Perseverance in Krav Maga

This past Wednesday my mentor, Master DeJesus, invited me to his school to witness a Krav Maga rank test for a couple of his adults. I've just begun learning and practicing this very new art and am absolutely loving the new material in my training. I was very curious to see how testing would be done for something of this nature because it is a very different martial art.

Krav Maga, also known at Haganah which means "Defense" in Hebrew, is an Israeli martial art that is very brutal and very high level defense. Used in the Israeli army, the United States has an official organization run by a man named Mike Kanarek, and developed the F.I.G.H.T program (Fierce Israeli Guerrilla Hand-to-hand Tactics).

I walked in an the test had already begun. There were a lot of adults who participate in Master DeJesus's Haganah program, including three future instructors who I have had the privilege working with in my lessons with Master DeJesus. Two adults were testing. One man named Jim, another woman named Vivian. They began with a few rounds of "sparring" matches with head gear and gloves only. The blows they had to take were very real. You get hit, you GET HIT. But that's reality. If someone tries to harm you, they will.

After that they had to do several physically demanding rounds of drills and exercises they had to do. And the entire time, the instructors and Master DeJesus were very tough on them, trying their very best to break them down not only physically but mentally and emotionally. Just as if you were in an army bootcamp. They had to do maybe three minutes of three punches consecutively on the shield someone was holding and focus only on those three punches, while Master DeJesus or one of the other adults just threw shots at them. Shin kicks to the legs, uppercuts to the gut, punches to the face, and they did SEVERAL rounds of this and in between would have 30 sec to 1 minute rounds of either push ups, squats, burpees, planks, whatever they were asked to do.

Any outsider who never trained would look at this kind of test and be appalled and think it barbaric. If you are a sadist like me, you are thinking "When can I try!?" I absolutely LOVED seeing this kind of test for several legitimate reasons. One: the physical and mental demands that were required to get through a test like this was extremely challenging and if you can get through this kind of beat-down, you get get through anything in your life. As far as self-confidence in yourself, watching this test you can honesty say there is NO chance for fear to set into your mind if you were ever attacked. And you also learn and gain a lot of tolerance because you really are taking some heavy shots. Of course it's all in controlled manner (for the most part) but how many people are afraid of getting hit in the face? You won't be after this kind of test.

I really felt like I can get through a test like this as I continued to watch. But in the back of my mind, that little voice said to me "Pssh! You see those punches? You can't take a shot like that!" So of course what do I start thinking? I better be sure I can! I have already created an entire "to-do list" after my master's in pursuing this training and procedure of testing. It got me so pumped and motivated! And it was very admirable to see the level of perseverance these two adults had. They were really taking a beating, but by no means were they going to stop. And kudos to them!

The last thing they had to do was THE GAUNTLET. I heard a few people mention it, but had no idea what it was. So of course when the time came, Brian had asked me to come onto the mats and threw me a glove. And then I became a part of what was to be THE GAUNTLET. There were about a dozen of us with gloves on and six people on each side with a three foot gap between the two lines. Vivian and/or Jim would have to punch a shield all the way to the other side of the dojang while Master DeJesus pushed the holder against them for resistance while all of us on either side would punch Vivian and/or Jim going across to the other side.

To see the drive from these two individuals was awe-inspiring. Nothing could beat these two down. I was so proud of them and this was the first time I was meeting them! Vivian asked me if my tests her "harder." Tough question because I do a lot of everything that pertains to our training, not just the self-defense part, but watching this test, PHEW! Pretty brutal. And by the way: they were testing for yellow and blue belts! NOT Black or anything like that!

It was an awesome experience, and I know if I keep at it with my training I will be able to accomplish what these two have one day. I was privileged to witness this test and am looking forward to seeing where my own training will lead up to. And congratulations to both Vivian and Jim on their perseverance in their testing!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

A Spirtual Day

Sunday was a very spiritual day. After I taught my 10:15 Cardio Kickboxing class, I went to a Qigong Healing and Meditation seminar at American Taekwondo School, the school of my self-defense mentor Master DeJesus. I was accompanied by my spiritual mentor, Professor Lisa Sargese, and with my Black Belt and dearest friend Frankie Peracchio. The three of us were very excited and looking forward to seeing what was in store for us. Lisa had went to the first seminar last month and was thrilled with how it went. The seminar was run by Master DeJesus's wife's cousin, named Sal Canzonieri.

Lisa has learned a lot and applied a lot of what she knows about spiritual energy from what Sifu (future master of mine) has taught her and applying it so well, and being very open with experiencing all she comes across being a professor of faith and spirituality. Frankie and I have always been very in tune with spiritual energy since we were very young, but never had been trained to manipulate energy and directing energy properly with our full intentional control. I've been exposed to it for the first time last July when I first met Sifu with Lisa. Since then I have skyrocketed with it. So needless to say, you have three pre-trained warriors coming for this awesome experience. And joined by Master DeJesus and his wife, you have MASSIVE QI flowing in the room.

Sal had us spread out and our eyes were closed and he had us perform many basic movements, explained what movements we should be doing, how our breathing should be, what we should be visualizing, keeping our awareness as focused as possible, and I felt the heat in my palms increase, as I have felt in the past. The energy was building up, but much quicker than I have ever had it done before. But then at one point he had our hands in front of our body and as we continued to do the breathing, you could actually feel this TANGIBLE ball of energy between your palms. It was absolutely incredible! I felt like Goku about to qi-blast somebody!

