We’re thrilled as an organisation to be today celebrating our 9th Birthday!
Founded on 1st September 2012, BMABA has enjoyed a meteoric success within the martial arts association industry, establishing ourselves as not just a major player in less than a decade but also ‘first-in-class’ in so many areas of governance, technology, associationship and leadership.
As you’ll know if you’ve read up on the story of how BMABA came to be, we were started by the award-winning social entrepreneur Giovanni Soffietto in 2012, then aged just 20, with £20 of capital. Born into a life of poverty, Giovanni utilised the discipline, resilience and determination that marital arts instils in all of us to break free of his life-circumstances and start something substantial.
There have been dozens of ‘industry-first’ moments for BMABA, from being the first to issue live-checkable documentation and a digital ID card built into an app, to the first association in martial arts to win the Sports Business Awards, through to the first to start a new Charitable Foundation – and the list continues.
We’ve grown considerably as an association since day 1. What was initially situated on a refurbished laptop and a sofa in 2012 is now housed by a multi-thousand pound, 2,000 square foot office with dedicated staff in West Sussex, London and Manchester. We haven’t always got everything right and we continue to learn from failures in operations and system processes. This will always be a key part of the way we grow.
What’s clear is that following COVID and the crisis caused in the independent club sector, and the support BMABA threw at clubs struggling to survive, we’ve established ourselves as a long-term, established and renowned name in martial arts. We can’t wait to approach our decade-old mark next year, in 2022, and will be celebrating our 9th birthday with a range of new membership features, resources and updates going live throughout September and October.
Thank you, sincerely, to every member that’s ever contributed financially, in spirit or with feedback and guidance, for helping us to grow and assume the position we hold today. We’re nothing without you, and we remain focused on supporting you in the years ahead.
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.
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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 have our own offices, not the kitchen table.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Access The Latest Martial Arts Qualifications
We provide all of our members with a free Level 1 and level 2 Martial Arts Instructor Qualification. We also provide access to more than twenty professional courses and qualifications to help expand our member’s portfolios.
From first aid, safeguarding and coaching through to concussion awareness, club colours and marketing – BMABA are a household name in martial arts for providing high-quality, affordable access to training and qualifications for 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.
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“.
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.
