Good governance is invisible right up until the moment it is not.
Most clubs do not need a thicker policy folder. They need the structure underneath it to hold when something goes wrong on a Tuesday night. We built that structure, had it independently audited, and give it to every member.
ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 under UKAS accreditation, authorised to issue Safeguarding Code recognition, and a member of the sector bodies for England, Wales and Scotland, and a Sported partner.
Nobody ever regrets their governance until they urgently need it. By then it is a conversation with a parent, an insurer, or a local authority.
A policy document downloaded years ago and never opened. Risk assessments in a drawer. Grades recorded in whatever survived the last phone upgrade. Vetting that somebody thinks is still in date. None of it is negligence. It is what happens when one person runs a club around a full-time job.
A live framework that checks itself against your own club data, generates the paperwork, tracks every expiry, and produces evidence on demand. It is the difference between believing you are compliant and being able to show it in ten seconds.
RegulationReady
The most comprehensive governance framework in UK martial arts, and it does not sit still. RegulationReady assesses your club continuously against live data drawn from your own records: safeguarding, vetting, qualifications, insurance, risk, policy and record keeping. Where you fall short, it tells you precisely what is missing and how to fix it. Where you meet the standard, it issues the mark automatically.
No submission window. No annual scramble. No consultant.
Explore RegulationReadyClub Colours
Our flagship award, and the closest thing independent martial arts has to a school of excellence licence. Clubs are assessed against safeguarding, governance, professional conduct and student welfare, with passmarks and evidence handled through the Club Colours dashboard rather than a paper submission.
It is deliberately harder to earn than membership. That is the entire point of it.
Explore Club ColoursWe do not just help you meet the national standard. We are authorised to issue it.
Our frameworks are mapped directly against the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts and formally approved by Sport England. That makes BMABA the only independent martial arts body, and one of just two organisations nationwide alongside Sport England’s own recognised NGBs, able to issue SCiMA recognition directly.
For your club that means full SCiMA recognition earned through MyBMABA, automatically, with no third-party submission, no waiting and no cost. Others talk about safeguarding. We were trusted to build the infrastructure that delivers it.
Multi-Award Winning & Nationally Recognised
The machinery underneath
Governance only works if the day to day paperwork is genuinely easy. Every item below is a working tool inside MyBMABA rather than a template you fill in yourself, and each one feeds the framework that assesses you.
Policy & documentation
- Guided policy creator
- Safeguarding policy
- Complaints & appeals
- Code of conduct
- Health & safety guidance
- Document creator
Risk & incident
- Digital risk assessments
- Digital incident log
- Safeguarding reporting tool
- Concussion & return to play
- Venue & event assessments
People & vetting
- DBS checks (England & Wales)
- PVG (Scotland)
- AccessNI (Northern Ireland)
- Renewal tracking
- Assistant instructor licensing
- Volunteer registration
Records & integrity
- Lifetime Student Grade Register
- National Grading Integrity Scheme
- Club logbook
- Certificate generator
- Grading management
- Member portal records
Four nations, four systems, one place to keep track
DBS in England and Wales, PVG in Scotland, AccessNI in Northern Ireland. We guide you through the right process for where you teach, run the checks and re-checks, and hold the result against the person it belongs to. Renewal dates are tracked for you, so an expired check surfaces as a prompt rather than a discovery.
The same applies to your wider team. Assistant instructors and volunteers can be registered, licensed and vetted properly, which matters because they are usually the people with the most direct contact with children.
- Enhanced checks arranged and tracked for you
- Assistant instructor and volunteer licensing
- Expiry prompts before a lapse becomes a problem
Professional development that goes somewhere
Not a certificate mill. A structured pathway with specialist awards branching off it, all CPD accredited, all written for martial arts rather than adapted from generic sports coaching, and all included.
The grounding every new member takes, covering conduct, duty of care and how the association works.
The first formal coaching qualification, establishing safe, structured practice.
Independent delivery, session design and responsibility for a class of your own.
Leading other coaches, curriculum design and club-wide standards.
And the specialist awards alongside it
- Safeguarding for Martial Arts
- Lead Safeguarding (DSL)
- CHIMA, concussion & head injury
- First Aid Essentials
- SEND Level 1 (Practitioner)
- SEND Level 2 (Co-ordinator)
- Risk Management
- Mental Health First Aid
- Trauma-Informed Coaching
- Knife Crime & Serious Youth Violence
- Coaching Children & Young People
- Curriculum Design & Pedagogy
A belt is only worth what stands behind it
Grading is where governance and credibility meet. The National Grading Integrity Scheme sets out what a fair, evidenced grading looks like, and the Lifetime Student Grade Register keeps a permanent national record of what a student has actually earned.
That record belongs to the student, not the club. It survives them moving away, and it survives you closing. For an independent club, being able to point at a national register is worth considerably more than a certificate with your own logo on it.
About The Grade Register
Why our governance advice is worth taking
Plenty of organisations will tell a club how to run itself. Rather fewer submit to the same scrutiny they ask of others.
ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 under UKAS accreditation, assessed by the British Assessment Bureau. Our own quality and information security management are inspected by people with the power to fail us.
BMABA CIC is overseen by the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies, with a legal asset lock. Income is reinvested into grassroots martial arts and cannot be distributed as profit.
Named in the House of Commons by the Minister for Sport, commended in writing, and asked to contribute to DCMS policy development on child safety in martial arts.
A CIMSPA Training Provider Partner with a seat on its Workforce Governance and Registration Scheme advisory board, and member cover arranged through an FCA-authorised specialist broker.
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.”
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.
“I appreciate your ongoing efforts to make martial arts safer for children.”
Multi-Award Winning & Nationally Recognised
What Do Our Members Say?
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D Hurt 10 Out Of 10Well 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 -
Peter R They Go Above And BeyondBeen 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.
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Giles H Exemplary OrganisationA 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.
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VORTEX Martial Arts & Fitness More Than Just A Governing BodySimply 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.
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Lena S Professional And High QualityPreviously 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.
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Luke T Far More Helpful Than Any Other AssociationHaving 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.
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Chris J Great People To Work WithGreat people to work with.
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Matt J Can't Rate Them Highly EnoughHaving 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.
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John Tomsett Outstanding Club Association and Insurance ProviderI 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.
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Georgina E Really impressive, 21st century MA organisation. 10/10Found 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.
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Michael Willington Definately recommended. Unbelievable Association.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.
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Jonathan D BMABA – the Martial Arts Association you NEEDI 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.
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Fabian Burdett This Team Deserves A MedalAs 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. 💙🐺👊
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Matthew Robert Cooling-Stones These guys are the real dealAs 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"
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Anna Martensson Highly IMPRESSED by the BMABAAs 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!!
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Adrian Jackson Always quick to respond and thoughtfulAlways 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
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Daniel Leaver Simply the best organisation I have ever worked withSimply 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.
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From A £20 Start-Up To A Nationally Recognised Powerhouse. Built From Scratch, Driven By Purpose. That’s BMABA CIC.
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.
Bring your club’s governance up to a national standard, this month.
Affiliate membership is free and always will be. The frameworks, the vetting, the CPD and the records all sit inside one login, and our team will walk you through where your club stands before you commit to anything.