But that is exactly what I felt and I began to chuckle and Frankie did too. I chuckled because I was getting so amused at how the qi was forming in my hands. You can feel a ball but no see it! How amazing!! Then we went into a circle and one palm was above the person's palm to your left and one palm was underneath the person's palm on your right. We allowed the qi to flow through us starting from Sal.

Now understand what is happening: The Qi master Sal is sending Qi through ANOTHER martial arts master (who has awesome Qi as it is) who is sending it through Lisa who is has some awesome power Qi, who is sending it through ME, who is passing it along to Frankie. By the time all that massive Qi went through all of us, Frankie's palms were sweating profusely! So he was sending it to Master DeJesus's wife and she said she had never felt the energy so strongly before! Then he sent a thought to us and we all saw his pet. I have actually done this with Frankie before where I sent a thought from long distance in an hour of need. I blogged about it HERE.

Then we did this drill where we partnered with someone else and we were to feel each other's energy and follow the movements of the other. I partnered with Lisa and we did very well I think. We kept our imaginary butterfly between our hands, and we were either paying really good attention to each other or being very intuitive. I would like to think we listened to spirit's intuition. It was very kung fu (#awesome).

It was a fantastic experience and so awesome for me to have two of my mentors doing this with me along with one my my own students. The three of us went out for a little lunch and being so QI-ed up and energized we talked in length of all the things we want to learn through this and were already talking about the next seminar!

Then later on Lisa and I went to a mass in Hasbrouk Heights, NJ where my Uncle "Deacon" Tony does a musical mass and we went across the street where my aunt and uncle led a reenactment of the Passover seder Last Supper. I had been doing this reenactment of the Last Supper for perhaps 10 years, missing only last year (I was still going through my trauma last year). The entire Last Supper Dinner was held in the dark, by candlelight, reading from eleven pages we have always used to do the ritual. I always feel such strong spiritual presence when we do this tradition. It was beautifully done and beautiful energy in the room. Then a friend of my uncle's played a song "Beautiful City" from the Boradway show Godspell. She believed that as Christian's we were building a city by spreading "the good news." It was a beautiful song and I knew Lisa and I would be obsessing over it after this (#IknewLisaWouldDownloadItRightAway #SheDid).

All in all, it was a very spiritual day. A lot of good energy, a lot of good company, and a lot of good food!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

Healing Betrayal

"I have the courage to accept the truth."

-Way out from Betrayal

I knew I had a full day ahead of me, which involved a lot of traveling. I wasn't planning on stopping at my school this morning, but something made me stop by. I walked to my back door to drop something off and I saw a young lady in the back and I said in a cheery voice "HELLO!" But then I saw there were tears in her eyes. "Oh my gosh! What's wrong!?" I went right over to her and gave her a big hug, she looked like she needed one.

She began to tell me through her tears how she was fired from her job and her boss wasn't even going to tell her! She found out when she started picking up the phones at work and hearing other females asking about her job. She confronted her boss who was very arrogant and cruel to her, and all she could say was she felt betrayed. She goes to school at night, she has a young son to support, and he wasn't going to tell her until tomorrow without even a two week notice! How was she to find a job so soon? She was distraught.

I felt so bad and told her to wait one moment. I went into the school real fast and immediately grabbed for my essential oils. I took out FORGIVENESS oil. I told her to "let me be weird" and give me her left palm. I put two drops of the forgiveness oil and told her to inhale deeply. After her first inhale, the tears automatically came to a halt. "What is this?" she asked. "It's Forgiveness Oil," I explained.

I continued to tell her that because she kept saying she felt betrayed (I feel so betrayed! I feel so betrayed! etc.) to heal yourself of a negative emotion, you have to experience the opposite emotion. The opposite emotion of Betrayal is Trust! I told her to have the courage to accept the truth and allow herself to feel the emotions of TRUST. Trust that everything will work out, trust God is guiding her in the direction she needs in her life, trust that he will find a new job with ease, trust that there are greater opportunities for her to move forward because of this, and trust that she can have compassion for her miserable ex-boss. And the forgiveness oil is the oil to help bring about those feelings of Trust.

I am no stranger to the feeling of betrayal. I have experienced the emotion of betrayal a few times in my life, and those few times were MAJOR and threw me and my life into shambles. I wish I had someone to explain what I was explaining to this young girl to me during those times. I have learned from my mentor, Lisa Sargese, that we need to identify the emotions we are experiencing and then identify the opposite emotion. For example, many people experience the emotion ANGER. A lot of people would think opposite of anger is happiness. But you would be incorrect, because anger is an outburst of a negative emotion. So the opposite outburst emotion in a positive way would be LAUGHTER. Then with the proper essential oil, you can trigger the limbic system in the brain to release the chemical emotions throughout the cellular membrane of your body to shift your experiences. (How was that Lisa? LOL)

She thanked me and told me that I made a real impact and helped her, which made me feel really good that I could do such a thing. Like I said, I wasn't supposed to go to the school today, but something made me go there, and spirit works its wonders. I kept thinking of all the betrayal of my life (and there were some really heart wrenching ones for me) and thinking about how, watching this young girl's experience right now, how maybe I can change my former experiences by shifting my emotions about these past events in this same way. After all, knowledge is not power, applied knowledge is power. Gotta use what you know, or it does nothing for you! (BOWS)

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO

Proud Legacy

"Leadership Law #21: A leader's lasting value is measured by succession."

