Six Years of TMAFC

June 5th of this year marked the sixth year anniversary of TMAFC. I remember the post years of trying to get the school started. I can't tell you how many people told me I couldn't do it. Just as many said I wouldn't. Even more said I shouldn't. But it was my dream. At the time I was in a wave and I had every intention of riding it. I had no clue how I was going to do it, but I knew in my very bones I was going to do it!

6 years is not that long compared to like Sifu who celebrated 25 years June 1. But in my small amount of time running my school, SO MUCH has changed, and all good things! It's at a point now where there's been such an accumulation to exactly what it's meant to be can grow and stand strong and tall.

In this sixth year alone so much has been accomplished. July of last year I began the HaganaH FIGHT program. The students who started are still with it and I've enjoyed so much teaching it. In January of this past year I held my first FIGHT test and 5 of them became yellow belts. This July will be a year since the program started and I have five ready for orange belt and another five ready for yellow belt. I also had my mentor Master DeJesus come to the school twice to hold Muay Thai seminars for these guys, which I have learned so much with along side my students. I also got certified in Blade Warrior with Mike Lee Kanarek and held a seminar for it at my school which brought some nice new flavor to my students.

But the HaganaH program's biggest highlight was the weekend of the anniversary when Mike Lee Kanarek himself came to TMAFC to hold the MA.K.O Seminar on June 4! I would have never have thought he would ever come to my own school! What an honor and what a huge highlight! I hope that each year he continues to come the anniversary weekend of TMAFC. He did mention he was coming back next year! That's a good sign!

My students with MLK at MAKO at TMAFC

Also in year six my very first pure bred Black Belts, Danielle and Samantha Niblock received their first Degree Black belts under me, and my four junior boys William Stiehl, Theodoris Costa, Tomasz Sadowy, and Anthony Guallpa received their Black Belts in March. It was also the first time Master Balon was on the panel for any of my testings which was so great! The school's belt testing cycles have been growing and doing great and at a point we have to split the tests up a little bit due to the range of ranks!

In January three of my students and two inherited Black Belts got certified by me to being instructors at my school. My students Nicole Vidal, Heather Marte, and Thomas Cubby have been tremendous support, and a great help to the school in every way shape and form. But I have also been blessed with the presence of Miss Ann Marie Cooper who has been helping teach the Saturday classes at the school and Mr. Guillermo Colon-Green who has helped with the competition team for the school. I couldn't do half the things I need without these guys and am eternally grateful and blessed.

The TMAFC NEW junior Black Belts!

Mr. Colon, Miss Cooper, and the two FIRST pure bred 1st Dans!

In February, I also held my first in school tournament at TMAFC. Three schools other than my own participated. For a first time event, I was VERY happy how it went. Master Balon was a HUGE help and support behind the scenes on the day of! I couldn't have done it without his help. It's also something I wanted to do for so long and he's encouraged me to do for so long that I FINALLY was able to do it! It was not only successfully done, but also so much fun to do and share!

Another "something I always wanted to do" was to get NEW MATS for the school! My dearest friend Jessie and I took the drive down to Philly with a rented truck and we got the new mats, picked up the old ones, and put the new ones down, which the very next day I help my first Officials Clinic for AAU New Jersey! Also in the year at the school that I was able to physically do to the school besides our newest mats was to install my old mirrors onto the walls, have the healing room for Qigong sessions and Raindrops made, as well as a built in office to work in, and the new added proshop!

But I think one of the grandest highlights we had at TMAFC was definitely in April when we had Grandmaster Katherine Wieczerza come for a magical weekend up from Nashville, Tennessee to Saddle Brook, New Jersey! We had classes and did everything you can imagine that just brought motivation, inspirations, and positive Qi to everyone who got to meet her. My parents and friends got to spend time with her, we got to do Goju Shorei cane, the parents of the school participated and were inspired just by watching her. That was a really amazing thing, and again I hope to have her every year (if not MORE) to NJ as well!

