Welcome to our website

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to our page, we thank you for taking the times to visit and hope you find plenty of useful information.

Thoroughbred Taekwon-do was formed in 1994, although I had been running my own school since 1990 under another name. Having trained in Taekwon-do for several years at many clubs in Australia and throughout the World, I had the opportunity to observe the way many schools and organizations were being run.

My main objective when forming Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do was to provide authentic, high quality instruction and many opportunities for students to develop and experience all that Taekwon-Do had to offer.

I am very pleased and proud to say that it has been a success beyond my wildest expectations.

The name Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do was derived for a number of reasons, obviously in reference to it’s first batch of students from Melton, Victoria (‘Thoroughbred Country’), but more specifically to coincide with images of pure breeding and strength in the form of I.T.F. Taekwon-do as created by the Founder of Taekwon-Do, General Choi Hong Hi (dec).

With our successful, methodical and professional approach to the development of our students and the operations of our schools, naturally we have attracted the attention, both admiration and unfortunately in some cases envy, of other ITF schools in the country.

The ultimate compliment is the many schools who adopted the Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do teaching syllabus and methodology, and those who requested to be serviced by Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do for technical guidance. Some carried  the Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do name, others were not required or permitted to do so.

In all over 60 schools throughout Australia have been Thoroughbred’s or associates, as well as working closely with New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

It is with this approach and the support of selected high-caliber students and instructors, that I formed United ITF Taekwon-Do (Australia) in 1998.

Later in 2002 relinquished personal ownership of the brand in the country’s best interests, whilst being appointed inaugural President, setting up a new direction for the National Organization in Australia.

Today it is the largest and most successful National ITF Organization in Australia, founded on Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do principles.

The main objective of our teaching approach is to maintain the true value of Taekwon-do, primarily as a self-defense martial art, not merely a tournament-oriented sport.

Students who study with discipline, application and dedication will be greater people with knowledge and skills, and more importantly the morality and sense of humanity, not merely the ability to kick and punch. It is these human values, which can be carried and developed throughout a lifetime, long after the physical skills have waned.

Although, many opportunities for the “sport’ aspect of Taekwon-Do are made available and Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do has had unprecedented success in this area, both from an individual and team competitor success, our school prides itself on maintaining many of the traditional values of Taekwon-Do and a self defense focus.

This presents a welcome change in an environment where more and more schools are neglecting the actual martial art in favour of the sport.

We have had many ITF World Champions come from our ranks, and won record numbers of Best Overall National and Continental Championships, and whilst we celebrate those achievements, it is the personal growth and development of our members that we most cherish, even beyond their involvement with Taekwon-Do.

Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do have been hosts and organisers of the biggest and most respected ITF tournaments on the National and International stage, making all participants from around the world, whether in our own organization or not, feel most welcome and be assured of fair judging and professional service.

The grading syllabus contained within this website was designed, after many years of training in I.T.F. Taekwon-do, observing systems from many schools to come up with a challenging and comprehensive, yet achievable, set of requirements.

This website can be used for all students and instructors from white belt to 9th Degree Black belt. It is set up in a logical sequence and in following with the recommended requirements of the International Taekwon-Do Federation.

Instructors will find this website an invaluable starting point, as both a guide as to what and how they should be teaching, as well as for their own Taekwon-do progress.

Whilst many of the historical and philosophical concepts were drawn from the works of the Founder of Taekwon-do, General Choi Hong Hi (dec), the actual grading requirements and step sparring routines are designed specifically for Thoroughbred Taekwon-do schools and affiliates.

As a general interest, I have included some useful information on tournaments, philosophy, history and the Student’s Code of Conduct for members of Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do. People are welcome to replicate this information for their own schools.

My special thanks all people who have had a helping hand in the furthering of Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do and the ITF in Australia over the years. We have gone from strength to strength with each passing year, and are just as motivated and enthusiastic for success now as we were all those years ago, constantly raising the bar on our goals and objectives.

All the best with your Taekwon-Do training

Michael Muleta
VIIIth Degree Black belt

President & Technical Director– United ITF Taekwon-Do (Australia)

Under-Secretary – International Taekwon-Do Federation
Founder, Senior Master Instructor & Examiner – Thoroughbred Taekwon-Do

Managing Director – ITF Centre of Excellence