-John C Maxwell

 

When I was apprenticing under my old master at hi school, there was a lot I would do that I didn't have to do. When I was a color belt, I would come hours early before my class would even start and train and workout by myself before actually taking my class. I would assist classes if I could, which got to to begin teaching at a young age and rank. I would help students who needed help and give the attention they needed. I would stay after class with students and help them with anything they were struggling with. I would come on my own time to help students get ready for tests coming up or if they wanted extra training. I would even jump in on tests at pivotal moments of testing that were stressful or challenging.

 

Now as the chief instructor, and almost master instructor, my role changes and there are some things I can still do and then there certain things that I can't do anymore. I have to keep a particular composure to uphold my role as the master instructor and I can only hope the students I once did things for would do the same for the new upcoming students. 

Well last Saturday, my Black Belt, Robert, came in early before classes to help my junior Black Belt, Owen, to go over his forms. I was so proud of him. No one asked him to do it. No one pushed him. No one offered him anything. Robert just chose to come in early on his own time to help out a student in the school. I couldn't have been happier. I was so proud of Robert. It was what a true Black Belt would do. Offering his time to help another. 

They say you can measure one's true legacy by how one's students carry out the lessons they were taught by their masters. The continue to live on and share the experiences given to them by their master. To see Robert be such a servant leader, I couldn't have been prouder! Well done Robert. Well done. And thank you! =D

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO

Roping in New Style

Bruce Lee jumping rope on his patio.

Years ago at my old martial arts school, under my old master, Kristin Barrett had to do jump rope 500 times and was allowed only five mistakes! If she made a sixth mistake, she would have to do them all over. After watching that, I made sure that I could do that. So for six months before my first Black Belt test, I was doing this every week several times. I was doing more than I had to by doing these double jumps in between when the rope had gone past under my feet. It was actually Master Bardatsos who showed me at the age of 12 that I was in fact, doing them wrong. Isn't that funny? Who knew I'd be sparring in his school Wednesday nights so many years later today!

Then on my Black Belt test, my master made me do 600 with only three mistakes allowed. I was prepared and did it well. Then he made mention of 1,000 with only two mistakes. Well once I heard that, I went right to work and before you knew it, I could do 1,000 mistakes with only two mistakes. Sometimes no mistakes!

When I left my old master in 2008, I gained a lot of weight and one of the first things I did when I began training again was jumping rope. I couldn't even get to 200 before messing up a sixth time. I was so discouraged. But one of the ways I began pushing myself was by changing my reps to time. I would do 15 minutes or 30 minutes straight of jumping rope. I could go for a very long time, but I never counted the reps. It is now four years later, and I can still jump rope for a very long time, doing 15-30 minutes straight several times a week. But I haven't tried doing reps.

Robert was training yesterday at the school and he decided to jump rope. As he was jumping I gave him the challenge to try 1000 with only two mistakes. It was challenging and he was getting frustrated at first. Finally he made it to, I think, 672 before making his first mistake. I don't now if he made it, but he did 15 minutes straight and he said that was "big" for him. LOL, OK!

Then he had me thinking.....can I still do it? It's been four years. I honestly had a little doubt in myself. That is why I had to do it and see if I could. When you count your reps instead of letting time go by, you become more focused, and your mind does not wander. So I decided to do it. I jumped my rope and made the commitment of doing 1000 with NO mistakes. I did 110 then a mistake. Then 145 then a mistake. I'm just warming up, I told myself. Then I made the commitment to get it done, even if I have to exceed my time.

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8.....up to 100....200....300....400.....500, half way there! Wow....I'm not doing too bad...let's keep it up....600.....more than half way....700....laughing at myself now, going back into time in my memory bank to how I would create short term goals for myself. I was allowed to give myself a mistake after 500 and 700, but I haven't made one yet.....800......Oh well now there is just no excuse, I'm going all the way! There's no stopping me......900.......96-97-98-99-1000!!!! I did it. WOOOOOW. It's been so long. I still got it.....Amazing.....

That was yesterday. SO today I was doing jumping rope again. I went over my 15 time limit yesterday. Today I am doing 30 minutes. So my goals was to do it again and exceed and see how far I can go. Long story short, it took me ten minutes to do 1,111 before making my first mistake. I was so proud of myself. Now I am just going to keep exceeding it and see where I get by the mock-test. It's funny how some of these exercises and forms bring me back into time to a different point of my life and I compare from then to now. It's really an amazing journey only another martial artist could really understand. But here's to the not accepting limits!

My goal =P

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

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

Back to Training! Back to Burning!

I was taught by my former master and my current fitness mentor, Charlene, to learn to LOVE the BURN when you are working out! Embrace it! Be grateful you can feel the burn, and the burn is a good thing. The burn is what you want. And to be quite honest, I LOVE the burn. A lot of people confuse the "burn" with pain. Pain is a different and harmful to your body, or as my spiritual/psychological mentor, Lisa, would call it: inappropriate soreness. The burn is when you are sculpting your body to what you want, and building and using your muscles. Or as Lisa would say: appropriate soreness.