Master Kathy at TMAFC!

Six years.....we did SO much in this past year alone! So much has changed since that first day, but I wouldn't change a thing to the journey that brought us all right here. It's been a blessing every step of the way and I am so grateful I get to do what I do every day, share it with the people who get to live in my world of the Trento-verse, and I am EXTREMELY AWARE I have had a lot of help along the way. We never do anything truly great alone in this world. I bring in the 7th year with a big event that is personal to me: my veyr own 5th Degree Black Belt test. Master Balon will be testing me at my very own school. I am grateful, excited, nervous, but most of all proud of all that has happened. I am so happy where we are and not a day goes by I don't say "Thank You" for it all.... (BOWS)

Yours in service,

MASTER A TRENTO

Kung Fu History!

Clifton branch of Yee's Hung Ga Kung Fu

"Those who constantly evolve will see the future first."

-Mike Lee Kanarek

People gathering for this historic event!

Saturday June 11, 2016 was a big day for the Yee's Hung Ga Kung Fu Lineage. I also wore a few different hats that day myself. That morning I had tested for Saam Cup Jr and tested with my favorite form thus far in my training of Hung Ga, Ng Ying Keun, the Five Shape Fist Form, more commonly known as the Five Animal Form. Grandmaster Yee Chee Wai (Frank Yee), and my Sigung, had published the book on the Five Animal Form just last year. It was a grand contribution to the Kung Fu community.

I think it was in 1987 that the idea for writing a book came about, but Sigung had chosen to wait until he turned 60 years old to start writing it, because that means he had lived a full life cycle according to Chinese custom. How do you figure? Well there are 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and five elements so it takes 60 years to go through a cycle. Sigung's would say "How can I publish a book if I am still learning from my art and creating what will be? What if things change later on?" So true to his word, he waited and finally the Five Animal Book was published in fall of 2014.

Grandmaster Frank Yee, founder of Yee's Hung Ga International Kunf Fu Association.

 "To cultivate one's heart, to cultivate one's self and put the family in order."

-Grandmaster Frank Yee

Sigung during honoring the ancestors with the Five Traditional Shaolin Offerings.

After my test I had changed into nicer clothes for a very special ceremony that was being taken place. I was not only a member of my Sifu's school who had tested that morning but an invited master to take witness to the events that would occur. People had come in from all over for this event. In attendance was Sifu Shum Leung of Eagle Claw Kung Fu, Sifu Wan Chi Ming of Hung Ga, Sifu Yip Wing Hong of Dragon Style Kung Fu, Sifu Norman Chin of Southern Mantis style, Sifu Chen Yan of Bagua as well as Sifu Ralph Mitchell of Southern Mantis, Sifu Mimi Chan who is the daughter of and representing Chan Pui of Wah Lum Kung Fu, Sifu Tresa Man who is the daughter of London's Wing Chun Sifu Joseph Man, also from Wing Chun Sifu Vinnie Thomas, Jow Ga Derek Johnson, Grandmaster George Crayton, Soke Bob Martin who is the senior student of Moses Powell,Sensei Ismael Franco of Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujitsu, Sifu Richard Huang of the 5 Animal Kung Fu who is the student of Sifu Larry Tan , and myself as master of Taekwondo.

At beginning of the ceremony Sifu welcomed everyone to the ceremony and had verbally walked through all of the guests through Sigung's demonstration of the traditional Shaolin Five Offerings. A big table and a small table were set up in front of the ancestor shrine and Sigung facing the alter had structurally went through the five offerings, with Sifu narrating the entire ceremony for the audience to understand. He also explained the signifcance of the set up and use of Light, Flowers, Incense, Fruit, and Water.

