We are 
BMABA
About Us
The British Martial Arts & Boxing Association (BMABA)
Raising standards. Changing lives. Leading reform.
BMABA is a leading independent martial arts body championing safer, more inclusive, and professionally-led martial arts across the UK.
As a multi-award-winning, non-profit social enterprise, we support more than 100,000 members across 6,500 clubs and 98+ styles, providing expert regulation, guidance, and safeguarding leadership. We exist to ensure martial arts can thrive at the grassroots — not just as sport, but as a force for good in communities.
Our role is different.
We’re not focused on competition or tradition alone. Instead, we work across disciplines to support instructors, empower clubs, and raise sector standards — delivering bold campaigns, evidence-led reforms, and impactful social programmes that use martial arts to transform lives.
Students & Participants
Instructors & Volunteers
Lessons Overseen Annually
For Instructors & Senseis
Do you run a club?
See how our future-focused, industry leading set of resources and tools could help you change the game at club level.
A Word From Our CEO, Giovanni
In 2012, I founded BMABA at 20 years old with just £20 and a deep belief in the power of martial arts to change lives.
We didn’t have grants. We didn’t have institutional support. What we had was conviction — and an incredible community of instructors and clubs who shared that vision.
Today, BMABA has grown to support more than 100,000 members, generating over £2.5 million in self-sustained income to date.
It’s been a grassroots journey built from the ground up — by martial artists, for martial artists.
WHY WE'RE DRIVEN
We're pioneering a better way for UK martial arts to function.
Without any regulator it’s possible for anybody to put on a black belt and claim to be an instructor, with no real way for the public to discern the difference.
We’ve been focused on professional standards since 2012, holding instructors accountable to best practice, safeguarding and regulation.
We now have the most sophisticated systems of their kind anywhere in martial arts to help us effectively vet and monitor compliance across more than 6,500 clubs.
Together with our instructors, we’re making a profound difference to the martial arts landscape.