When I feel the burn, I am happy because I know I am getting even closer to my goals. There was a point where I stopped feeling the burn in my training and it was my opportunity to bring my training to the next level, but life's circumstances told me I wasn't ready. So I had to be knocked back a few steps and build back up before doing so, to get a clearer picture of the road the lies ahead. You never know where you're going until you get there, and when you get there you won't know where to go! =P

I have four months until the long awaited master test, three until the mock test. January was an excellent training month. February was terrible, from the Sorrow-bowl on. So I got my Qi cleared up, faced a few demons, and then called on outside reinforcement to take care of energy blockages. Now I feel great, organized, and motivated. I am working with the mentors consistently, And this week I got back to my routine. I am talking training, working, studying, eating, and sleeping. It's been two days and I feel FANTASTIC. And you know what else? I feel the burn! OY!

I have soooooo much to do before June. But I will do it all! A lot of reading to do, a lot of training, a lot of new material, a lot for TMAFC, and a lot of personal goals. Friday night I went food shopping with my good friend Dawn and I bought cheeses, eggs, fruits, orange juice, seltzer, all the things I used to eat all the time. Now I am getting serious. This is the direction I want to go. I did my cardio work, did work on my forms, jumped rope, and did my crunches. I have said before, I never cared about how my body looked, but I knew I was in excellent condition. But one thing I always wanted were my abs. For the first time in my life, at the age of 21, I had my abs. I was thrilled. Now I kinda have them.....that is on a good day.

Last night I am watching TV with Kristin, and she said she was feeling sore from class I taught last night. Then she says "I want abs by the summer." I looked at her and said "Me too." So we made a pact that we are going to promise each other to work and motivate each other to accomplish this goal by the summer. Uh oh. I always keep my promises to other people before myself (not necessarily a good thing) so now I have to do it! Well, here we go! You heard it here! Kristin Barrett and Andrew Trento are training for abs by the summer!

Besides my regular training and mentor training, I also have some major challenges BY the mock test to be able to do. My sparring mentor, Master Bardatsos, has already made me do 20 minutes straight sparring. That is a must again. Master Balon knows my goals for my 4 board ridgehand, 5 board sliding side kick, and 3 board hook kick speed. Charlene knows I hate push ups and expects 100 of 6 different kinds -___-, my self-defense mentor, Master DeJesus, just taught my over a dozen new Krav Maga self-defenses this past Saturday that I know I'm going to have to condition and train myself to do, and Lisa will have me so knowledgeable in the healing oils, hypnosis, and nutritional healing, and well read in psychology that going back to college will be a cinch! I have to be able to do at least 5,000 jumping jacks as well.

There can be NO interruptions or sidetracking now. It's all downhill now. I have waited so long to train to become a master. And I am already looking forward to master training. The Journey to Mastership is going to turn into the Lessons of Mastership! Are you excited? I am!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO



 

Unfriendly Tournament

I took my students to a tournament that was called the "Friendship" tournament Sunday. However, from our experience, it was more like the UNfriendly tournament. We had an experience that was both interesting and unfortunate. I only brought five students to this tournament and I also was going to be competing in both forms and sparring.

The tournament was about 30-45 minutes away for us. So besides the travel time and being there super early and on time for our youngest seven year old student, we also dealt with tardiness due to the hour difference from daylight savings. With that being said, the tournament was already running an hour an a half behind which I was annoyed about, but it has happened before and is a very common occurrence with local tournaments, so I knew I'd be able to handle that.

When my youngest student did his form, he went up quite quickly and the scores were given. He did very well. Two of his scores were 8.8, 8.9, and then one was -- WOAH! It was really high, 9.5! That is quite a high score. But the scores are showed and recorder! Parents, students, and spectators all see them. But then...this gentleman went up to the young lady judge who gave the 9.5, and made her change her score to an 8.5. WHAT?! Why? You can't change the score!

So, being the responsible instructor and looking out for the well being and fairness of my student, I walked up to the gentleman and asked very nicely, "Excuse me, but why did you have her (the judge) change her score?" He then stopped and looked at me blank face and replied "Because I wanted her to change it," and just gave me a dead stare, as if trying to intimidate me. I was shocked that THAT was the reply I got. I just nodded and okay and then found the director of the tournament.

I am not one to complain at all. I don't care if my students win a trophy or a medal or not. If they do their best and they get an experience out of it, then it is worth while. We may not agree sometimes with the judges but that is how the game is played, you accept humbly and respectfully. But this was different. This gentleman in a suit told the judge to change her score and she dropped it by an entire point (which is a very big difference). I told him what happened and he went to the gentleman and I saw it looked like the director was telling this guy he couldn't do that. He then came back over to me.

He explained that the score was, in fact, really high and the judges are supposed to judge within a particular range for the age group and she exceeded the range. Well, that is fine. HOWEVER, why do you have judges who don't know the rules or how to score scoring? AND if she had to change her range, why drop the entire point, why not change it to the higher part of the range if she felt he did so well? After all she gave him the highest score, the others were 8.8 and 8.9. Hers was drop to 8.5 now. IN ADDITION, I totally understand the concept, and what the director told me was ALL THAT GUY HAD TO SAY TO ME. Not "Because I wanted her to." That is unacceptable, disrespectful, and uncalled for.

The director had the gentleman (which turned out to be his son) come to apologize to me. I accepted his apology and explained my feelings as I did in the last paragraph, and then his son made a comment "Well it's just common sense." I told him to STOP! First of all, common sense is so rare these days. So when working with people, you assume you have to explain without attitude. That's number one. Number two, it does not give him the right to be disrespectful. Then another director of the tournament had said that this guy came up to him to ask him to be sure the range was correct. So I feel he shouldn't have answered my question in the first place! Let alone as a hot shot.