At this ceremony Sigung had announced the newest Dan ranking system and significance that will be followed all over the world for Yee's Hung Ga, and the new sashes (like belts) were released to the senior Dan ranks. Anyone who knows Sigung knows that he never does something for nothing, meaning there is a reason for everything and there is a purpose. No detail went untouched. Everything from the colors of the trim, the picture of the dragons, the color of the dragons, the use of the hexagrams from I Ching, EVERYTHING had its purpose. The most senior ranks also had new jackets for the uniforms, and wore the new sashes.  This was the main reasoning for re-establishing the ranking system:

"The main goal is to avoid internal fighting. We are not trying to compare with other styles and the outside world. From years of experience, Master Yee believes we must take care of each our Kung Fu first, everybody must know where they stand in order to avoid future problems. There are commonly large disagreements after a head instructor passes away, because the rank is not set out black and white. Like most families, we have had internal problems in the past that could have been avoided with a system like this. He hopes that in the future, all of the Martial Arts families will be peaceful internally and therefore have the energy to offer more to the martial arts world and the whole of society. "

Sigung in front of his five disciples. 

The fourth generation disciples are accepting their new responsibilities for the lineage. 

After the ceremony honoring the ancestors, Sigung (Grandmaster Frank Yee) had announced that he was transferring the responsibilities of Yee's Hung Ga International Kung Fu Association to his five fourth generation disciples including my Sifu, Sifu Pedro Cepero Yee (9th Dan), Sifu Joseph Demundo (8th Dan),  Sifu Mike Perfetto (7th Dan),  Sifu Chi Wah Lee (7th Dan), and Sifu Sharif Bey (6th Dan). 

Sifu had been the the USA President for about 16 years. His disciple who received his 7th Dan, Sifu Michael Burnett, who is an excellent teacher and leader in his own right, had been appointed President of the USA Headquarters of Yee's Hung Ga International and my sifu, Sifu Pedro Cepero Yee, had been appointed now the World President of Yee's Hung Ga International Kung Fu Association. Sifu Joseph Demundo was raised to Chairmen of the World Association, Sifu Chi Wah and Sifu Mike Perfetto both raised to Vice Presidents of the World Association, and Sifu Sharif Bey to Vice Chairmen of the World Association. Also Sifu Roberto Alicea (6th Dan) was appointed to Vice President of USA Headquarters.

Yet another very special and momentous occasion had taken place. All of the branches all across the world from China, USA, United Kingdom, Brazil, El Salvador, and Italy (maybe a few other places I don't know about) had taken a vote to officially promote Grandmaster Yee, the founder of Yee's Hung Ga to the level of 10th Dan Sifu. Sigung, never wanted to self-promote or just assume rank ever. As a founder he constantly evolves the system, researches, studies, puts into practice, and teaches. It wasn't even a question to all the branches of the world to make an official vote to promote the founder. This was done without Sigung's knowing at all.

Sifu and Sigung during the tea ceremony.

Me and Master Chen Yan of Bagua. She taught me the 8 Brocade Qigong set four years ago!

Me and my Sigung, Grandmaster Frank Yee. 

But one of my favorite moments was when Sigung  and the association bestowed honorary 10th Dan to his long time friend and Blood Brother, Sifu George Crayton Jr.! His training brother who had attended in support of the lineage's historic day had been training all his life, and I believe it showed such true brotherhood and humility to brought his fellow training brother up with him to this prestigious rank! I was in absolute awe of that moment! That one moment spoke volumes in the the true spirit of it all.

Another tribute made at the ceremony was from Sifu Michael Burnett to Sifu Pedro Cepero Yee. June 1 actually marked Sifu's school's 25th year anniversary of the Clifton Branch school. Sifu Burnett gave a beautiful speech and presented Sifu Yee with a plaque commemorating the occasion and acknowledging him and thanking him for his many years of service, teaching, and for being the beacon for so many of us. 

"Time is our most precious commodity, it can never be recovered. So make the most of your life as I am making of mine."

