, there is no mercy from your attacker. This is militant, and high level, so when you are training and you develop a strong body, and strong and SMART mind, and you defend yourself under the most stressful circumstances, you are truly preparing yourself for what's out in the real world. There is still the aspect of building confidence in yourself, pushing your limits, and learning to defend yourself as martial arts do provide. But in any great self-defense system, you need to be training under stress because in any confrontation, you WILL be under stress. Your motor skills and thinking completely changes under those conditions. Properly training to such extremes better prepares you, and develops a level of skill that a trained warrior should have.
We did push ups constantly, burpees, squats, sit ups, planks, more push ups, at least an hour and a half of heavy conditioning. The three of us supported each other, worked together, and counted together (thats super important). We did combatives and showed strikes and blocks. We did engagement drills showing our strikes and holds, knee strikes, and take downs. The instructors would hit us while doing the drills and we had to stay super focused. One point Master DeJesus punched me so hard in the gut I fell to the ground. All you are told is "Get up or quit."
I don't remember the last time I was hit like that. It was great. Yes, you heard me right. Great. Besides it was a fantastic shot, I'd rather have a high level warrior punch me like that whom I can call friend still at the end of the day than some stranger on the street crossing the line. But you remember a strike like that and remember you don't ever want to experience that again, so you train harder and stronger. But you also know your body is only your body. There are more in your arsenal to keep going and defend yourself.
We then ran through the open hand, gun, and knife material. I've had several years of great self-defense training, so my technical conditioning was not only helpful, but because of much practice with the Haganah material, I felt this was my strongest point. The last thing we did was Haganah sparring. I've never done Haganah sparring, nor ever done boxing in any way, shape, or form. I was completely out of my element. But the objective is always the same, and your tools can always adjust. I used a lot of my Taekwondo footwork and kicks while also showing upper body strikes and tactics. I sparred both my fellow candidates. My last fight was with Master DeJesus himself.
We have sparred each other in Taekwondo of course, but I've never boxed with him in Haganah. I decided with him, I wouldn't kick at all. We've been there, done that. I was going to challenge myself and go out of my comfort zone and focus on the hands to block, evade, and strike. But I also watched him move too. He is absolutely fantastic and has phenomenal speed. I knew what I would be working to aspire to.
So many years later when I told him he would be teaching me this "Haganah stuff" to actually testing in his own school, I was very happy, and honored he felt I could do it. I was thankful for my friends John, Ann Marie, and Sensei Cara to be there to support me. I was just as proud of Christine and Vladimir, being able to watch them and work with them over the short time I worked at the school with them, they were amazing and give them all the credit in the world. I was and am thankful to the instructors at Rockaway Fight who also not only helped me and worked with me. I am also grateful to Ed Mastov for his support. And always, to a phenomenal mentor and to someone who is more than a friend but is my family, Master Samuel DeJesus, for believing I can. My first Haganah test was awesome, and I do hope to test again in the future! (BOWS)
Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO
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