My student did not get anything from the tournament, nor had they rectified the situation. At that point I had gathered the parents from my school together, and asked them what they thought we should do after viewing this situation. The other kids and parents from my school were already wondering whether or not we would have to deal with this and questioning the fairness of the tournament, and honestly I couldn't blame them and was questioning it too. I was supposed to do forms and spar also.  The parents had decided it was not worth staying and we would stand together as a school and leave. I told the director, and another co-director came to try to persuade us to stay.

He was acting like your typical sales person. Passivising, smiling, putting his arm around one of the mothers, being overly friendly--he honestly thought he could change our minds. He even said earlier "Let me talk to them," like a big shot and that he had the ultimate power of influence. So I said by all means, we'll give you the opportunity. But family sticks together.

The parents heard him explain the situation and they clearly expressed how the damage has been done, bad taste has been put in their mouths, we stick together as a school, they didn't appreciate the treatment of our youngest team member nor of the disrespect to their master (me), and the co-director said "Oh, it won't happen. I promise you that." But how? And why should we all believe that? And how does our little guy get justified? "Oh we'll give him a trophy." NO!!!!!!!!! Absolutely not! That is NOT why we are doing this. It is not about the trophy, he could have gotten 6's across the board and had one changed to a 5 I would STILL have inquired.

And I also as a master, do not want to teach my kids that you complain and moan to get what you want because that is NOT what this is. I think that was my biggest dilemma in my mind, what course of action is the right one, and how am I going to have my kids learn the proper lesson from this situation. I am very lucky to have parents who are not only supportive but just as mindful of what we are teaching our kids with life situations as this one.

The co-director continued to speak and make comments that the more he spoke, the more turned off to the tournament we all became. At one point he said that he would tell his kids that if something happened they were upset about with breaking or forms, to go back into the sparring and kicks some kid's butt and take it out on the mats, and he said it with a swing of his arm down into a swagger and turned as if he made some magnificent point and that would be the end of it. But the parents erupted all at once before I could even say anything. "That is NOT what we are all about!" "That's not what Master Trento teaches!" "That's not what we do where we come from!" We now banded together on values.

I was very upset with the situation, and I felt really bad that we all woke up on a day that we lost an hour due to daylight savings, that we practically threw away money, and that we even came to this tournament. But I couldn't help but feel so grateful to have such parents apart of my school to back up our youngest student and myself. When I opened my school, I was very firm to start a school that stood on values before business. And on Sunday, that was very apparent and I couldn't have been more proud. To my "parents," thank you for supporting our group decision and standing behind our little guy when he was wronged.

To my kids, sometimes in life there are situations where you do not allow people to push you around or take advantage of you. When those moments occur, you stand up for yourself because you value yourself, not to make a point. If you put passion before principle, many a time you will lose. But then other times it is best to pick your things up and leave. You take the course of action depending on the circumstances, but for the sole intention of holding up to your values. These things do happen. It won't be the last, but remember to always stick to your values.

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

Tuina with Sifu

"Tuina is an Asian Bodywork Therapy that has been used in China for 2,000 years. It uses the traditional Chinese medical theory of the flow of Qi as its basic therapeutic orientation. Through the application of massage of the muscles and tendons of the body, Tuina seeks to establish a more harmonious flow of Qi through the system of channels and collaterals, allowing the body to naturally heal itself."

-Sifu Pedro Cepero Yee (www.tuinatherapy.com)

After I take my master 4th Degree test in June, I am going to continue my training under a new master for the first time in four years. I am going to train under Master Pedro Cepero Yee from Clifton, NJ. He is a phenomenal and well known martial artist, especially in the areas of kung fu, lion dance, qigong, and so many other areas. My mentor Professor Lisa Sargese discovered him back in the summer and I first met him when I walked into his school for a Qigong Seminar in July. It was fantastic and I knew when I walked into those doors, that would be where I'll end up training again one day.

In a matter on an hour, I knew more about Master Yee (Sifu) than I ever did about my old master. Lisa and a few friends of ours have been going to him for Tuina therapy and have been having amazing results. He's help them more than doctors or other therapists! Since I met him in July, that is when I began learning spiritual energy and it forever changed my training and outlook on things in my life. Amazing results.

I did not see Sifu again until he paid me an unexpected visit back in November which was absolutely thrilling to me! You can read about that visit here. Just a gracious and kind man, yet I know he is a fierce warrior with such amazing stories, history, and accomplishments that would blow your mind. 

With the new year, I took some major steps into moving forward in my life and with my training, having that master test inch closer and closer. But the last couple weeks I have done some major things to clear up my Qi, to review my year which took some big steps for me to do, and train like the old days. But there was still some lingering energy that really needed to be cleaned up. So after many months of thinking and debating with myself (or dealing with the avoidance issue), I decided to give Sifu a call and go for a Tuina session for myself. 

It's been eight months since I walked into Sifu's school, and as I pulled up, he was just pulling up at the same time. He greeted me with a big smile and a great big hug! As soon as I walked into the school I felt the good energy of the school just flowing, as I looked up at all the dragon heads on the walls, the shrine for the ancestors, and the weapons and pictures all over the wall. I was in awe as if it were the first time I ever waked into the school.

I also got to meet some of his instructors at his school. One of them have been with Sifu for eighteen years! WOW! I hope I could have students who would stay with me for that long! Maybe I already do, we'll have to wait and see. We walked into the Tuina room and the scent was absolutely beautiful in the room. Then we began.

I started sitting in the chair and I discussed with Sifu the few things on my mind and that is on my spirit. I gave him my thoughts and feelings and my goals. I told him where I was at, where I want to be, and what I thought might be keeping me from doing it. I told him how I was feeling and how I want to feel. One particular thing was how my right knee cracks. Louise Hay says that joints represent our emotion of moving forward, which Sifu has said to me "Which you are!" 

He put his hand on my knee and was able to tell me exactly the physical ailment. I was so impressed.  I wanted to take his hand and look at it, to see if I could read his hand like a book or something to see I could see the answer too! He started on my neck and arms. OUCH! The radial nerve! Oh how I love thee. OUCH! Keep going Sifu! OUCH! I can take it! OUCH! Don't you mind me! OUCH! I was having so much fun!

Tuina therapy removes anything blocking energy flow within your body, it realigns your ligaments, it increases the mobility of your joints, regulates your nerves, increases the blood circulation, and heals soft tissue injuries. I wanted all of the above. I went onto the massage table laying on my back and he did something to my hips that made my whole body jerk and I couldn't help laughing at my body reaction. On the stomach he used his elbows to take out these knots in the top part of my back that meets my shoulders and neck. A lot of knots were there (this is where we keep our stress) and he told me "You're not going to like this" in which I thought in my head "Cool!" and he dug his elbows in. All your hear is CRACK, CRACK, CRACK. Siiiiigggghhhhhhh......

I am sure I looked very funny because everything else twitched after he did that and he said "Thank God you're so flexible." LOL!!!! I really felt as ease and very peaceful. That is emotionally and spiritually. Physically, I wanted to know what bus it was that hit me! But it was great.

But what I enjoyed most of all was the insight and advice given to me from the master. I told him, next time I am bringing a tape recorder because I wanted to hear his voice saying the things he was saying over and over and over again. I wanted my notebook with me and record everything he was saying because it all made sense and it all touched my heart. I won't give all the details but one thing he did say to me that was most insightful for me was the topic of chaos that comes into our lives. 

Sifu said to me "The true test of becoming a master is whether you can emerge successfully out of chaos. Anyone can come out of blissful situations. But when you are able to come out of chaos, that is when you have mastered something in your life. Only the greatest things in our lives come out of chaos." It's something I always knew, but hearing it from Sifu, well it just made ten times more sense for some reason. To sit back and looking at the chaos in your life and say "Wow, what awesome thing is going to come out of this?" that is just an awesome insight for a master in training to hear. 

We of course discussed the topic of attachments which I debate and question all the time. I posed the question about closure in order to DE-tatch. He said "Closure comes from not understanding. You should never close the doors on your past experiences because they happened to bringing you to being the person you are today. It is part of who you are, your development, and your growth. And that is a beautiful thing." GENIUS! And true.

I took a few moments talking to Sifu and his instructors a little bit before I left, and I walked around his school a little bit, admiring the training gear, the massive drums, the lion heads, the ancestor shrine, and I kept thinking "I'm going to be training here soon. What Sifu was doing to me today, he is going to teach me how to do someday." The excitement, the joy, and the motivation was filling me up. This is just what I needed. I was so grateful to Sifu. And now, a shift in focus. Its full speed ahead. Time to make things happen! 

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO

Music Psychology

Last night I taught a cardio kickboxing class at my school. I've done cardio kickboxing since I was sixteen years old, and I myself lost 45 pounds doing cardio kickboxing. It's awesome exercise and you get results. As always, it depends on how much effort you put into your workout and your eating habits. But there's something interesting I found out.

When I first started teaching cardio kickboxing, my mentor Charlene gave me a job at her gym and I taught one class a week and I had only one CD. Then I began teaching two or three classes a week, and I had maybe three CDs and I would alternate routines and CDs. Now being a martial artist, I don't care if there's music or not, I work to work. As long as I am working out and putting my all into it and getting my results, I am happy.

That's not to say that music can't enhance your performance. But the workouts are not about the music! It's about the exercising!! I have come across many different people and I actually had people in the past complain that I had the same music. Well, they were right, I only had three CDs at the time. Now I have several more, and I constantly alternate the music and routines. I have four kickboxing classes a week and I may use only ONE CD twice in a week, but that is it. I will change it up and still will be getting more CDs soon.

Sometimes you get a few ladies who will chit chat during the workout. Happens in every gym and every class I've ever been in or taught. It's typical. Not like a martial arts class where discipline must be upheld (hear that Robert! =P), but it's more laid back. Everyone has their own goals and own reasons for working out. It's either to get away, relieve stress, to sweat, to feel like they can eat or drink badly later, to lose weight, or to be healthy. Everyone's different. But then a discovery!

A while ago, one of my cardio ladies mentioned how my really fast CDs that were more upbeat kept the class more focused and working harder than a slower beat per measure CD. Well in last night's class, I had one of my slower cardio CDs which is supposed to make the class move stronger rather than faster. But I must have had three pairs of women talking. So I thought, "What would happen if I changed the CD half way through?" So half hour into the class, during the water break, I changed to a faster CD which is for faster movements for heart rate instead of stronger, torking movements.