-Sifu Pedro Cepero Yee

The traditional bowing and offering of the tea ceremony for the fourth generation disciples was beautiful as they accepted their new responsibilities. But Sigung made one thing VERY clear! He is NOT retiring!!! He is only changing the route and course he is taking to continuing to build the system and work behind the scenes of his disciples, taking on his own new responsibilities to it's highest caliber. 

There are some moments when you know a big change is happening. There are pivotal moments that occur in life and we don't know when they happen all the time, but sometimes we get privy to being keenly aware that it is happening. I did not take being present at this event for granted by any means. I was honored and humbled to be invited as a master of a neighboring art, but extremely proud to being there as well as a student within this lineage. Proud of what Grandmaster Yee has accomplished, proud of my own Sifu to have him guide me in training and to life, proud to be here for this moment in history, and proud to be recognized as part of the family. I also did not know that I would be accepted into a position of Honorary Advisor among these amazing masters. I was humbled and honored.

"If a martial arts system isn't constantly evolving and growing, it is dying. The cure for that is to find people....and empower them to make decisions and changes."

-Soke Dave McNeil

Evolution is important. When I first met Sigung, he had said "Tradition is important but so is innovation." This ceremony touched and filled our spirits. It had promoted and preserved the Chinese culture and traditions through our martial art as a family. One Art, One Family. At dinner, Sigung said to me and my student that "We in the martial arts world are all one family. We all speak the same language." To see first hand that level of evolution is tremendous and a high privilege. 

There have been a lot in the current of change in the air. All good things. As I sat there watching Sigung stand before his five disciples, I thought of my own students. I see the personal history between them and Sigung, and I think of the history being made now with my own. You can't help but be motivated and inspired by an event like this. 

I want to congratulate Sigung on this historic day in Hung Ga history, congratulate my training uncles in their new appointments, to Michael Burnett on his new appointment, and a special congratulations to my Sifu and thank you. Thank you for letting me be a part of this great lineage and exciting world, that I am so humbled and proud to be a part of. (BOWS)

Sifu Pedro Yee, Master Trento, and Grandmaster Frank Yee.

Yours in service,

MASTER A TRENTO

The 8th Degree Black Belt

FINALLY! FINALLY! FINALLY! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is NO reason why this woman's journey had to be an uphill battle. Or maybe there is symbolically. Maybe they are underlying. But on the surface, there is not one sensible reason why a person of Master Katherine Wieczerza's caliber had to fight an uphill battle to test for 8th Degree Black Belt.

The Wiz can still perform with such grace and amazing power. She is a master technician and a smart fighter. She has a plethora of knowledge that she passes down to everyone she meets who want to learn from her. She has the energy, motivation, and enthusiasm that keeps you engaged and excited. She also continues to push herself to grow constantly and holds herself accountable. The Wiz is also as humble as they come yet as fierce as can be.

Master Kathy is everything an 8th Dan Black Belt should be and THEN some, for any kind of martial art. She takes care of her own, and she takes care of others. She rekindles passion inside of a person who is lost, she excited the hungry and eager. She perseveres despite trials and tribulations that have come her way. She stands up for what she believes in with integrity and respect. She shares and passes knowledge everywhere she goes.

Master Kathy has a gift to be able to bring the best out of the people she meets. You walk away a better person. I have said over and over, that is her greatest gift. She is a servant leader, never asks for anything in return. She takes her responsibility seriously as a high rank and holds her own students accountable. Master Kathy is also constantly evolving herself which in turn helps her evolve her students. That is the key to any great teacher.

So I believe these are the qualities seen by her own Instructor, Soke Dave McNeil, head of the Goju Shorei systems, 9th Dan Black Belt. This man inspires the Wiz. Nuff said! That in itself makes him qualified to pushing her into this new level. IF there was anyone who could produce a test that would hold up the integrity of testing someone for this rank, especially of someone of the caliber the Wiz is at, it would be Soke McNeil. To further validate this rank, a panel of some of the greatest martial artists of high ranks and esteemed instructors from various disciplines were put together to judge Master Kathy on her test. Including 10th Dan Grandmaster Alexander Archie, 8th Dan Professor Bill Dewart, Master Andy Tourin, Master Ken Mammen, and Master Ross Briggs.

