BMABA CIC is a not-for-profit professional standards body for independent martial arts. More than 6,500 instructors, around 1,500 clubs and 200+ disciplines. Affiliate membership is free, permanently, and it always will be. What we are. An independent martial arts governing body for clubs operating outside the recognised NGB system. Not a style, not a federation, not a trade club. We set the standards, and then we give clubs everything they need to meet them. Why you can trust that. We are certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 under UKAS accreditation, approved by Sport England to issue Safeguarding Code recognition directly, named in the House of Commons by the Minister for Sport, and regulated as a Community Interest Company with a legal asset lock. Every one of those can be checked by somebody other than us. Why it costs nothing to find out. Affiliate membership is free with no card and nothing to cancel, and it carries real certificated qualifications rather than a trial. If we are not right for your club, we would rather you discovered that for free. An introduction to BMABA, in a couple of minutes. In March 2025 our founder voluntarily converted BMABA into a regulated Community Interest Company, permanently locking more than £1.6 million of assets for the sole benefit of the sector. The asset lock is a legal instrument, not a values statement. It means surplus cannot be extracted, and it cannot be reversed later when it becomes inconvenient. We have never taken public funding. More than £2.4 million has been generated and reinvested into grassroots martial arts since 2012. That is what pays for the free tier, the free qualifications, the software estate and the people who answer when it matters. We do not mark our own homework. Every credential below is issued, audited or overseen by an external body with the power to take it away. The world's most recognised quality management standard. Our processes, governance and conduct are independently audited every year under UKAS accreditation, the same benchmark used for hospitals, universities, and major corporations. The international standard for information security, held alongside ISO 9001 as a UK martial arts first. Your club's data, your members' details and our digital infrastructure sit inside an independently audited security management system. We're overseen by the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies, with a legal asset lock that means our income must serve our community purpose forever. Not-for-profit as a legal structure, not a slogan. The Sport England-approved national safeguarding standard. We hold organisational certification and are the only independent martial arts body authorised to issue SCiMA certification to clubs in-house, through our free Club Colours programme. Recognised by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity. Our CPD and qualifications are developed to CIMSPA's national professional standards, with programmes submitted for formal endorsement, confirmed course by course. A UK Government-backed scheme confirming we hold essential security controls to protect our systems, data, and users from common cyber threats. A key mark of trust when handling sensitive safeguarding and membership data. Independently certified by Social Enterprise UK as a genuine business for good. Our income is reinvested into grassroots martial arts, youth projects, and instructor support, not shareholders or private interests. A recognised organisation on the UK Government's official Register of Learning Providers under UKPRN 10098149, affirming our legitimacy as an education and training provider able to work credibly with funding bodies, employers, and public agencies. Legally registered under UK data protection law, meeting our obligations under the Data Protection Act and UK GDPR. Together with ISO 27001, it protects the personal data of every member, club, and partner we work with. Most associations sell insurance with a certificate attached. This is the rest of it, and every part has a page behind it that explains itself properly. Attendance and registers, grade and belt tracking, subscriptions, payments and invoicing, student records, a member portal, safeguarding reporting, digital risk assessments, the incident log, concussion and return to play, budgeting and business planning. One login, one system, everything talking to each other. We wrote it ourselves rather than reselling somebody else's, which is why there is no per-student pricing, no seat fees and no commission on your income. It won Best Use Of Technology at the UK Business Awards. Affiliate membership costs nothing permanently and carries three fully certificated CPD courses: SEND in Martial Arts Level 1, CHIMA concussion management and the BMABA Induction Award. No card, nothing to cancel, and no expiry. Our frameworks are mapped against the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts and approved by Sport England, making us the only independent martial arts governing body able to issue recognition under the Code directly, at no cost to your club. Reinvested into grassroots martial arts since 2012, with no public funding taken