Threaded Cotton

My 2nd Degree Black Belt

Years ago, I would never think that a few pieces of cotton threaded together would mean so much to me. I never thought I would work so hard so that I could tie something around my waist and call it mine. If there was a fire, my belt will be the first thing I grab on my way out the door. My belt has never been washed, and never touched the floor just out of respect. There are so many reasons to respect your belt, that many people outside of martial arts wont understand. Well, this will be my attempt to show you exactly why these pieces of cotton woven together means the world to me. Trento's Martial Arts and Fitness Center (TMAFC for short) is known in the "Martial Art World", for having the most exciting and rigorous best black belt tests in all of Bergen, Passaic, and Hudson County, and we sure as hell live up to that reputation.

Before opening TMAFC, and before even my black belt test. Martial Artists from our old school, and the group of "Backyardigans" (will explain shortly, just bear with me), got together to collectively present our ideas for the new school (TMAFC in the making). Master Trento would call this meeting, the "Mastermind Meeting". Interesting concept the "Mastermind" term is. It is for making a group of many minds, into one mind to achieve a higher potential. Obviously, the more minds, the higher the potential of the ideas.

Now to explain that "Backyardigans" word. Well, like I said, before opening TMAFC at the location it is, about six of us (myself included) would get together three times a week (two hours each day), and train under Master Trento. Without a school to go to, we would train in basements, garages, and backyards. Makes sense to call us the backyardigans.

I apologize ahead of time for making everyone confused, but, I have to explain the whole reason for bringing all this up. So, while at this "Mastermind Meeting", we discussed in great detail the running of our black belt tests. At our old school, we had very similar black belt test, and every single black belt at that meeting had taken one of these rigorous tests. Everyone said that we should keep our black belt tests the way they were (six days of hell). Mind you, this is not long before my own black belt test. You can imagine how much I was hoping for the Mastermind members to decided not make my test as difficult as theirs, but that is a decision I would have regretted making. Not until I took my black belt test did I truly understand why they kept the test the way they took theirs.

For the vindictive people out there, you're probably thinking that they made that decision because of the "if I had to go through it, then so do you" concept. Well, in a way, you're correct. If we turn that negative comment into a more positive one, it turns into, "if I got something out of that test, then so will you." At TMAFC, we try to pass on to newer martial artists, not only how to kick and punch, but the lessons we learned through our experience. The black belt test is meant to be difficult and push your limits past anything you have ever experienced before, but on that last day, after pushing physical and mental exhaustion, your master unties your belt, and ties a new one around your waist. The feeling you get is like no other you have ever experienced as well. It's like winning a gold medal in the Olympics. You work so hard for this one thing, and when you finally get it, the sigh of relief and excitement is all worth the difficult journey to get there. A never-before felt feeling, for a never-before experienced event.

Master Trento Tying the Knot

I have taken a black belt test three times now and every single time, I learn something new about myself. That is something so special, that it's worth going through the ass-kicking process to get. After taking these three tests, I now understand what the black belts at the Mastermind meeting were talking about. This is not about putting you through the ringer to get some threaded cotton to tie around your waist, this is about self; self-assessment, and self-discovery. Both of those are more valuable and worth more than the exhaustion felt from a black belt test. That belt that I tie around my waist isn't just cotton threaded together, it's what that belt represents that is the key aspect of being a black belt, and what it means to those who wear it.

Warm Wishes and Enjoy Life,
Andrew R. Kranich