Well! Wouldn't you know! Not ONE person talked during the second half hour. Not ONE. I couldn't help chuckling as I was waiting to see if any conversation would break out. It didn't happen! So I guess I have to buy more faster upbeat CDs and save my slower CDs to be used seldom. But not too seldom because what makes these classes work is the constant change of moving strong with moving fast. But no matter what the purpose of your workout: stress relief, weight loss, to sweat, to burn off that big dinner from your parent's the night before-- the workout is about the workout, not the music. That's what dances are for.

So acknowledging what music can do for one's workout, it can motivate you, move faster, and make your stronger. But apparently, it can make you more focused and make you either want to talk or not want to talk! It was really funny because I didn't really expect a change. But the psychology of music showed me!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

Accreditation vs Ability

 

I am a high school graduate with some college under my belt (no pun intended). I was going to Montclair State University in New Jersey (where I met my mentor Professor Lisa Sargese). I went to school thinking I wanted to become a high school teacher. I always wanted to study a specific field that catered to who I am. Education made sense. I am a natural educator. And I had phenomenal teachers and would have loved to fill their shoes. I would even think of how I would teach things I was learning in high school. When I knew something, I was able to teach it through various methods and techniques. I attribute that to my martial arts training and teaching.

To be a high school teacher you had to choose a subject matter to major in, and I loved history so chose that. I went to college as a senior in high school then a full year after that, and then a second year. But then circumstances in my life changed and I chose to focus on opening my own business. It was a choice that I MADE that was best for ME. And I couldn't have been happier with that decision. One great thing about me not continuing at that particular time was the fact that I found out what I was going to school for was NOT what I wanted to do. That I was settling, being safe, and would later regret and be unhappy.

So many people tell me I am stupid for not going back. FOR THE RECORD: I want to back to school, and I WILL finish. Isn't that enough? Unless you know who I am, when I say I want something and I am going to do it, I do it and I get it. But the average person, the majority of people, will say "oh well the longer you're out, the harder it is," or "people say they will but then they don't" etc. etc. etc. Well guess what: I am not like "other people." When the time is right, and I properly calculate the important things in my life, knowing how I myself perform in my life, will I make the right decisions for ME.

But that's not always the case and I can't change people's way of thinking. I am picking up a business in it's second year, and need to make sure that I build it to where I want it to be in order to go back to school. I also want to accomplish certain things in my martial arts training that are in alignment with my school goals. Are my priorities screwed up? Maybe to you, maybe to other people, but you're not supposed to do things because of what others think. You do things because they feel right and they feel right for YOU.

I want to go to school for psychology, something I've studied since I was 15 and enjoy and do well in. And there is a lieu of things I can do with it (and will). Not going to share all my ideas and goals, I'll save it for another blog. But I don't want to stop there. I want to then go for my Masters in Counseling and Human Services. Yet again, a lieu of other opportunities I have plans in store for. Believe me, if I could I would get several degrees. But I don't want them all. So the next question is, what are you waiting for? Well I have my reasons and that is reason enough.

But what DOES frustrate me is that I know SOOOOOO many people who have their degrees and do NOTHING with them or ended up doing something totally different. I know a person who has an accounting degree and does something totally different. I know someone with a business degree and works in a propane shop. I know someone with a degree in early childhood education and works in retail for ten years. I also know about a dozen people with degree, a few with their masters, and all on unemployment.

My other frustration is I know SOOOOO many people who have such awesome abilities in several different fields. Yet they cannot pursue any of it because they don't have a piece of paper saying they are "certified" or "licensed" or have a degree in it. And I can't stand that. People who cannot get jobs because they "lack experience" yet no one will GIVE them experience. I think job interviews should be like auditions. Don't tell me what you can do or have done, show me what you can do right NOW.

I had trainers, yoga teachers, and Zumba instructors teach at my school. They bring these resumes and I tell them to put it away. I don't care where you taught or were certified. I told them to do a class with me as the student. Sometimes I called in a few friends to take the class with me. Show me what you got! That is how I base whether or not you can do what you can do. And that is a BIG pet peeve of mine. People with AMAZING talents and abilities who can do great things but are limited due to lack of accreditation, and then the people with all these degrees, double masters and doctorates, and they can't find their way out of a paper bag! Now I am not saying ALL of them are like that, don't misinterpret. But I know so many situations where that is the case.

Honestly, anything I am certified in I learned how to do and did damn well before I got any certifications. It's always been that way. I was a Black Belt before I got certified. I was a trainer before I was licensed. I am a hypnotist before the certification. And if I don't say so myself, my abilities far surpass my ambition sometimes. It is not our abilities that define who we are, it is our choices. So yes, I will go back to school. In the meantime, I am going to do what I am doing, and do what's right for ME. I don't need people pressuring me or telling me its the right thing to do and go back now because they think that's the case. Go ahead, say it is procrastination or avoidance, over analyze it however you want. But we all know what's best for ourselves when we look deep inside, and timing is everything. Calculate your risks, don't just take them.

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO

A Year in Review

Note: When I say that I am going to do something, I do it. It may not be in the time someone else wants it, it may not be the way someone would expect it, it may not be WHY someone wants it, it may not be how, but when I say I will, I will. When I say I won't, then by all means push my buttons until I change my mind. But the commitments we make to others are just as important as the commitments we make to ourselves.