Master Kathy demonstrated all her forms, explained applications to the forms, she did self-defenses including self-defense material with the flashlight and carabiner like she did when she came to New Jersey . Then she did her breaking while also explaining her metaphor of breaking, and she answered questions given to her by the panel to demonstrate her philosophy, wisdom, and goals as an 8th Dan. And she presented her thesis on the Subjective Object. Her blog on it is a must read to all martial artists.

We were ALL so excited for Master Kathy. Her family and students all throughout Tennessee, all of her students and grandstudents in Florida, as well as Georgia, all of us here in New Jersey, and all over the country, Master Kathy has so much love and support going her way that day. But that kind of love and support has been given to all of the people who has ever come in contact with Master Kathy. I sometimes really don't know if she realizes how much she has done for people and  how much love and respect there is for her.

ON behalf of EVERYONE who knows Master Kathy, we are THRILLED and absolutely ECSTATIC on June 4th that Master Kathy Weiczerza had successfully passed her Black Belt test  and promoted to 8th Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo. I wan to personally thank Soke Dave McNeil for giving her the opportunity to test  and testing her fairly and upholding the integrity of her rank. Thank you to the panel for recognizing and endorsing her they way she deserves. Well all wish a warm congratulations to Master Kathy, the 8th Degree Black Belt!

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

To Just Be or Not to Just Be??

One of the biggest highlights of my year is the Just Be BBQ! It was going to be a one time thing and everyone kept pushing me to do it again so the following year we did the Second Iteration of the Just Be BBQ. At the end of that one we already decided we had to have a Just Be 3! And so we did!

But weather didn't get it's invitation I guess, because the days leading up to it were absolutely beautiful, and the days after it was scheduled (and was) absolutely beautiful! But the day I scheduled Just Be 3, weather reports showed the worst rain showers imaginable! OF ALL DAYS!

I got really upset. I kept trying to be positive but it was already a stressful weekend as I had just returned from Georgia, had to handle things at the school, Mike Lee Kanarek came to TMAFC, I was soooooo bummed about what the weather was going to be. I had no contingency plan, and there was no way to reschedule it as there was so much going on for everybody. I kept thinking of plan Bs. Maybe a park? Maybe I should find an empty church basement? Maybe my parent's house? I was at a loss.

I wanted to cry like a five year old. I don't like not being able to come up with solutions. I even looked up how much to rent party tents, and there was no way my wallet was going to manage that. So my dear friend Master Kathy happened to call me while she was in Reno. She already had a huge weekend ahead of her, yet she took the time to call me to see if I had come up with any solutions! God bless her. She reminded me "There is not one pretentious person who goes to this event! The purpose is to be together and everyone loves everybody so it'll all be good!"

Well those must have been just the words I needed to hear. So I got off my couch and MOVED toward a solution. I drove to the Walmart near my house in this God forsaken downpour and walked over to the "summer" section and found this canopy tent that was ten feet by ten feet! I went to the backyard of Ara's house in the rain to set it up to see how it would look. When Heather found out what I was doing she redirected her car to me to help and then Ara saw me and came outside to help.

The tent I tried the night before.

As we got it up the rain began to let up as I got more excited about how it would work. I looked at Ara and said "Well? I think this could work!" So I went and got three more!!! I set it up, and I decided I was going to do it anyway! No cancelling, rain or shine! What made me more motivated was that I kept getting phone calls, texts, and messages from people saying "What should we bring?" and "What time is it again?" and reassurances "We are coming no matter what!" That really warmed my heart.

I thought whoever comes will come, and in the end, majority of them were able to come. I was so happy, and we had a great time. If only everyone knew the running around and figuring out a solution with such a vengeance the night before. I am glad that we all chose to JUST BE. It was a good choice! (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

Just Be 3!!!!