and more than £1.6 million of assets permanently locked by our Community Interest Company status. Surplus cannot be extracted, by anyone. Open any of them. This is the full working list, not a summary. Cover arranged for what you actually teach, the ages you teach and the contact level involved, on a master policy including public liability, professional indemnity and personal accident. Student licensing sits alongside it rather than being bought separately, and hall owners get the evidence they ask for. DBS in England and Wales, PVG in Scotland and AccessNI in Northern Ireland, arranged and guided rather than handed to you as a form. Renewal dates are tracked, so an expired check surfaces as a prompt rather than a discovery, and assistants and volunteers are covered too. A full coaching pathway from the Induction Award through Level 1 Foundation Coach, Level 2 Qualified Coach and Level 3 Senior Coach, plus specialist awards. Everything is CPD accredited, written for martial arts, and examined rather than simply completed. A qualified, full-time Designated Safeguarding Lead who will speak to you the same day, assessment against national thresholds, and liaison with the local authority designated officer, children's social care or the police where a referral is warranted. RegulationReady assesses your club continuously against your own live data across safeguarding, vetting, qualifications, insurance, risk and records, then issues the mark automatically when you meet the standard. Club Colours is the assessed award above it. Attendance and registers, grade tracking, student records, invoicing, tasks and a member portal, all in a club management platform we wrote ourselves. No per-student pricing, no seat fees and no commission on your income. Recurring subscriptions, one-off payments, grading fees and seminar tickets, running from the same system as your registers so a lapsed payment appears beside the student it belongs to rather than in an app you check monthly. A listing on our national club directory used by around 62,000 people a month, a code-free website builder, hosting, domains, professional email on your own domain and free migration from any platform by our own developers. Sport-specific first aid, concussion and head injury management with graduated return to play tracked per student, digital risk assessments for classes, venues and events, and a digital incident log that produces a record rather than a memory. SEND at practitioner and co-ordinator level, Coaching Neurodiversity, both levels of trauma-informed coaching, and syllabus tools that let a child progress by an adapted route rather than dropping out of the grading system entirely. The Lifetime Student Grade Register keeps a permanent national record of what a student has earned. It belongs to them rather than to the club, and it survives them moving away or you closing. The two-level Club Management Award covering legal structure, pricing, marketing, retention, VAT, employment status, contracts and long-term planning, plus marketing tools, an SEO toolkit and analytics. From insurance and DBS checks to coaching qualifications, safeguarding, club management software and websites. Everything an independent club needs, from one governing body. Public liability, professional indemnity and personal accident cover for instructors, clubs and events, arranged around the discipline you teach. Enhanced disclosure for martial arts instructors across all four UK nations, arranged, tracked and renewed on your behalf. Level 1 Foundation Coach, Level 2 Qualified Coach and Level 3 Senior Coach, CPD accredited and written specifically for martial arts instructors. Child safeguarding, Designated Safeguarding Lead and trauma-informed coaching awards, plus a real safeguarding team behind them. Sport-specific first aid and CHIMA concussion management, covering the injuries a martial arts class actually produces. RegulationReady and Club Colours: a live compliance framework and an assessed award, mapped against the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts. Free martial arts club management software covering attendance, grading, student records, scheduling and reporting. Recurring subscriptions, invoicing and one-off payments for martial arts clubs, with no per-student pricing and no commission. A code-free website builder, WordPress hosting, domains and free migration, built for clubs rather than for agencies. SEND in Martial Arts at practitioner and co-ordinator level, Coaching Neurodiversity, and practical support for inclusive clubs. The Lifetime Student Grade Register and the National Grading Integrity Scheme, protecting grades permanently and nationally. Around forty tools including professional email, marketing, analytics, risk assessments, policy generation and AI lesson planning. BMABA membership packs a punch. The idea is simple: everything your club will ever need, all in one place. BMABA's platform includes industry-leading technology designed specifically for martial arts clubs. From our AI-powered lesson planner and risk assessment builder, to SEO planning tools, student management, and even professional club website creation, our digital