I hated 2011. I really did. I know, I know, I should never use the word hate. But it was such a bad year for me on a personal level. Very very early on in the year a few events really left me beyond hurt and incapable to doing things I loved to do. I loved watching movies. I loved watching TV shows. I loved eating healthy. I loved cooking pasta and sauce (which I did Super Bowl this year). And above all, I loved taking pictures.

We have to be very careful not to allow outside forces affect our inner joy. Not allow, things to take away from what brings us joy and pleasure. I did the total opposite. And in 2011, I did not do ANY of the things that would make me happy that I enjoyed. I stopped watching Friends and The Big Bang Theory. I stopped getting movies to watch. I pretty much stopped watching TV altogether, and don't get me wrong, it is not like I was/am a couch potato. But it was just a time for relaxing, because what I do during the day and week is constant motion.

Well it's a year later, and since I started taking great strides to becoming a master since July, I have come a long way. But now I am facing the demons and fears. And I began to conquer them: alone. Yeah, I had a big problem going through this part, but a true master can stand on his own two feet and face the music despite the odds and repercussions. It was the first weekend in MONTHS I had no plans. And I kept it that way. I got like 7 movies I really wanted to see, and I actually got to watch one with Sadie. It was fantastic! At first my thoughts left me a little bit, realizing what I was doing. I am actually sitting down to watch a movie. Immediately the devil on one shoulder says you shouldn't be doing something that makes you happy! Then the angel on the other shoulder says, ah don't listen to him!

I used to have a friend I would watch movies with all the time. We had very much the same taste in movies and we were always telling each other of some other movie we found we should watch together! After so long of doing that, you associate those good times which become lost times with that very thing. And I really haven't sat down to watch a movie in a year. And it was actually very emotional to finally do, but no tears! Mostly because I didn't want my roommate to see any from me. Although she's the most empathetic person I can speak to, I don't want her seeing any tears from me.

Another thing I did was I now own EVERY Walt Disney animated movie! I absolutely love Walt Disney movies, it is one of those things that keep the little child inside of me alive. My favorite cartoon character is Mickey Mouse, most people who know me well enough know this. My favorite vacation place is Disney World, I will tire out anyone who goes with me LOL! SO I now have every Disney movie, something I have been saying for years I would do. Well I did it. And you know what I did with Sadie on Saturday? We watched three of them. That was BEFORE we watched one of the new movies I got. Wow. I did it.

I also got a few favorite TV shows of mine like Will and Grace, and now I have Friends once again and think I am ready to conquer that. Now that the Qi is flowing, I need it to purify. Kristin also had me get the TV Show Oz. So I said what the heck, so I got it, and we watched the entire first season this weekend! I watched a TV show?! Yes I did. And I loved it, Kristin has some awesome taste.

Then I decided to push the envelope with myself. I was ready to tackle the pictures. In the past I would take hundreds of pictures a month and organize them on a flash drive and upload them to my Facebook. I did this for years, since I guess 2005. This past year, 2011, I did not. I was the one with a camera every where I would go and be annoying and take pictures of every moment around! And believe me, I got them. But this project was the hardest.

You know how certain songs and certain types of weather remind you of a particular time in your life? It has that feel and aura about it? The weather, being what it is now, is doing that for me right now. It reminds me of what it was like this time last year. But then to actually visually seeing it all through pictures. Each picture I looked at, I saw the pretend smiles I forced myself to wear, remembering what my thinking was, what I was feeling, and I also realized how many things I did over the year that I couldn't really fully enjoy as I could have and should have.

IN February 2011 I went to see Lady Gaga in concert.

I went to a Lady Gaga concert which was phenomenal. But it was very early in the year and the emotions were very fresh. I went to Florida with my Aunt, cousins, mother, and brothers. I remember what that time was like too. We went to Universal and a day in my most favorite place, Disney. I had my one year anniversary and brought kids to their first tournament. I did a fundraiser at TMAFC, I competed myself in my first tournament in four years. I really still did a lot, and I was in a fog the whole time. Slowly I emerged and I almost missed capturing it all.

Aunt Karen, my cousins and brothers with me on Splash Mountain

I realized me not doing my pictures was my way of not seeing the year again. It was my way of not wanting to remember the year at all. Avoidance, and putting off the inevitable. And I would have been successful, but not true. Going through these pictures really brings up a lot of memories, but as a master, I have to put my focus on what I need to in order to move forward. But what makes that focus easier is that I gave myself the sense of accomplishment. I organized and downloaded all my pictures, with a few more still to do. I uploaded quite a bit on Facebook and almost all caught up. I am setting the stage to continue to do so, like I used to. Because it makes me happy. I watched a movie, and an entire TV show, I did everything I said I would do. I am proud.

I actually went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal

How do I not go to the Lucille Ball Tribute in Universal!

2012 is already going so much better. But with review, comes lessons and decisions. Motivation instead of regret. Commitments instead of frustration. It's about making things happen. With my business I have brought my students to competitions like I said I would. I worked with my mentors like I said I would. I moved out like I said I would. I training with my old schedule like I said I would. I will be testing for 4th Degree master lie I said I would and have been competing like I said I would. Consistency is important and I have every intention of keeping the things important to me consistent. 

Making time for my movies and shows, taking my pictures, continuing with my training, eating and sleeping the way I want, making my sauce more often, I will do it all. No more avoiding, no more putting off. Will there be some bumps and things I will have trouble with. Of course. I welcome the challenges. This is the year of making things happen. I reviewed the year, and now it is over. Looking forward to seeing the year that is to come. 

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO