The day finally arrived where I would be having Mike Lee Kanarek himself at my own school in Saddle Brook! I was extremely nervous as I was also so excited. I've written a few blogs about Mike. My first seminar with him at Sam DeJesus's school, or the first time I ever did Muay Thai with Mike, or my first HaganaH Conference, my first time training at his school learning Battle Ready Kickboxing, or the first time I brought students to meet Mike Lee, when I returned to his school for Blade Warrior, or when I trained in his first Striking Militia certification. Yeah, just a few.
Mike Lee made a huge impression on me when I first met him. He is definitely deadly and badass, but he is also brilliant. His philosophies are as profound as his fighting skills. I knew when I met him that he was one of the best in the world. A year later I worked with him again and brought a student and I was introduced to Muay Thai which I absolutely loved. But it was at this seminar he also agreed to do an interview special with him on my YouTube channel.
The interview was three and a half hours, we edited down to an hour and fifteen minutes. I then went to get certified as a FIGHT instructor in the system and Mike invited me to the HaganaH Conference that year where I became a certified Gen 2 FIGHT Instructor. A few months later I traveled to Florida to train at his school for the first time where I got certified in Battle Ready Kickboxing. I began my own HaganaH FIGHT program not too long after. I've been to several more seminars and certifications since then.
I asked him this past November if he would consider doing a seminar at my school and he graciously agreed. I happened to be at his school for Blade Warrior Certification and LOVED the knife material. So that is what he decided to do at my school and he called it the M.A.K.O Seminar, Military Aggressive Knife Objective.
Having him at my own school was a real thrill for me. Many of my HaganaH brothers came with students of their own and I was thrilled that many of my own students attended and were able to learn from this mountain of a man. A few of them got to experience him before and many it was their first time. As always, Mike was ON. He brought great enthusiasm and energy, he brought priceless experience, he demonstrated with mastery, he was funny and entertaining as he was informative and insightful.
People from all over New Jersey attended, including New York state and New York City, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, even someone from Boston came down! Mike Lee truly is a master educator. You walk away feeling invigorated but also that you have grown and learned something. He busts your chops but not in a way where you feel inferior but in a way you build a connection with this main, gaining trust that you can succeed. His aim is for the people at his seminars to walk away doing something they've never done, learn something new, and yet be thirsty for more.
The seminar started at 10am and we ended at around 4pm. With about 40 people in my school, working together and getting to know each other. At the end we were going to do a big group picture, but before we got to that, I wanted to present something to Mike Lee Kanarek as a small token of appreciation for his being a beacon for us all. Master Kathy had come across a book that had a message inside of it. When we read the inside inscription, we knew this book was NOT meant for her but for someone else.
At the end of the seminar I thanked everyone for coming and told this story and read the inside of the cover which read:
Dear Mike,
Keep the Force!
-Joe Lewis
Kathy and I knew that it was not the monetary value of this book, but the emotional value of it. It was like Joe Lewis had spiritually wanted to reach out to Mike to tell him how proud he was. To see his old mentor's signature meant a lot to him. "It brought a big smile on my face to see my daddy's handwriting again," said Mike. He also called me an asshole for almost making him cry LOL!
Mike Lee Kanarek will be coming back next year! I want to thank everyone who came and who traveled from so far! I want to especially thank Sifu Dave and Sensei Ed for supporting the seminar and inviting their students. Both have been huge supporters of my training in HaganaH as well. I especially want to thank my mentor Sam DeJesus who is responsible for me being involved in HaganaH at all! And I also want to thank Master Balon and Nick Carbley for making it to the seminar. May everyone in the HaganaH Brotherhood know that my doors at TMAFC are always open to you!
To my students, I hope you enjoyed the opportunity to working with Mike Lee Kanarek! And thanks to my dad for stopping in to see what Mike is all about! (BOWS)
Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO
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