JUST BE 3! They still all came!

It was a loooong weekend but and exciting one. But the first weekend in June was in particular a very special one. Not only did I have Mike Lee Kanarek at my school for two days, but also it was my school's six year anniversary. One the exact date I had scheduled my third Just Be BBQ! This has become one of the highlights of my year.

The origins of this BBQ come from a few years ago when life just wasn't working out for me. My life was going through a major storm. Sifu kept saying to me that his greatest wish for me was to "just be". So I went above and beyond and invited all the people who were important to me in one place and we had the Just Be BBQ.

Well for something that  was only supposed to be a one time thing, it became quite the tradition each year. For me it is the only time I get to have everyone together at one time. There are people from so many different areas of my life and times of my life and we get together as one family.

But a few nights before the weather was showing it was supposed to be horrible weather and I was getting so upset, to the point I thought I would have to cancel it. I had no contingency plan and no day it could be moved to in the near future. I wanted to cry like a three year old. But then I was getting text messages and phone calls from people saying "What time is it going to be?", "What should I bring?", "DO you need anything?" And I kept asking these people "Don't you see the forecast?" And every single one of their responses were the same: SO WHAT?

These people didn't care rain or shine, they all said no matter what they were going to come as long as I was  having it. I think the best was when Dr. Mary Ellen Stiehl called  me and didn't even say hello, she just said "You know it will take more than rain, thunder storm, or tornado, or an apocalypse to keep us from coming!" That says it all, and warms my heart.

Rain or shine, everyone was willing to come!

This gathering is something everyone looks forward to all year!

We even have newbies welcomed to this event!

My two brothers and my brother's wonderful girlfriend come every year!

SO then finally Saturday night, I decided I needed to MOVE to  figure this out. I drove in torrential down pour and bought a tent from Walmart to see how it would work. I put it up in Ara's backyard to see how it would work. Then I got three more and found my solution! I figured whoever wants to  come will come, and whoever doesn't doesn't. We'll see what we get.

Well I was astounded at who exactly ended up coming. Just about every single person other than a small few made it. It was cloudy but we all got together and ate, laughed, and enjoyed. Master DeJesus and Annabelle DeJesus were there, Sensei Cara and her fiance Jen was there, Julie and her boyfriend Brent made it, Sifu and Simo, so many of my adult students in booth Taekwondo and HaganaH attended, my brothers came, it was a beautiful turnout of people.

Then my worst fears came to life for about 15 minutes. The torrential downpour and one of the tents even almost blew away! But what was  my worst fear ended up being one of my most favorite moments that symbolized  everything this event is about. Everyone stood up to stay under the tents to stay dry but everyone began to hold onto the tents to keep them down. As everyone came together to support the tents and keep everything grounded, and while everyone was holding the tents, we laughed, we shared, we talked, and we enjoyed each other's company.

With everyone's SUPPORT, Just Be was able to stay grounded and there was no storm that could ever blow away the strength of the support we have in our lives, which is where  the origins of this event began in the first place. I don't know if anyone else caught onto the symbolism, but I sure did. What was my greatest fear that day became one of my favorite moments. After that it stopped raining and was dry the rest of the night!!!

My worst fear for that day came true for 15 minutes-- it ended up being my favorite part.

No storm could take away from us Just Being and enjoying our company and laughing!

We had a marvelous time Just Being!

Thomas took out his ukulele and played a beautiful song he had written which he named "Movement is Life" which I though was absolutely beautiful and really touched my heart. William also had a duet with Thomas which was unrehearsed playing the "Lava song". And Sifu and I belted out "Lean On Me" while Thomas played while we sat around the fire!

We kept things moving no matter what, which was the theme of the year! Movement is Life! We keep our bodies moving, we are  healthier and alive! We keep our minds moving and we stay sharp. We learn the juggle in our lives and it takes mastering motion. When we keep our dreams moving, we always find ways to thrive in our lives. My gosh, if I didn't get up and move I wouldn't have figured out a solution to have the Just Be BBQ! And if everybody didn't move to hold our grounds, the BBQ would have been blown away by our 15 minute storm. And this year, we will all continue to move forward, to wherever forward is for our lives, TOGETHER.

