On the 24th-25th February, 2024 Taekwondo ITF Nepal organized an ITF sanctioned Masterclass and hosted the 4th Everest Open International Taekwondo Championship, held at Dhanwontari futsal stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal .
The ITF Masterclass conducted by Master Michael Muleta ( 8th Degree) president of United Taekwondo ITF Australia (INO23), and Under Secretary of the ITF body. He was assisted by Master Laxman Basnet, (7th Degree) President of Taekwondo ITF Nepal .
The Masterclass focused on sparring combinations and strategies, ITF patterns , kicking drill and self defense techniques.
192 participants took part in the Masterclass from India , China , Netherlands, Australia and from many schools across Nepal
The 4th Everest open international open Taekwondo championship was then held on 25th with 211 players and officials from same countries.
There were 44 categories across sparring and tuls.
In the medal ceremony Chief Guests were Former Nepal Government Minister Biraj Bahadur Bista special visiting guest Master Michael Muleta from Australia.
Additional special guests included Arie Hogandooran member of ITF Royal Dutch from Netherlands, and a regular visitor to Nepal, Mr. Radhakrishnan Puthanpura, President of ITF Council of India , Mr. Chen Liu from China ITF.
Along with Master Laxman Basnet, all guests distributed medals and certificates to all winners and place getters.
Master Muleta said in the closing ceremony speech, that on this, his third seminar and championships visit to Nepal, that he was pleased that on each occasion the quality and quantity of students, instructors and officials skills have continued to grow and improve.
This, he said, was a testament to the hard work and dedication of Master Laxman Basnet In closing, Master Basnet gave special thanks to all supporters who help make this event so successful.
Congratulations to all the new black belts who were tested and successfully promoted over the past 2 weeks in both Newcastle and Rockhampton.
Master Michael Muleta, 8th Degree, travelled to Newcastle, NSW early June to conduct some Black Belt Examinations and an ITF Masterclass at the Titan Martial Arts school. Some black belts had also been promoted the week before, by Sabum Michael Omay.
Those promoted included:
Michael Omay 6th Degree
Scott Gannon, 5th Degree
Sam Wilson, 5th Degree
Alex Sorensen, 4th Degree
Simon Aliendi, 3rd Degree
James Magill, 3rd Degree
Chris Streets, 3rd Degree
Archer Woller, 2nd degree
Tim Kerkhoff, 2nd Degree
Maclean Davis, 1st Degree
Travis Charlton, 1st Degree
Sapphire Tabas, 1st Degree
Tiarne Sattler, 1st Degree
Kalleah Sattler, 1st Degree
Amy Burke, 1st Degree
Jerrome Teasdale, 1st Degree
The following week, Master Muleta travelled to Rockhampton for more Masterclasses and a Black Belt grading. The successful new Black belt promotion was:
Nikki Olzard, 3rd Degree
The next round of Black Belt exams and Masterclasses with Master Muleta will be held in Canberra, ACT over the weekend on 8-10th, July 2022.
After many weeks and months in lockdown or heavily restricted, it’s quite common to feeling a case of the lockdown blues.
Less than 2 years ago, the very notion of having our movements and behaviours restricted would have been scoffed at, as something that could and would never happen, especially in this country.
Fast forward a little over 18 months, and we boast the World’s most locked down city, and with much of the East Coast still in lockdown, or very heavily restricted.
Freedoms we once knew, and once took for granted, now seem a World away with QCode check-ins, mask wearing, social distancing, vaccinations, curfews, travel distance limitations, threats of fines or imprisonment.
Once easily accessible regular holiday spots are now impossible to visit, without quarantining on arrival or return, or the fear of getting stuck in transit, and that’s if you can even leave at all.
Being isolated from friends, family, your workplace, your hobbies, sports and travel has been a real strain on people’s mental health. This has been exacerbated by the loss of employment, collapse of a business, illness or even death of a loved ones.
The challenge of maintaining a positive outlook has been a real one, let alone caring for our physical health, diet, education, employment and general health.
We have come up with a few tips and suggestions to assist you and loved ones get through these tough times, and a case of the lockdown blues.
Keeping a Positive Mindset
There’s no doubt it has been a struggle, more for some than others, but a huge culture change to the way we’ve previous led our lives. Many have suffered from depression, some have inflicted self harm or worse, while others wallow in the impending doom of the situation.
The important thing to understand is it will pass. There are countries in other parts of the World, who statistically have lost more people and far greater infection levels, already starting to enjoy the freedoms we once knew. It stands to reason that we will follow in due course.
Naturally, the sooner the better for us all, but it will happen. You just have to hang in there.
Constant negative self talk, social media posting, and getting worked up doesn’t do anything to improve your situation, if anything, its only your mental health that suffers.
We know the strong link between mental health and physical health, so in time it will become a self fulfilling prophecy.
Also be aware that if you are constantly negative, it drags down the people around you, your partners, your kids, your friends. Or they may just take a wide berth to avoid the constant negativity.
Find yourself things to do that make you happy, a hobby, a craft, listening to music, making music, painting, drawing, gardening, enrol in an online course, watch funny movies etc., there’s endless things you can do …… you are possibly working from home anyway, so that in itself should keep you busy.
More importantly, don’t shut yourself off from the world. Stay in touch with friends, family, work colleagues. There’s an abundance of technology available to facilitate that, whether it be messaging online, video chatting, or depending on your locality’s restriction levels, catching up on a social walk to coffee on the go.
Exercise daily
The running joke for a lot of people, no pun intended, is the weight they have put on during lockdowns, or the loss of physical conditioning and fitness.
This doesn’t need to be the case, of course. whilst in some cases it relates to loss of motivation or some form of depression (see above section), in many other cases, people just throw their hands up in the air because gyms might be closed, or their community sports are in hiatus.
However, for maintenance or improvement of physical health and fitness, there are a plethora of things you can do with minimal equipment.
The obvious one is walk briskly or jog, get that heart rate up into the zone where it may have some fitness benefit, around 70-80% of your max HR, and do it for at least 30 minutes daily.
On your outdoor stroll you can incorporate steps, benches, playgrounds, hills, so many options for those who really want to make an effort.
If that’s not your cup of tea, kills two birds with the one stone, walk to the supermarket with your shopping jeep, or go for a walk to get your skinny latte, walk off those lockdown blues.
If you find it boring, don’t walk the same route every day, mix it up, Walk with someone else, grab your headphones and listen to your favourite playlist. Or jump on your bike and cycle at the same work rate and length of time.
If you’re a little more motivated, set up some mini HIIT circuits, even incorporate body weight exercises, push ups, sit ups, squats, burpees …etc there are so many. If you have a couple of dumbells, you can incorporate dozens more exercises. The higher intensity intervals will not only help maintain fitness levels, if done regularly, will even improve your fitness.
In many places, outdoor personal training is now permitted, even where gyms are closed. Grab a friend and share the cost of a PT.
Keep Practicing
With a lot of dojangs closed, or your Taekwon-Do training schedule and routine constantly interrupted, it can be very frustrating and even seem to hamper your progress.
There are many things you can do from home, or in the yard or park. In addition to the fitness tips above, you can practice your skill components as well.
Patterns can be performed anywhere, stretch regularly either during practice or upon waking, or before sleeping, even while watching tv.
Maybe someone else in your household can hold targets or practice routines with. Your instructor is probably running zoom sessions. If they aren’t, many other people are.
There are even regular online competitions now that you can take part in, this keeps you motivated and training. Jump on YouTube and follow some of the many online tutorials or workouts.
Eat sensibly
There is not a pandemic on good food and nutrition. Don’t fall into the trap of ordering home delivery every day of the week. That is not only financially taxing, but also not going to help with everything we just spoke about in the previous section.
Interestingly, the fast food industry has gone gangbusters during the pandemic, especially those who deliver. Sure it’s convenient, but you can’t really use Covid as an excuse for poor eating.
Leaving home for food has always been permitted, so shopping for your normal groceries was, and is, always possible.
Rediscover the joy of cooking, it will keep you focused on what you eat, and also acts as a great therapeutic tool, keeping you mentally active. Experiment with different meals, follow some of your favourite chefs online. Try to recreate some of their dishes or come up with your own. Maybe now you will have time to make some of the things your previously rushed lifestyle limited.
Whilst its OK to treat yourself from time to time, remember to eat all those things we know are good for us – lean meats, vegetables, fruits, grains and cereals. Be sure to get a good cross section on vitamins and minerals through your diet, along with your macros, lots of fluids and fibre.
Don’t forget, drinking litres of soft drink, or should I say wine, throughout the day is going to do nothing for your health or figure. Aim for sugarless or low sugar options, or even water.
Poor eating can also affect your mood and general energy levels, so you’ll exercise less, lose motivation, and it can become a vicious cycle, then your lockdown blues will be harder to shift. Often the best way to kick start a health regime begins with selection of food.
Monitor your health
With the media saturated with covid talk, you could be forgiven for thinking every other ailment which can impact your health has become obsolete.
There are many cases of cancer and heart disease going undetected, or mismanaged, as people become more reluctant to see their GP.
Compounding this problem, a lot of GP’s and specialists are wanting to do online consultations instead, which is not ideal to physically examine you.
Make sure you are still having your regular blood tests for cholesterol, prostate, blood sugars, checking for lumps and mole changes as well as monitoring blood pressure. If you at all concerned or in doubt, see your GP as soon as possible.
If you are reluctant to get to the doctors, be sure to brush up on your first aid skills and knowledge, for those household mishaps.
Don’t leave monitoring those health issues until Covid is over, remember, we thought that was going to be a year ago.
If you are on prescribed medications for a health condition, be sure to get your repeat prescriptions once you run out.
Of course, exercising regularly and eating well will help a lot, but some conditions need close medical monitoring, irrespective of fitness levels. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
Keep on top of your finances
For many people, this period has had a major impact on their financial situation. Perhaps you have had your work hours cut back, or lost work altogether, maybe your business is closed or suffering. There’s nothing like being broke to make you suffer the lockdown blues.
Maybe you are getting a few dollars from the government to support, but it may not be enough to meet your regular expenses.
It’s important that you keep an eye on your money, especially if your income has reduced. Take it easy with the online shopping, online betting and delivery meals.
For others this has been a great time to save money, with many regular expenses reduced quite heavily, such as travel, fuel costs, pokies, dining and entertainment.
Whilst we all want to go back to doing all those things as soon as we can, it has allowed us a bit of a spending and lifestyle reset.
Remember, much of the Government support is still deemed as taxable income, so you need to ensure you have enough set aside for tax time. Keep an eye on your credit card statements, watch that you aren’t paying interest through the nose on purchases.
Maybe even cut back further by considering cancelling or selling some of the things you are not using – like recurring direct debits for memberships, subscriptions, insurances for cars not being driven, look for cheaper energy suppliers given you are home more and using more gas and electricity.
Communicate
And finally, communicate, communicate, communicate. As mentioned earlier, stay in touch with family, friends, colleagues by whatever means is available to you.
Particularly if you are feeling a case of those lockdown blues, these feelings can escalate into a depressed state. Don’t be afraid to reach out.
Be mindful that your friends may be feeling the same way too, so touch base to see how they are coping.
Anyway, we hope some of these tips and suggestions help you get through this extended period of lockdown, restrictions, and beyond.
As a result of Melbourne’s extended COVID 19 lockdowns and restrictions, we will be conducting this weekend’s National Umpire Course online, via the Zoom platform. (note: zoom is free, but you must sign up for an account)
Sunday 13th June, 2021 from 10.00am
Streamed Live on ZOOM
Master Michael Muleta, 8th Degree Technical Director for United ITF Taekwon-Do Australia will be conducting a United ITF sanctioned NationalITF Umpiring course on Sunday 13th June, 2021.
Students of all ages and ranks are welcome to take part in the session and will be issued C-class National Umpire certification.
Students will learn the Umpire rules and application of rules as they pertain to domestic United ITF state and national championships.
Participants will be able to assist in officiating upcoming 2021 United ITF Taekwon-Do events including Queensland Championships (August), ACT Championships (July) and Australian Championships (October).
The session will cover all ITF events – Sparring, Patterns, Special Techniques, Power, both team and individual.
We ask that participants familiarize themselves with ITF Umpire Rules prior to the session so as we can move through the session in a time effective manner.
It is a useful session not only for officials, but also for competitors and coaches.
As it is a participation based seminar, spectators and filming is not permitted.
After a tough 12 months across the Globe, not just in the Taekwon-Do community, but across all sectors, we are pleased to announce ITF Events are back in person.
With Australia doing such a great job in containing and controlling the spread of COVID-19, it has allowed us the luxury of returning to face to face ITF events, when much of the World is still heavily restricted or locked down.
After months of zooming or glooming, we are finally back in action.
We have scheduled ITF seminars, ITF tournaments, gradings and social events where we can all get together once again, and celebrate Taekwon-Do.
We look forward to seeing you all in person, in dobok on the dojang floor and competition mats.
Upcoming ITF Events in Australia include:
Seminars
All ages and all ranks are welcome to attend our seminars and masterclasses, contact the seminar instructor or event host for registration details.
Master Michael Muleta – ITF Masterclass – Rockhampton, Queensland (Register)
Saturday 11th July, 2021
Master Michael Muleta – ITF Masterclass – Canberra, ACT
Tournaments
Tournaments are open to all ages and ranks, and we welcome and encourage all members to take part. There are categories to suit everyone from sparring, patterns, breaking and special techniques, along with some additional events.
Saturday 2nd October, 2021
United ITF National Championships – Melbourne, Victoria
National Selection Trials for 2022 ITF World Championships*
(* INO#23 members only)
Social Functions
Saturday 2nd October, 2021
United ITF Australia – 20th Anniversary Celebration – Melbourne, Victoria
To book a seminar for your school or region, please contact us
Michael Muleta is an 8th Degree Black Belt Master Instructor, as well as A Class International Umpire. Master Muleta currently holds the official post of under Secretary General of the International Taekwon-Do Federation.
He is the Founding President of United ITF Taekwon-Do Australia Inc, with 30 years of ITF experience at the highest level as a competitor, coach, umpire and administrator.
Michael has with an extensive Taekwon-Do and education background. His informative seminars are some of the most highly regarded domestically and internationally.
The ITF Pioneer awards is proud to honour Master Michael Muleta with the ‘ITF Excellence Award’ at the 2019 Ceremony to be held in Brisbane, Australia in November.
Master Muleta is currently the Under Secretary of the ITF, under the leadership of Grandmaster Choi Jung Hwa, and also is the Founder, and has been the President of, United ITF Taekwon-Do Australia since 2002, having served on the ITF Executive since 1995.
Whilst still actively teaching seminars around the World and around Australia, Master Muleta’s focus is primarly on running major events and the promotion and inclusion of ITF Taekwon-Do to the wider community via the Arnold Classic Taekwon-Do World Championships, the Australian Masters Games.
In 2018, Master Muleta was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement award at the ITF Hall of Fame.
The award will be presented among ITF peers by ITF Pioneer and Grandmaster Kong Young Il.
Michael Muleta is an 8th Degree Black Belt Master Instructor, as well as A Class International Umpire.
He is the Founding President of United ITF Taekwon-Do Australia Inc, with 30 years of ITF experience at the highest level as a competitor, coach, umpire and administrator.
Michael has with an extensive Taekwon-Do and education background. His informative seminars are some of the most highly regarded domestically and internationally.
Michael’s involvement in martial arts is extensive and diverse, where he has gained respect across other styles and organizations. In 2018, he was inducted into the Australasian ITF Hall Of Fame for Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Taekwon-Do.
Master Michael Muleta returned after 21 years, to conduct a Masterclass, club training and visit the Arnold Classic Africa martial arts festival.
The seminars were conducted at Magua Taekwon-Do, with instructor Normal Magua, now 6th Degree being one of the students in Master Muleta’s classes during his extended stay in 1998.
The masterclass, attended by Black Belts and instructors, focussed on power development and understanding of the application of theory concepts.
It consisted of 4 hours of solid training and an interactive discussion about the techniques.
The following night, Master Muleta conducted a guest training session for regular class attendees, which consisted of lots of kicking drills, activities and some fundamentals.
Master Muleta was in South Africa as part of the Arnold Classic Africa and to promote the upcoming Arnold Classic Taekwon-Do World Championships, which he is hosting and organizing in March, 2020.