Elvis at the Australian Masters Games Taekwondo too
LOOK WHO ELSE IS COMING TO THE MASTERS GAMES – Elvis, Thank You Very Much !
Game on for The Ultimate ELVIS Tribute, Mark Anthony
One of the world’s most accomplished Elvis tribute artists, Mark Anthony, is set to light up the stage at the 17th Australian Masters in Adelaide this October.
Anthony and his live band, which has been noted for performing Presley’s hits with the same passion as the original recordings, will be in the building, at the Games Village at the Adelaide Convention Centre, on Friday 11 October to entertain the 8000+ masters participants.
“I am really looking forward to performing for the Masters Games event, and showing the athletes some great homegrown entertainment. Giving them the chance to let their hair down and enjoy an evening of festivities. They all work hard to perform at their peak, they deserve to be entertained in the fullest and have an amazing event,” said Anthony.
Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family when he was 13 years old. His music career began there in 1954, recording at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of African-American music to a wider audience. Presley on rhythm acoustic guitar was accompanied by lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was a pioneer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined to complete the lineup of Presley’s classic quartet and RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage him for more than two decades. Presley’s first RCA single, “Heartbreak Hotel“, was released in January 1956 and became a number-one hit in the United States. With a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records, he became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, made him enormously popular—and controversial.
In November 1956, Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Drafted into military service in 1958, Presley relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. He held few concerts however, and guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood films and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided. In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed television comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley gave the first concert by a solo artist to be broadcast around the world, Aloha from Hawaii. Years of prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health, and he died suddenly in 1977 at his Graceland estate at the age of 42.
Why Martial Arts Instructors need to be First Aid qualified
As a martial arts instructor it is vital that you do a recognized first aid course, and get qualified, so that you are prepared for any eventuality when working with students.
Whether you’re in the dojang or training in the park, you never know what can happen at any given moment. Accidents can and will occur. While you may take every precaution, you never know when a small accident can turn into a major injury or even a life threatening incident. It pays to be prepared for all emergencies.
The very nature of what we do, as martial arts instructors, involves a higher than normal risk of injuries, regardless of how good your warm up is, such as:
soft tissue injuries due to ballistic nature of movements
joint injuries through over extension, or awkward jumping, landing and spinning
breaks, fractures as a result of a fall or other impact, such as board breaking
concussions or other bleeding due to inadvertant contact during sparring
exercise induced breathing difficulties
temperature regulation when training in hot conditions
sudden cardiac arrest due to intense physical exertion, which ironically, is the major cause of cardiac arrest
These are just the most common occurrences, that every school will encounter over time, no matter how well you are prepared.
A black belt in itself, is not a qualification, but often it is all that is required to run your own school. Not only does it not guarantee you can teach the skills effectively, even more critically, it does not measure your ability to respond in the event of an injury. If an accident occurs, of course you can call an ambulance.
However, no ambulance can ever arrive instantaneously on scene. In fact, response times, on average, are between 7 and 13 minutes, which is a long time depending on the emergency. Every second can be vital in a medical emergency and, as an instructor, you should be the highest trained and qualified person there.
The treatment and first aid you can give in those vital seconds and minutes can make all the difference. As a result, it is recommended that martial arts instructors not only have first aid training but that they also have CPR training included in their first aid course.
Not Everyone Can Apply First Aid
Not everyone at the scene of an accident or medical emergency can apply first aid. Here are some interesting statistics:
383,000 out of hospital sudden cardiac arrests happen a year
88% of cardiac arrests happen at home
Many patients appear health with no known risk factors or heart disease
Effective bystander CPR can triple a victim’s chance of survival
Only 32% of cardiac arrest victims get CPR from a bystander
A quarter of all emergency room visits can be avoided with knowledge of first aid and CPR certification
Having the appropriate first aid and CPR training as a martial arts instructor is invaluable to you and your students that you get qualified. By being prepared you can not only help your students get skilled and healthier, but also help should any complications arise.
You Might Be Liable For Injury
Liability is a pretty horrible word for most martial arts instructors and organizations. However, if you aren’t keeping your first aid skills up to date then you might be putting yourself at increased risk. If you own your own dojang, run tournaments, personal training sessions, run camps, etc., then you legally need to have the right insurance and you need to be first aid certified.
Alternatively, you must have a first aid qualified member of staff who is and is always onsite during training sessions. If an injury occurs, no matter who was at fault, you will be automatically liable if you’re not going about things legally.
Finally, not having completed a first aid course, and keeping your qualifications current, puts you and your clients at unnecessary risk every time you conduct training and puts your reputation at risk. So why risk it when first aid courses are so easy to attend, or arrange for your school ?
First Aid Kits
It is a fantastic idea to have your own personal first aid kit with you on hand. Most dojangs should have their own first aid kits but you can’t always rely on them to be appropriately stocked. So supplement them with your own kit. Quality first aid supplies aren’t that expensive and they allow you to quickly treat basic injuries that commonly occur among out of shape clients.
First Aid kits should be checked and replenished (or replaced) each year. Check the expiration dates on medications and ointments, etc. Keep your kit out of harsh temperatures and environments where possible. Keep a notebook with the medications and ointments, with their expirations listed, so you can replace easily as needed.
Having all the right equipment on hand is useless if you don’t have the skills to use it. It is essential for a martial arts instructor to get qualified and learn first aid skills, as is keeping that training refreshed. As we all know, a skill that goes unpracticed can become rusty. In fact, the reason CPR training is recommended to be renewed is that there are always advancements in training and in methods of performing both CPR and first aid responses.
Furthermore, first aid training allows a martial arts instructor to spot the small signs that a student is in distress before a small issue turns into a medical emergency.
Organize a First Aid course for your school / association – contact us to book your group’s session
First Aid Course Options :
First Aid Oz is Government authorized to deliver the following First Aid courses Nationally :
Remember an accident can happen to anyone. So get qualified and don’t let your skills get rusty because you never know when the next big emergency is just around the corner.
GFI will arm you with the knowledge and skills to establishing or enhancing your chosen careers. Our staff are experts in their field, balancing academic qualifications with real world industry experience and success.
Our Global Fitness Institute Jobs Board assists graduates find exciting employment opportunities in the Sport, Health and Fitness Industries.
We welcome a new thoroughbred Black Belt and some advanced degrees. Thoroughbred Taekwon-do conducted it’s annual Black Belt examinations yesterday in Melton, Victoria.
It was a very historic day for the club with it most senior internal Black Belt promotion since its formation in 1994.
Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do Balwyn instructor Justin Chin was promoted to 6th Degree Black Belt after a vigorous testing regime. The test included all black belt patterns, various types of sparring, self defense, breaking and theory.
The promotion makes Justin the most senior Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do Black Belt outright, under the school’s founder and director, Master Michael Muleta.
Justin has be a wonderful leader of the school, setting a great example of loyalty and selfless contribution for close to 20 years.
Also promoted was his younger brother, and branch assistant, Corey Chin. Corey was promoted to 5th Degree Black Belt.
It sets up a very unique family combination of 3 Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do Black belts, Justin 6th Degree, Jeremy 5th Degree and now Corey 5th Degree. Master Muleta fondly refers to them as the Chin Dynasty.
Just as significant is that the brothers have spent close to 20 years in the same school. This is certainly a rare quality in today’s organization hopping culture.
Anna Blake was promoted to 2nd Degree Black Belt along with John Vos promoted to 1st Degree.
We welcome John to the Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do Black Belt club.
On November 10 – 11, 2018 the Institucion Nacional TKD Puerto Rico held a Master Class with Under Secretary General of ITF Master Michael Muleta, 8th degree.
The weekend began with a 2 hour Black Belt class (inlcuding Red Belts who were testing later that day). In that class, Master Muleta covered some theory of power elements and some other technical aspects. Towards the end of the class, students performed some self-defence manouvers.
A black belt testing followed, where several students were tested and promoted up to 3rd Degree. The test was commanded by Sabum Llauger Castillo and marked by Master Muleta.
In the evening as special dinner was held with Puerto Rico instructors and families. The dinner was to commemorate the 100th Birthday of the Founder of Taekwondo, General Choi Hong Hi.
On day 2, Australasian ITF Hall Of Fame instructor, Master Muleta led 6 hours of ITF training for students of all ranks. The sessions were broken up into 2 x 3 hours. Junior students completed the first session, whilst teens and adults stayed for both.
Master Muleta covered many aspects of TKD during his class and taught us the practical application of ITF techniques. Once again the emphasis was on power, with additional elements covered following on from Day 1.
Patterns were covered across several levels, with Master Muleta pointing out key aspects. Blocking and attacking tools, correct angle & distance, sine wave and stance transitions were all covered in detail.
Students also carried out some sparring exercises, under the watchful eye and instruction of the Former ITF world championships coach, with drills in counter attacking and ringcraft.
We at ITF Puerto Rico are really greatful for Master Muleta’s effort and dedication in teaching us the legacy of our founder.
Taekwondo was a huge success the Arnold Sports Festival Australia from March 16th – 18th, 2018.
Over 180 participants from across Australia and New Zealand took part in the seminars and championships over the 3 days.
Among those who attended included former Olympians, past and current World Champions, Taekwondo Hall of Famers and many Masters. A high quality collection of people under the one roof, along with all he future budding stars and first timers.
Seminars
Friday kicked off with Sparring seminars in ITF and WTF styles of Taekwondo, followed by Taekwondo for Self Defense, then an ITF Patterns session.
Masters Rua Kaiou, Noel Keating, Neil Cliff and Phill Zdybel conducted the sessions which were enjoyed by all who took part.
Day 1
Day 1 of the Taekwondo championships on Saturday featured ITF Sparring and Patterns for both individuals and teams.
Participants came from:
New Zealand,
Perth,
Broome,
Ballina,
Hobart,
Sydney,
Adelaide,
Mildura,
Gippsland,
Mount Gambier and
Geelong,
metropolitan Melbourne.
The day ran like clockwork with some high quality performances and top level officiating. It all made for some very exciting contests and fair results.
Day 2
Day 2 was exciting with the Sunday including a visit from Arnold Schwarzenegger and his official entourage. They enjoyed a demonstration of all the martial arts on show including Taekwondo. Arnold was very impressed, he gave an inspiring speech to all participants at the end of the demo.
The competition component kicked off after Arnold’s visit and featured WTF Sparring, Poomsae and Teams Poomsae, along with Self Defense.
There were some very good performances from the large contingent of predominantly children who took part.
Thank you to all competitors who took part and those who came along and helped out as seminar instructors, officials and volunteers.
Special thanks to Master Noel Keating and Master Neil cliff for assisting with the running of the Saturday Championships. Thanks also to Master Murat Eryurek who assisted with the co-ordination of the Sunday events. Thank you also for the hard work of Kathryn Marmara-Stewart for her assistance over the 3 days.
Thank you also to event Sponsor Global Fitness Institute in donating medals, logistics and admin support.-
– Master Michael Muleta, Arnold Sports Festival Taekwondo Organizer
After a whirlwind tour of Australia that took in Melbourne and Sydney, President Choi and ITF Staff entourage flew across to New Zealand to help promote the ITF Special Needs program in Hawkes Bay.
The flight from Australia arrived at Wellington airport close to midnight and the touring party of Grandmaster Choi Jung Hwa (ITF President), Grandmaster Kim Jong Chan (ITF Pioneer), Grandmaster Trevor Nicholls (ITF Secretary General), Master Michael Muleta (Australian INO President) and Chris Jung (ITF Public Relations) cleared their way through customs and headed to the hotel for a nap.
In the morning the ITF Officials were greeted by NZITF Special Needs Instructor Ben Evans and Andy Meyer (Rotary Club). At this point GM Nicholls departed back for the UK and the group carried on with the NZ leg of the Australasian Tour.
The morning commenced with a visit to Wellington’s Parliament House for a meet and greet with Federal Minister, the Hon. Lawrence Yule for Tukituki. Both the Korean and Australian Flag flew alongside the New Zealand flag at the steps of parliament.
We carried on for a 4 hour drive up the East coast of New Zealand’s North Island headed for the seaside region of Hawkes Bay, with a few scenic stops along the way.
Upon arriving in Napier, the ITF Team settled in for the night to rest up for a very busy day 2 planned schedule, starting with a Special Needs promotional talk at the Hawkes Bay Rotary club breakfast.
After a warm welcome by the Rotary Club MC, Ben Evans gave an introduction of the ITF visiting party. President Choi Spoke first of the origins of Taekwon-Do and the importance of Do. This was followed by Grandmaster JC Kim giving the attendees an historical appreciation for Taekwon-Do. Master Muleta then spoke about the importance of the Special Needs initiatives, and the future direction of the movement on a global scale, and formally recognized the efforts of NZITF in this area.
The speeches were well received and guests were able to mingle after breakfast and chat about Taekwon-Do and the significant and important contribution and support given by Hawkes Bay Rotary club.
After breakfast the ITF party headed out to the Hohepa community farm, where special needs students develop life skills and confidence building activities from farming, agriculture, arts and crafts. cheese making among other things. Many of the special needs population at Hohepa are also involved in the Taekwon-Do program.
In the afternoon, President Choi Officially opened the Special Needs dojang donated by the Napier council and supported with funding from Hastings District Masonic Trust, with welcoming speeches, songs, Taekwon-do demonstrations and the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon.
From there the team headed off to Irongate school, the venue for that evenings Seminar. The students welcomed the ITF representatives with a very impressive and passionate Haka, the traditional Maori warrior chant.
The evening seminar was a huge success attracting over 100 participants integrating Special needs students with mainstream students. It also attracted local television and newspaper coverage.
President Choi was assisted by Master Muleta, as they ran students through a series of fundamentals, drills and tuls for over 2 hours. The session was high energy and lots of enthusiastic students added to the atmosphere.
The following day involved more meeting with local politicians and some well earned r&r for those who had been on the road for over 3 weeks of the Asia Pacific Tour.
We thank the ITF President, Grandmasters, Masters and ITF Staff for their support and also acknowledge the fine work being done in the area of special needs by Ben Evans of NZITF.
Violence against women is a serious and widespread issue in Australia, as well as throughout the world. And while the long term goal is education to stop violence against women, there are actionable strategies women can employ, right now. Here are 7 very simple reasons you should consider taking a women’s self defense class.
1 – Don’t Become a Statistic
Frankly, the statistics in Australia alone are frightening. At least one woman a week is killed by a partner or former partner. One in three women have experienced physical violence. 300,000 women a year experience physical or sexual violence from a stranger. Violence against women contributes to more death, disability and illness to women between 15 and 44 than any other preventable risk factor. Learning self-defense gives you the power to avoid becoming one of these statistics, now.
2 – Prevention and Awareness
As teens and adults we become increasingly fixated on the front and our devices, often being unaware of what’s around us. You work with an experienced instructor to develop strategies that work best for you against a variety of opponents, attacks and situations. Above all, women’s self defense teaches us awareness and prevention.
3 – Take Control for Yourself and Other Women
Women’s self defense is about taking safety into our own hands. Taking a Self defense class is our chance to take action in our own lives, to take control of our own present and future. The fact is, crimes against women happen and will continue to happen. Women’s self defense classes can help prevent us becoming victims. Knowing how to defend ourselves gives us a better chance of stopping attacks and even lessening attacks against women in the future.
4 – Great Exercise!
Self defense classes, at the end of the day, can also be a great source of exercise, working a range of vital parts of your body. It not only exercises your body physically, it also exercises your mind, reactions and reflexes. It is also an incredible way of exercising your own power and confidence. You do not have to be physically strong to be successful at self-defense. If you can learn to successfully escape or prevent a dangerous situation, then you are exercising good self-defense.
5 – Be Accountable
As women, we are constantly encouraged to be accountable for ourselves. We are told to be accountable for our finances. We are told to account for our stress and encouraged to be accountable for our health, weight and diet, along with our workouts and fitness. It stands to reason that we should be accountable for our self defense. Is it really so hard to add a self defense class to our routine as we would add the latest yoga, pilates or work out fad? However, unlike a fad, this is something that will actually make a monumental, positive change to our lives.
6 – Be Feminine
There is a terrible misconception – unfortunately perpetuated by mass media – that self defense is unfeminine and unattractive. These dangerous articles claim that women who pursue self defense are masculine, “jacked up” and have a distasteful love for violence. However, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, many models, actresses and even pageant winners are devotees of women’s self defense. Women’s self defense is incredibly feminine because it is empowering. Encouraging women to take self defense is a beautiful, inspiring thing. So, ignore the dangerous misconceptions of mainstream media and enjoy learning self defense.
7 – Do Something Now
Of course we need better education to end violence against women and men. Violence of all kinds is unacceptable. Unfortunately, though, education is long term and may not be able to help you today, tomorrow or even next year. That is why women’s self defense education is important. This is something that can happen now. Women’s self defense provides functional strategies, techniques and training methods to stop an attacker intent on hurting you. It gives you the security and confidence, right now, that you can protect yourself should the need arise. Unfortunately, no matter how well intended, ideologies can’t do that. So until education catches up with reality, keep yourselves safe. Invest in women’s self defense today.
Contact GFI to find out more about our women’s self defense classes and courses. You may consider taking up a structured martial arts class such as Taekwondo, Jiujitsu, Karate or combat sports such as kickboxing, boxing or MMA. Likewise, many providers offer personal training or group sessions / courses for you and and friends or work colleagues.
Master Michael Muleta running Arnold Classic Martial Arts
Master Michael Muleta was recently appointed to oversee the Arnold Classic Australia Martial Arts Festival from March 17th – 19th, 2017 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center.
Under his direction, Master Michael Muleta will co-ordinate over 11 rings of action across 3 days, including ITF Taekwondo, WTF Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Kyokushin Karate, Fencing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
There will be something for all martial arts enthusiasts to come along and participate, or as a spectator, in addition to all the other attractions of Australia’s most renowned fitness expo.
Check out all the sports on show as part of the multi-sports festival here.
For those looking to take part in the Taekwondo event, registrations are closing soon.
Over the weekend of August 13-14th, Master Michael Muleta conducted a series of seminars and degree gradings across Canberra.
The Canberra seminars included Sparring (x2) and Self Defense.
On the Saturday, Master Muleta ventured out to the Heron Taekwon-Do club, hosted by Sabum Glenn McKinnon.
The day commenced with a sparring seminar which focused on footwork, attacking and counter attacking drills. Students worked hard and enjoyed the session.
After a short break for lunch, a grading was conducted by Master Muleta and Sabum McKinnon. Firstly, all the gup students, followed by 4 students attempting to obtain their 1st Degree Black Belt.
After an exhaustive and comprehensive physical and theory examination, congratulations to Caylin Thompson, Scott Bovey, Peter Lachlan and Jasper Lachlan for passing their black belt testing.
The following day Master Muleta headed across the other side of town to conduct 2 seminars at the Choong Moo Taekwon-Do school in Amaroo, hosted by Sabum Jordan Steele.
The first seminar again covered ITF Sparring, with a high percentage of red and black belts, the session focused again on footwork and drills, but with a greater emphasis on ring craft, strategies and simulated match play.
As there was no grading afterwards, students were pushed to the point of exhaustion and worked very hard in a grueling session.
After a short drink break, seminar 2 then focused on self defense, or more specifically unarmed combat.
Master Muleta covered areas such as awareness and decision making, vital spots and choosing appropriate attacking tools along with covering various self defense scenarios.
Students went through releases, joint locks, take downs and improvisation drills in a solid session.
Master Michael Muleta gave a kickboxing and boxing seminar in Launceston, Tasmania on Wednesday 10th August.
The group was made up of current Personal Trainers, graduates and students of Global Fitness Institute’s Fitness courses. It was conducted at the Global Fitness Institute Tasmania Campus at Health Revival, Longford.
Students went through a series of conditioning and skill drills, and combinations of kicks, punches and strikes. The emphasis of the sessions was placed on using the drills as part of fitness conditioning training for clients, sports and of course martial arts.
Master Muleta is the President of United ITF Taekwon-Do Australia, in addition to being the Director of the ITF Centre of Excellence and CEO of Global Fitness Institute.
Also promoted was his younger brother, and branch assistant, Corey Chin. Corey was promoted to 5th Degree Black Belt.
Anna Blake was promoted to 2nd Degree Black Belt along with John Vos promoted to 1st Degree.