toolkit helps instructors save time, improve safety, and grow with confidence. All from one login. We're not just another logo or membership badge. BMABA CIC is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 under UKAS accreditation, officially recognised by the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA), and independently audited every year. As a regulated social enterprise, our structure, services, and impact are built to withstand scrutiny, so you can trust what's behind the badge. From editable certificate templates and CPD course access to a lifetime student grade register for awarding nationally recognised gradings, we provide the kind of day-to-day tools clubs actually need. Need template documents for safeguarding? Customisable policies? Instructor registers? It's all included. Designed by instructors, for instructors. Running a martial arts club can be isolating, but it doesn't have to be. BMABA offers expert, human support when you need it, backed by a responsive helpdesk and a deep knowledge base. Beyond support, we foster a national community of like-minded instructors through forums, peer networking, and CPD pathways that encourage learning and collaboration. You're never left to figure it out alone. Manage every part of your club with ease, from attendance tracking, belt progression, and grading records to student information, safeguarding, and compliance. Our Club Management Platform also includes full billing and automated payments, plus practical tools like incident log books, accounting modules, club planning tools, and more. Built by martial artists, for martial artists. Just some of the tools and resources included with membership. BMABA's Club Management Platform is our in-house, professionally developed all-in-one system. It's free for all of our members, and comes with a tonne of essential and groundbreaking features as standard. Short videos on who we are, how our cover works and what membership actually gives a club. No jargon, no sales script, and nobody reading from a card. BMABA CIC has been recognised at the highest levels of Government for our commitment to safeguarding in martial arts. During a House of Commons debate on combat sport safety, the Minister for Sport, Stephanie Peacock MP, highlighted the British Martial Arts & Boxing Association by name for our work in supporting independent and unaffiliated clubs to adopt the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts. This direct mention in Parliament demonstrates that our efforts to raise standards and protect participants are shaping the national conversation on safety in combat sports. Following that debate, the Minister for Sport wrote formally to commend BMABA's work, praising our role in raising safeguarding standards across the independent martial arts sector. She described our contribution as “extremely useful” to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's ongoing policy development, and thanked us for our ongoing efforts to make martial arts safer for children. This recognition reflects the trust placed in BMABA to help Government address urgent safeguarding challenges highlighted by recent tragedies within combat sports. For our members and the wider martial arts community, this recognition underlines BMABA's credibility as a leading voice for independent martial arts in the UK. It demonstrates that our grassroots-driven mission, to promote safe, inclusive, and properly governed martial arts for all, is influencing national policy and gaining ministerial support. Being referenced in Parliament and commended in writing by the Minister for Sport reinforces that BMABA is not just a governing body, but a sector-shaping organisation working to protect participants and secure the future of martial arts. Most associations offer a logo. These are assessed positions, and the third of them is national recognition we are authorised to issue directly. The most comprehensive governance framework in UK martial arts, and it does not sit still. It assesses your club continuously against your own live data across safeguarding, vetting, qualifications, insurance, risk and record keeping. Where you fall short it names what is missing. Where you meet the standard, the mark issues automatically. Our flagship award, and the closest thing independent martial arts has to a school of excellence licence. Assessed against safeguarding, governance, professional conduct and student welfare, with passmarks and evidence handled through your dashboard rather than a paper submission. Deliberately harder to earn than membership. Our frameworks are mapped directly against the Safeguarding Code and formally approved by Sport England, which makes us the only independent martial arts body able to issue recognition under the Code directly. Eligible clubs earn it through MyBMABA automatically, with no third-party submission and at no cost. Sport England lists the Safeguarding Code on its own safeguarding pages. A club displaying recognition under it is making a claim that somebody else has checked, which is precisely what makes it worth displaying. BMABA was founded by a martial artist rather than an administrator who spotted a gap in a market, and that shows in how the organisation is built. Our senior team includes a qualified Designated Safeguarding Lead, governance and compliance specialists, and operational staff who deal with clubs daily rather than quarterly. We also sit where the decisions get made. A seat on CIMSPA's Workforce Governance and Registration Scheme advisory board, active engagement with DCMS on child safety in martial arts, and a Sport England-approved position under the Safeguarding Code. Independent clubs are rarely in those rooms. We are there on their behalf. What a club needs at fifteen students is not what it needs at three venues. The support changes with you, and none of it costs more as you grow. What you need before your first session, in order, with nothing to pay while you have no income yet. Filling the room, retaining students, and building something that sustains itself rather than sustaining you. Multiple sites, a staff team, and running it as a business rather than a hobby that got big. Every credential on this page can be checked without asking us. Here's each one, its registration, and the independent public register where you can verify it yourself, in about thirty seconds. Credibility cuts both ways. These are the things you won't hear us say, because they wouldn't be true. We're not here because of government grants, NGB status, or Sport England funding. We're here because thousands of instructors and clubs believed in a better way. BMABA CIC is entirely independent, self-funded, and not-for-profit. We have never taken shortcuts or silver spoons, but we have earned recognition at the highest levels of UK sport, including Sport England, DCMS, and national media, purely on merit. More than £2.4 million generated to date, reinvested into the UK martial arts community. No gimmicks. No politics. No hidden shareholders. We built one of the UK's most trusted martial arts ecosystems from the ground up. A comprehensive, style-agnostic governance system. Sector-leading safeguarding and compliance. Affordable insurance. Free club management software. Dozens of tools, licences, guidance, and expert support, all included, all in one place. We didn't inherit a legacy. We forged one. Whether you're stepping out for the first time or have always been proudly independent, this is your home. To high places by narrow roads isn't just a slogan. It's how we got here. Affiliate membership with the independent martial arts governing body costs nothing and requires no card. Take the qualifications, put your club on the national map, run the software, and judge the standard of it yourself. Standards, insurance and technology for the clubs nobody else looks after.
Who we are, and why you can trust us on it
Nobody here gets richer when your club does.
Independently Certified. Externally Verified.
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
ISO 27001:2022 Certified
Regulated Community Interest Company
Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts
CIMSPA Training Provider Partner
Cyber Essentials Certified
Certified Social Enterprise
UK Register of Learning Providers
Registered With The ICO
What we actually do for a club
The club management platform other associations charge for. Ours is included.
Three things worth knowing before you read anything else
Every way we help a club
Getting your club insured properly
Vetting everyone on your mat
Qualifying you and your coaches
Handling safeguarding when it gets difficult
Proving your club is compliant
Running the club day to day
Taking payments without chasing them
Getting your club found online
Keeping students safe on the mat
Including every student who walks in
Protecting grades for life
Growing the club as a business
What we provide for martial arts clubs across the UK
Martial arts insurance
DBS & PVG checks
Coaching qualifications
Safeguarding training & support
First aid for martial arts
Governance & regulation
Club management software
Payments & billing
Martial arts club websites
SEND & inclusion
Grading & student records
Technology for clubs
Everything You Need To Run A World-Class Club In One Place
Award-Winning Technology & Digital Tools
Genuinely Audited & Assured Standards
Practical Club Resources That Actually Help
Instructor-Focused Support With A Solid Community
Run Your Entire Club From One Powerful Platform
Plus So Much More As Standard
Free Club Management Software. Exclusively Built By Us, Just For Our Clubs.
Straight Answers, From The People Who Built It
Ministerial Commendation And Parliamentary Recognition
“Organisations such as the British Martial Arts and Boxing Association support unaffiliated martial arts providers to adopt the safeguarding code… Providers with recognition under the code can display a logo on their promotional materials to show participants that their safety measures have been vetted.”
“I appreciate your ongoing efforts to make martial arts safer for children.”
Three standards, and they build on each other
RegulationReady
Club Colours
Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts
Expertly led, by people who train
Where we are at the table
Multi-Award Winning & Nationally Recognised
What Do Our Members Say?
Well I was with another organisation for 4 years and came across these guys. They have great vetting, were really helpful at every stage of my application, the actual app is amazing with training opportunities for members, also student membership. All round 10 out of 10.
Facebook recommendation
Been a member for a number of years and they go above and beyond to support their members. Everything from safeguarding and legalities to certified courses, websites, club manager software, just to name a few of the benefits.
Google review
A huge resource of helpful information and support for those setting up or running a martial arts club. Well put together coaching courses and great safeguarding advice and policies. Really pleased to have access to this exemplary organisation to help me with my new kickboxing club.
Google review
Simply amazing. BMABA are more than just a governing body for martial arts, they are a team of incredible people, always willing to go the extra mile to make sure you feel supported. Incredible customer service, amazing response time, and an honour to be governed by.
Google review
Previously searched for similar organisations but after speaking to Giovanni over the phone I knew that BMABA was the right one for me. He was very informative, patient and had a lot of time to answer any questions. Extremely reassuring and helpful. Their website and documentation are also very professional and high quality.
Google review
Having been a part of BMABA for a short while, I can say that already they have been far more helpful than any other association I have been involved in. After 10 years of martial arts, I hope to continue instructing under BMABA for many years.
Google review
Great people to work with.
Facebook recommendation
Having left my previous association in November, and being very daunted by the prospect of being responsible for all my own compliance and everything else I can honestly say BMABA have made the whole thing possible and even pleasant. The training resources are great, it's been fantastic for me to be able to quickly up skill my team, the insurance is really easy to sort out, the team are super friendly and helpful, the perks on Gold membership are also fantastic.
Member review
I have been a customer of BMABA for two years now, and I am extremely impressed with their services. First and foremost, the customer service provided by BMABA is exceptional. Their team is responsive, professional, and genuinely dedicated to ensuring that our needs are met. Whenever we had a query or require assistance, they responded rapidly and effectively.
Member review
Found these guys in Martial Arts Illustrated doing a piece on professionalism in martial arts and thought, as an instructor, they might be worth looking at further. Really impressed from the moment I hit their website through to now, 3 months on as a member. Great staff, Giovanni is rediculously knowledgable and our club is now growing under the banner of what has got to be the best martial arts org in the UK.
Member review
The BMABA are unlike any other org I've come across in this industry. Their honest, professional, politics free and most importantly, they know what they're doing. Website is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest, insurance is comprehensive and their overall customer service is just unlike anything else I've had in 25 years of martial arts. Amazing through and through. Would definitely recommend.
Member review
I joined the BMABA right in its infancy (I believe I was their second member!). Giovanni is the most helpful, respectful and genuine person who has turned the possibility of a non-political, highly respected and supportive Martial Arts Association into a reality. I could bang on for hours about the BMABA but don't take my word for it - go and visit the BMABA website and see for yourself.
Member review
As we all know 2020 has been the year from hell for martial arts. One thing that has come out of that is BMABA have done everything in their power to keep clubs like mine up to date with what's happening and tried to push the government to notice us. Couldn't wish for a better association to be a part of. Once again big THANK YOU to you guys for all the help. 💙🐺👊
Member review
As i'm heading into the brave world of starting up my own small self defence club in our village, i can say with complete honesty and satisfaction that BMABA have been the most supportive and upfront association i have come across. i have seen and had first hand experience with the Mcdojo's offering you the greatest adventures of a life time. but these guys are the real deal… i hold my head high, and say with great pride "i am a BMABA member"
Facebook
As someone with 22 years of experience in martial arts, who saw enough big egos and leaders who only look after their own benefits… I am highly IMPRESSED by the BMABA. I wanted to make sure they don't just promise the world but actually deliver. They support us all the way and constantly look for new ways of making our whole industry better for ALL of us. THANK YOU!!
Facebook
Always quick to respond and thoughtful. Great service delivered at a very reasonable price and very supportive of the community. Been a member for a couple of years now and recommend highly
Member review
Simply the best organisation I have ever worked with. Everything is so stress free and I am definitely sticking with them for the rest of my career.
Facebook
How we help, wherever your club is right now
Don't Take Our Word For Any Of It.
And While We're Being Transparent: What We Don't Claim
From A £20 Start-Up To A Nationally Recognised Powerhouse. Built From Scratch, Driven By Purpose. That's BMABA CIC.
Free to join. Free to stay. Free to decide we are not for you.
The Independent Martial Arts Governing Body
6,500+Instructors and coaches
~1,500Clubs nationwide
200+Disciplines
2012Founded, with £20
£0Public funding taken
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Not For Profit, By Law
Regulated, not self-declaredOverseen by the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies.
Asset lockedSurplus is legally directed back into the mission and cannot be distributed out.
No public fundingNot a penny of grant money. Everything here was paid for by members.
No per-student pricingYour growth does not raise your bill, at any tier, ever.
Dual affiliation welcomedKeep your existing governing body. We will not ask you to choose.
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Expert insurance & licensing
Public liability, professional indemnity and personal accident cover on a master policy, with student licensing sitting alongside rather than bought separately. Cover is arranged under our group policy through an FCA-authorised specialist broker.
Explore cover
Specialist CPD & qualifications
A full coaching pathway from induction to Senior Coach, plus accredited awards in safeguarding, SEND, trauma-informed practice, concussion, first aid and club management. Written for martial arts, not adapted from generic sport.
See all CPD
Safeguarding you can lean on
A qualified, full-time Designated Safeguarding Lead you can reach directly, same day advice, and liaison with statutory partners. We are authorised to issue Safeguarding Code recognition directly.
Safeguarding support
The Tech Hub
Around forty tools written in-house: club management, payments, website builder, professional email, marketing, compliance dashboards and AI lesson planning. Included, not resold.
See the tech
Governance & compliance
RegulationReady checks your club continuously against your own live data, and Club Colours is the assessed award above it. Both are built to inspect what you do rather than what you wrote down.
Explore the framework
A national club directory
Around 62,000 people a month use Club Finder to look for a club. Unlimited locations, a rich club page and a proper enquiry inbox behind every pin, free with membership.
See Club Finder
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Award Winning
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Technology
Assurance
Resources
Community
The Platform
The Differential
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Testimonials
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Stage oneStarting a club
Radical Transparency
ISO 9001:2015 Certification
Issued by the British Assessment Bureau under UKAS accreditation. Verify us directly on UKAS CertCheck, the national accreditation body's own public register.
Certificate 267261
Verify on UKAS CertCheck
ISO 27001:2022 Certification
Issued by the British Assessment Bureau under UKAS accreditation following our July 2026 audit. Listed on the same UKAS CertCheck entry as our ISO 9001.
Certified July 2026
Verify on UKAS CertCheck
Companies House & CIC Status
Our full filing history as a Community Interest Company, including our annual CIC community interest reports, is public at Companies House.
Reg. 10676965
View our filings
ICO Data Protection Registration
Our registration under UK data protection law, on the Information Commissioner's Office public register.
ZA241917
View the register
Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts
Sport England's own safeguarding pages publicly reference our Club Colours provision under the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts. Read it on their site, not ours.
Club Colours Approved
Read it on Sport England
UK Register of Learning Providers
Our listing on the UK Government's official register of learning providers, under provider reference 10098149.
UKPRN 10098149
View our listing
Social Enterprise UK
Our listing in Social Enterprise UK's public member directory, certifying BMABA as a business trading for social and community good.
Certified Member
View our listing
Group Policy Schedule
Member cover sits under a group policy underwritten by AXA XL Insurance Company UK Limited and placed through an FCA-authorised specialist broker. We publish the schedule and wording in full rather than summarising them.
AXA XL Insurance Company UK Limited
Read the documents
Our Story
25 Reasons We Might Be A Good Fit
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