Martial royalty walked in! Sifu and Simo looking dapper as always!

Sifu had no chance as everyone dive bombed on him to say hello! SO MUCH LOVE!

Laughing with my wonderful friend Sensei Cara dn her beautiful fiance Jen!

Some of these people only see each other once a year!

Thomas and William's duet of the Lava song!

It may have been supposed to be cold and cloudy but it was beyond warm and sunny in my heart that day. I couldn't believe how many people still came to the Just Be BBQ. No storm could ever blow away our spirits to being together. It meant so much. As I said in my speech, there has been no greater treasure and blessing in my life than to MOVE along in this life with a tremendous SUPPORT system as these guys and yet still take the time to JUST BE.....

The Rainbow after the storm!

(BOWS)
Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO

Mike Lee Kanarek at TMAFC for M.A.K.O

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

Kang's Pioneer Award

On April 30th, 2016 after I officiated all day at the New Jersey AAU Qualifier, I drove back up to Fort Lee, NJ where the U.S Grandmaster's Society Banquet was being held. This banquet was inducting several phenomenal martial artists who had made great constitutions to the Taekwondo world. One of those inductees as Grandmaster Suh Chong Kang.

In 2014 I had done my very first Master Trento Special on YouTube where I had interviewed Grandmaster Kang. It was one of the few interviews he has ever given in English and even brought some controversy from other Taekwondo practitioners, including General Choi's granddaughter. GM Kang begn learning martial arts under Won Kuk Lee who was the founder of the very first Korean kwan (gym) that began in secret in 1944 called Chung Do Kwan. Back then, Korea was still ruled by Japan and learning martial arts was prohibited except for Yudo. If Koreans learned martial arts they would be executed.

Then after the Korean war ended in the 1950s, GM Kang began his own kwan called Kukmukwan, as his way to sort out the Communist people and teach his own brotherhood of martial artists. GM Kang was good friends with General Hong Hi Choi and they worked together in the Korean Army, and GM Kang as the head of the Korean CIA. When General Choi tried to unite the kwans under the name Taekwondo and formed the ITF, GM Kang was very much involved in those origins, being one of the founding fathers of the ITF and supported his friend General Choi.

GM Kang had moved to Brooklyn, NY and began his own Kukmukwan Taekwondo schools. What many people do not realize is that GM Kang was really the pioneer to bring Taekwondo to this country. Without his presence teaching in the USA, every single person I know in the Taekwondo community, would not be doing what we are doing today. I was at this banquet in Fort Lee where I think 200 plus people were there, and all I could think of was that NONE of these people would be at this event at all if it weren't for GM Kang.

GM Kang also taught some of the most legendary and well known martial artists in the Taekwondo community including Jhoon Rhee, Hee Il Cho, and Haeng Gung Lee, who began the ATA. GM Kang was the first president of the ATA for a decade and was also the Vice President of the ITF with General Choi for many years.

Grandmaster Suh Chong Kang is THE MOST SENIOR person in Taekwondo EVER. This induction and award is long over due for someone of his caliber and service. He is everything a pioneer stands for. It means to be the FIRST. We truly was the FIRST in all respects of Taekwondo, and involved  in all the firsts, and spear headed any new firsts to come. But without him, all my friends in the AAU or USAT or GTF or ATA, NONE of us would be doing Taekwondo if it were not for this man.

 It was an honor and great privilege to being there for Grandmaster Kang for his well deserved induction into the U.S Grandmaster's Society Hall of Fame and Pioneer Award. It is with much gratitude and respect that I thank Grandmaster Kang for his contribution and service to an art that means a great deal to me and all I know teaching and training in it today. (BOWS)
                            

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO