We're here to help with any questions or queries.
Access expert guidance and speak with our dedicated team for queries on membership, insurance, eligibility, us or just about anything else you might need.
We're not based from a kitchen worktop, nor do we employ call centres overseas to answer generic FAQs for us. We have three locations throughout the UK including our Headquarters in West Sussex. BMABA boasts over 1,250sqft of newly refurbished top-spec office space for our dedicated staff and everyone you speak with here - be it via email, live chat, Facebook or phone - is part of the team and not an outsourced agent.
[hello-followers title="Footer Followers" hide_title="1" new_window="1" total_type="button_single" columns="6" template="modern" animation="pulse-grow" nospace="1" cover_style="light" cover_image_style="round"]
From appearing on BBC Radio and national newspapers, to winning industry-specialist awards and working closely with organisations such as the Home Office, we're one of the most credible names in UK martial arts. Learn More.
We're a certified social enterprise, which means every penny spent with BMABA not only supports Fighting Chance Foundation, but also helps tackle climate change, plant trees and fund clean water projects around the world. Learn More.
Join One Of The UK's Largest Communities Of Independent Martial Arts Clubs
We're one of the largest martial arts associations in the UK with more than 60,000 registered members across thousands of clubs and instructors.
Latest Updates
We have our own offices, not just the kitchen table.
Let's be clear; there's nothing wrong with smaller martial arts associations. In fact, we think it's good for competition and variety. Unfortunately too many are one-man bands run from kitchen tables, and not professional set ups with staff. Worst still, they're made to look as if they're bigger and more recognised than they truly are, which puts your club at risk.
We have three locations - Manchester, London and West Sussex. Our HQ has over 1,400sqft of dedicated, bespoke office space for our team of staff and volunteers.
Founded in 2012 by the now Multi-Award Winning Social Entrepreneur & Life-Long Martial Artist
Frustrated by a lack of affordable, professional alternatives to the associations Giovanni Soffietto had dealt with when participating and then teaching Thai Boxing and Karate, BMABA was founded.
Focused on professional standards and ethics rather than belts and titles, BMABA boasts the pedigree of a life-long martial arts expert come award winning social entrepreneur as it's Chief Executive Officer. It's fair to say we're well qualified and backed by an industry giant. He's also been awarded Men's Health Coach Of The Year for his work setting up the Fighting Chance Foundation.
Our Membership Isn't Just A Piece Of Paper
We have always been focused on providing clubs with everything they need under a single membership, and our range of resources, tools and features delivers exactly that.
From template grading certificates and documents through to a free club website and national club listings. Whether it be advice on club structure and marketing or membership marks and qualifications. DBS checks, first aid qualifications, coaching certificates, instructor licenses, insurance, business plans, equipment, graphics - you named it, we cover it under just one simple, affordable membership.
Club Colours Award That Meets Sport England's Mark
Our Club Colours Award process not only issues a 'school of excellence' mark to clubs who hold it, but the safeguarding oversight has been approved by Sport England and allows us to automatically issue the 'Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts' award to every club that holds our 'tick mark'.
We receive zero funding to run this, but we ensure it's completely free for every single BMABA member to access.
Our Profits Fund The Fighting Chance Foundation
All of our eligible profits are donated to the Fighting Chance Foundation to help change lives through martial arts.
From programmes designed to help children in poverty and women & girls at risk of violence through to anti-knife campaigns and disability inclusion work, the Fighting Chance Foundation changes lives through martial arts.
We Back Our Members, Even During The Darkest Of Times
Our response and support throughout the Coronavirus Pandemic confirmed to the industry the way BMABA treats it's members and we've doubled-down during the cost of living crisis, too.
During COVID we provided daily updates, dedicated online training hubs, access to a free COVID instructor qualification, subsidised insurances, a self-funded Covid Recovery Scheme, mediation services with local authorities and interpretations of DCMS policy. We increased our operational hours to ensure a 7 day a week response and invested more than ever in our systems, processes and memberships. This is what an association should be doing for its members we believe. As our slogan goes; "To High Places By Narrow Roads".
Moving forwards into the 'cost of living crisis' we're continuing to provide an unbelievable level of support to clubs by ring-fencing pricing at 2019 levels, providing additional discounts and funding grants to smaller clubs, introducing new resources, boosting marketing for clubs and so much more.
The Most Powerful Member's Area Of Any UK Martial Arts Association
Split across three systems - MyBMABA, The Instructor Portal and The Help Desk, BMABA boast the industry's most powerful member's area. Access communities, forums, resources, tools, insurance, membership records, tickets, web provisions, news and updates across any device - including via our new app - 24/7 from anywhere in the world. Our member's area ensures you get the most from your membership.
Stunning Printed Certification & Instructor Pack
This membership option includes our beautiful and professional instructor certification in printed format as part of your Instructor Pack. You'll receive all of your documentation on 220gsm woven certificate paper, embossed, foiled and stamped to ensure premium documentation that sets you apart from the competition.
Unrivalled Support Setting Up & Growing Your Club
Whether your ambition is to start a small not for profit club or to build up the next national franchise, our range of business support, online courses, resources, tools, template excel spreadsheets, expert articles and more will help your club thrive.
Certification, Insurance & Evidence With You, On The Go.
Access your BMABA instructor's documentation, student license slips, insurance certification and even you're own submitted DBS checks, first aid qualifications and other criteria. Our systems provide you with access to all of this documentation on the go, 24/7. Be it from a mobile, our app or a desktop - so you can access, download and share your certification when you need it most.
BMABA App
Available on Android and OS devices, the BMABA app allows instructors and clubs - as well as students and parents via a second, separate app - access to the latest updates, resources, guidance, community, forums and loads more. Bring your association, along with all your digital certification - with you in your pocket.
Access To Qualifications & Training
We're always building on our library of industry-leading awards and qualifications. This includes our Level 1 and Level 2 instructor qualifications, our Safeguarding & Lead Safeguarding qualifications, our First Aid Award, Club Colours Award, Club Management Qualifications and so much more.
Student Management Software
We provide you with access to exclusive student management software which will help you track attendance, see student details, show your class schedule, accept online bookings, run a club shop, update your members with club news, run a member's only area and so much more. All completely free of charge.
Shop St. Provided Free Of Charge
Shop St. is a premium app that provides access to huge discounts across hundreds of retailers, restaurants and stockists. It's usually exclusively for employees of large organisations but we've secured access for our members, and we'll foot the bill for you too.
Free Designated Safeguarding Lead Service
We know Safeguarding can be a difficult area for smaller clubs to field, and that's why we've stepped up to the plate to offer a completely free designated safeguarding lead service. This allows your club to designated BMABA as the welfare officer, which means we'll deal with all your safeguarding concerns, questions and referrals.
More Than £1,250 Of Premium Services & Tools
From template grading certificates, safeguarding policies and club registration forms to our online logo designer, club accreditation marks and premium club finder listings. It's all inclusive and wrapped up into your membership fee so you can access more services with us than anywhere else without paying a penny more.
National Referrals From ASDA, Yeo Valley & More
We've secured an exclusive contract with a national marketing company that means BMABA is the only martial arts association to serve a number of national retailers who reward their customers with free sports lessons. We'll be fielding referrals from a number of national organisations such as ASDA as the only martial arts provider for their customers when redeeming loyalty points.
Everything You Need For An Online Presence
Access hundreds of pounds of hosting provisions and tech services as part of your membership. From AWS specialist managed wordpress hosting and free site migrations (if you already have a Wordpress website) to a premium drag and drop site builder, all inclusive with your own domain name, email and tech support if you need it.
Your Membership Makes A Difference
We're a social enterprise. This means your fees don't go into the back pocket of a self-appointed 10th Dan. We plant trees to fight global warming, we fund clean water projects to save lives in developing nations and we make sure your membership to us, and our organisations' operations are Carbon Neutral. We also donate all of our profits to the Fighting Chance Foundation to help them change lives in the UK through martial arts.
Club Colours Award Included
Enjoy open access to our Club Colours Qualification and the associated Award, which makes your club a 'School of Excellence'. Our Club Colours Award, which looks to ensure clubs are up to date and compliant with best practice and safeguarding is of such a high standard it will automatically entitle clubs to be awarded (or renewed on) the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts on completion.
Marketing & Design Software
We've invested heavily in software and tech to help clubs perform better online. Included in your membership is access to our flagship and industry-exclusive design and marketing software. Effortlessly create leaflets, business cards, brochures, certificates, banners and so much more with our online editor and software suite.
Plus So Much More
Our membership never stands still. From the latest tech to more template documents and certificates, martial arts fitness and nutrition recipe books to safeguarding training and qualifications - we're always adding to what BMABA offers and it's always wrapped up in the idea of 'one membership, one price'.
You won't find another UK martial arts association that can offer so much to their members.
Not entirely sure?
Try us for free for 12 months, with no obligation.
There's absolutely no obligation to commit beyond 12 months. You'll be able to explore what we offer, our member's area, all of our licensing options and get a better feel for the BMABA's service without any obligation to become a full member. We genuinely believe the best way to find out if we're any good is to try us for yourself.
Switching To Us
We know there's a lot to think about, and we can help.
We have absolutely no interest in enticing you to switch to BMABA if we're not the right fit. We know that won't last and isn't good for you or us. Instead, we can offer a confidential switching process to help you price up whether or not it's worth while, whilst also getting answers to any questions you might have.
We know that for many clubs, 2020 and the restrictions imposed by Covid-19 caused catastrophic damage to memberships and engagement. BMABA have always championed the importance of grass roots martial arts participation and we’re determined to do as much as we can in 2021 to help ease martial arts club back into some form of normality, as and when restrictions lift.
What are we going to do to help?
Some Government grants were made available to businesses throughout lockdown which will have assisted some of our larger clubs with grants and furlough, but we know not enough small and medium, unincorporated clubs have received any help. It’s those clubs we’re primarily targeting.
Our plan is to provide the following support packages to aid in grass roots martial arts recovery;
For Clubs & Instructors Not Currently BMABA Members
We want to open the door for access to professional, credible insurances and governance to help as many clubs return to training safely. With this in mind, we’re going to be offering the following support to clubs and instructors who are currently NOT BMABA members;
-
We will be offering the option of either 3 months completely free instructor Public Liability insurance at £2,000,000, combined with £1,000,000 professional indemnity cover and £250,000 abuse extension cover combined with BMABA instructor membership
OR
-
We will provide £40 of free student Public Liability insurance (‘member to member’) cover combined with student memberships
-
We will also put together an emergency fund for clubs most severely affected. This will be reserved to applications from grappling arts and those who inherently rely on close contact for survival, as well as not for profits that help societies most vulnerable. This discretionary fund will aim to cover more than just the above offering, providing a longer term and more comprehensive package of support for clubs likely to fail in the next 6 months without immediate intervention.
-
For those requiring larger multi-instructor provisions or bulk registrations (i.e: 2 instructors and 100 students etc) we will provide additional support and financial relief to drive down unit costing as much as possible, with the option of interest free monthly payments and initial payment holidays
It’s our hope this support will help clubs confidently get back to the dojo – in line with Government guidance and without the need to cut corners and open sooner than they should – with some cashflow relief. There will be absolutely no commitment to remain a BMABA member after the initial membership period ends if instructors don’t wish to, but for those who do we’ll offer a discounted onward period of membership to ensure the remaining 9 months are as affordable as possible.
For Clubs & Instructors Who Are Currently BMABA Members
To all of you who have shown us support and loyalty during the pandemic, we want to do our bit to say thank you and provide additional support to help you get back to the mats. This support is available for anyone who has renewed their membership or joined us as a paying member for the first time on or after 1st April 2020 through to this fund going live – including any new clubs that join us as paid members in between this announcement and the recovery scheme launching.
-
We will be offering at renewal either a 4 month free of charge extension to any memberships, including any insurance in place, for lead instructors OR we’ll provide a £50 renewal discount if you wish to renew on any of our membership (with or without insurance) plans for the year ahead
OR
-
We will provide £55 of free student Public Liability insurance (‘member to member’) cover combined with student memberships
-
You will also have preferential access to our emergency fund for clubs most severely affected over the past year. This will be reserved to applications from grappling arts and those who inherently rely on close contact for survival, as well as not for profits that help societies most vulnerable. We will also accept discretionary applications from those who have been catastrophically impacted by restrictions, even if you’re not from a grappling background.
-
For our larger clubs and those with multiple staff (i.e: clubs with more than 2 instructors or more than 50 students) we’ll be providing a range of subsidies to help with business continuity. This will be discussed on a case by case basis to help ensure we’re offering the best possible help for your club but could include, for example, free of charge 4 month extensions for entire instructor and/or student bases or substantially discounted renewals.
We want to do our bit to give back to the clubs who have supported us through 2020. We also believe we have a moral obligation to continue providing the best possible support to grass roots clubs. We believe the support hasn’t come nearly fast enough or in enough bulk from Sport England to help unincorporated and smaller clubs remain afloat. Whilst our pockets are far from bottomless, we’ll do our bit to try and bridge this crucial period of return and we believe in giving back more to our existing members to say thank you for helping us through 2020.
Why are we doing this?
We know the most crucial period throughout the entire pandemic is just around the corner for UK martial arts clubs. The return to training – most likely under strict COVID restrictions compounded by many clubs having a severe lack of savings given the time elapsed since regular classes dropped off – is going to be tricky at best.
We firmly believe if clubs can safely negotiate the initial three months in which classes are anticipated to – and then do – return, then there is a path to organic recovery for just about every club and discipline.
We’re hoping that a short, acute financial support package like this will enable clubs who need support in the short term the opportunity they deserve to get back to training and to rebuild their finances before costs become payable.
When does the fund open, how long will it run for and how do I apply?
We’re going to hold back formally opening the fund until we can see an anticipated return date. This is to prevent clubs leaning on the support too soon and finding it has expired before classes can properly get back to some form of normality. At present, we’re working to a rough April period for martial arts returning. If this continues to be the ‘best guess’ as February progresses, we’ll plan to start making support available for March 1st so clubs can use it to anticipate and plan their return, as well as actually during their first couple of months of classes.
We will set up an application process for new applicants here at bmaba.org.uk/clubs and this will be very clearly signposted throughout the website, including in the application section. For existing members, we’ll heavily publicise the fund and will make a simple, fast application process available within MyBMABA.
We don’t yet know how long the fund will be needed, or how long we will be able to shoulder the financial burden. BMABA has been providing subsidised insurances and memberships for the best part of a year now to aid in keeping clubs afloat, and we’re not funded by any third parties so our support is not without limit. We will, however, aim to plug the initial return to the mats period. Depending on uptake, availability and market conditions the current projection is to run the scheme from March 1st to May 1st to ensure everyone working to return to training can access some form of help.
For existing members, whilst the application process for support will likely close in May they will of course be able to ‘sit on’ any discounts, vouchers or funds for their renewals – even if this falls into 2022. This means clubs can apply for a renewal discount now, for example, and it will remain valid through to their expiry – even if that falls into 2022.
Our hunch?
We emphatically believe that grass roots martial arts is one of the single most important recreational opportunities for the UK. Children and adults of all backgrounds and communities get fit, learn self discipline, grow their confidence and learn self defence through martial arts practice. Unfortunately we don’t believe support from official sources has been anywhere near good enough throughout the pandemic. If official help doesn’t arrive we fear many clubs will be unable to reopen at all or, perhaps worse still, will re-open without the necessary insurances and professional standards in place owing to financial restraints.
We tell the martial arts community that we’re a safe set of hands for their club and if we can’t come through now – we’re not up to the mark.
As our association’s slogan goes; “To High Places By Narrow Roads”
We’re here to help with questions and queries.
Access expert guidance and speak with our dedicated team for queries on membership, insurance, eligibility, us or just about anything else you might need.
We’re not based from a kitchen worktop, nor do we employ call centres overseas to answer generic FAQs for us. We have three locations throughout the UK including our Headquarters in West Sussex. BMABA boasts over 1,250sqft of newly refurbished top-spec office space for our dedicated staff and everyone you speak with here – be it via email, live chat, Facebook or phone – is part of the team and not an outsourced agent.
[hello-followers title=”Footer Followers” hide_title=”1″ new_window=”1″ total_type=”button_single” columns=”6″ template=”modern” animation=”pulse-grow” nospace=”1″ cover_style=”light” cover_image_style=”round”]
Join More Than 6,500 Like-Minded Instructors & Clubs
We’re one of the largest martial arts associations in the UK with more than 30,000 registered members across thousands of clubs and instructors.
Latest Updates
We’re a professional association, not a one-man band.
We know there are hundreds of smaller multi-style associations in the UK. There’s nothing wrong with that – it can be great for variety. Unfortunately it sometimes leads to poor customer service or unsafe, unprofessional services – especially if the organisation is claiming to be very large.
We have three locations – Manchester, London and West Sussex. Our HQ has over 1,400sqft of dedicated, bespoke office space for our team of staff and volunteers.
Founded in 2012 by the Multi-Award Winning Social Entrepreneur & Life-Long Martial Artist
Frustrated by a lack of affordable, professional alternatives to the associations Giovanni Soffietto had dealt with when participating and then teaching Thai Boxing and Karate, BMABA was founded.
Focused on professional standards and ethics rather than belts and titles, BMABA boasts the pedigree of a life-long martial arts expert come award winning social entrepreneur as it’s Chief Executive Officer. It’s fair to say we’re well qualified and backed by an industry giant.
Our Membership Isn’t Just A Piece Of Paper
We have always been focused on providing clubs with everything they need under a single membership, and our range of resources, tools and features delivers exactly that.
From template grading certificates and documents through to a free club website and national club listings. Whether it be advice on club structure and marketing or membership marks and qualifications. DBS checks, first aid qualifications, coaching certificates, instructor licenses, insurance, business plans, equipment, graphics – you named it, we cover it under just one simple, affordable membership.
Beautiful, Professional Certification As Standard
So much of what you do will be judged on the grades, credentials and certification you hold. We get that.
We know parents, students and venues don’t always understand exactly what qualifies you. We help by providing superb, professional certification that ensures you look the part. Be it a Dan Grade, Instructor License or Insurance Document, all of our digital and printed certificates will meet the mark and be accepted across the UK.
You won't find another UK martial arts association that can offer so much to their members.
Not entirely sure?
Try us for free for 6 months, with no obligation.
There’s absolutely no obligation to commit beyond 6 months. You’ll be able to explore what we offer, our member’s area, all of our licensing options and get a better feel for the BMABA’s service without any obligation to become a full member. We genuinely believe the best way to find out if we’re any good is to try us for yourself.
Switching To Us
We know there’s a lot to think about, and we can help.
We have absolutely no interest in enticing you to switch to BMABA if we’re not the right fit. We know that won’t last and isn’t good for you or us. Instead, we can offer a confidential switching process to help you price up whether or not it’s worth while, whilst also getting answers to any questions you might have.
