Martial Arts Club Insurance

Comprehensive & Flexible Martial Arts Club Cover For Clubs Of All Sizes & Styles

Martial Arts 'Whole Club' Insurance & Licensing

The British Martial Arts & Boxing Association (BMABA) is one of the UK’s leading providers of Martial Arts Insurances via our specialist group cover policy.

We can provide your club with access to affordable, flexible cover to include Instructor Public Liability and Professional Indemnity, Personal Accident, Equipment Cover, Abuse Extensions, Student Public Liability and Personal Accident, Employer’s Liability and more..

Cover is available from our leading Group Cover Policy for more than 180 disciplines and styles. From traditional like Karate and Jujitsu through to modern such as MMA and Muay Thai; specialist like Krav Maga, Self Defence and HEMA to popular styles like Taekwondo and Judo – it’s covered.

Don’t leave one of your most important professional obligations up to an insurer with no knowledge of what’s involved with the instruction of martial arts – trust a professional association who has access to a specialist group cover policy.

Our club cover is specifically designed for dojos or businesses joining us with more than one instructor. We make the onboarding process fast and easy, catering for just about any bespoke arrangement required.

Our Club Cover At A Glance;
  • Flexible And Affordable.

    With pay monthly and pay annually options available, and with no extra charges for insuring more than one style and/or the use of numerous weapons, BMABA club cover provides vital insurances without breaking the bank.

  • Specialist Cover For Peace Of Mind

    Our group cover policy, through which instructor insurance is provided, is not just an ‘off the shelf’ master policy. It’s the culmination of nearly a decade of good governance and expert understanding of insurance requirements. If you opt for our specialist club cover, your policy is incepted directly by our FCA licensed broker.

  • Membership Is Combined With Insurance

    This means alongside your insurance, your club will enjoy hundreds of resources, tools & support features without any additional charge.

  • Additional Cover Available

    Optionally, in addition to the core insurances you can access contents cover, abuse extension, personal accident insurance and more to protect you and your club comprehensively.

  • Expert, No Obligation Support Available

    We want you to feel safe and secure with your cover, so we’ll provide expert guidance on the claims process in advance of any issues, so you know what to expect. We’re also available via Facebook, phone or e-mail 7 days a week to answer questions or queries.

Please bear in mind that club cover is specifically for clubs with more than 1 instructors. If you run a martial arts school as a sole instructor, click here to see our individual instructor insurance section instead.

Available Cover

We can offer a flexible approach to cover, providing only what you need via either our Group or Club products.

For instructors and teaching staff

Instructor Public Liability (PL)

Public Liability is considered a core martial arts instructor insurance (see below section for more info). Cover is available at £2,000,000, £5,000,000 or £10,000,000.

In a nutshell, it provides cover for your legal liability to pay compensation to third parties for bodily injury and/or damage to property as the result of a negligent act by the Insured arising out of the  instruction of martial arts.

Instructor Professional Indemnity (PI)

Cover for claims against an instructor based upon professional advice given – for example, specific guidance on how to roll etc, rather than an injury arising from their supervision of a class. This could also include unintentional infringement of intellectual property rights, loss of documents or data in your trust, unintentional defamation, libel or slander, unintentional breach of confidence, confidential duty or misuse of information or bad advice on websites & social media.

£1,000,000 Professional Indemnity (PI) is included free of charge at the association’s cost for all instructors.

Instructor Abuse Extension (IAE)

Abuse extension is a very specialist type of cover, and it’s only available from a very few select insurers. Abuse Extension (AE) provides cover for defence of the named instructor if there is an allegation of abuse made against them. This wouldn’t be covered under usual PL or PI, so provided an additional level of support to the instructor.

We provide £250,000 Abuse Extension free of charge with any instructor insurance.

Instructor Personal Accident (IPA)

Personal Accident (PA) insurances provides cover as per the schedule for any injury arising from a specific event whilst participating in a BMABA club, or as a BMABA instructor where there is no negligence responsible.

This might include, for example, physiotherapy costs or loss of income, upto the benefit amount, if you as an instructor are injured whilst teaching a class.

BMABA Instructor Licensing & Membership

BMABA Instructor Licensing & Membership is included at no extra cost with any instructor insurances. As the instructor insurance is provided via our group cover policy, this means it must be combined with BMABA membership. This entitles you to a whole treasure-trove of resources, tools, features and assistance without any additional charge. This includes a free club website, template grading certificates, health and safety guidance, business support, networking and community, first aid training, free instructor qualifications and so much more – all included with your insurance!

For students

Student Public Liability (SPL)

By default all of our student memberships are inclusive of £1,000,000 Student Public Liability insurance designed to provide protection in the event of a student injuring another participant or causing damage to a venue. Cover is also available in £1,000,000, £2,000,000 and £5,000,000 increments as required.

Student Personal Accident Insurance (SPA)

In addition to their core protection from damages when pursued by another student or venue, we can also provide your students with Personal Accident (PA) cover. This provides assistance when a student is injured, without the need to pursue a claim against somebody else. PA can include cover for things like dental expenses, broken bones, loss of income, physiotherapy and more.

Student Association Membership

Student Association Membership is included with student insurance at no extra cost. This provides students with tools and services designed to help them stay at your club. This includes student engagement and retention services, as well as a dedicated student liaison officer, at no extra charge. Students can also access a purpose built online student portal,  forums, communities, vlogs, podcasts and blogs to help you add credibility and value.

Student Licensing

Student Licensing is included with student insurance at no extra cost.  From the issuance of grades (be it Kyu, Dan, Sash or Levels) to in-club tournaments and awards, student licensing ensures the documentation you issue in-house is recognised throughout the United Kingdom. Student licensing also provides the participant with a governing-body mandate to participate within martial arts at your club.

For your business

Employer's Liability (EL)

Employer’s Liability (EL) is a legal requirement if you employ any employees whatsoever. There are serious legal and financial penalties if you don’t have this in place, so if you employ anyone you’ll need to ensure you have this from somewhere.

Contents Insurance (CI)

This provides cover for contents and equipment. This might be crash mats, focus mitts, specialist self defence equipment or it could cover things like the computers and tables in your gym or reception area. Cover can also be extended to include equipment in transit – if, for example, your car is broken into and your equipment is stolen.

Company Public Liability (CPL)

Company Public Liability (CPL) works in the same way as instructor Public Liability, but covers your company’s legal entity. You’ll need to have a legal formation – such as a limited company, or a limited liability partnership etc – for this to be effective. If there is injury to a member of the public or damage to property and it is deemed to be the fault of the business, rather than an instructor, company ‘PL’ provides cover. This could be – as a rough example – in the event that a member of the public is injured in the corridor to the dojo, rather than under the care of the instructor during a class.

Abuse Extension (CAE)

Similar to Instructor abuse extension, CAE is a very specialist type of cover, and it’s only available from a very few select insurers. Company Abuse Extension (CAE) provides cover for defence of your named instructor if there is an allegation of abuse made against them. This wouldn’t be covered under usual PL or PI, so provided an additional level of support to the instructor. In addition to standard Instructor Abuse Extension (IAE) if the named instructor is found guilty, the insurer will then move to help you in cutting ties with the offender, and protecting your company’s reputation.

You’re not obliged to take any insurance at all. You may prefer to just insure students and/or instructors, or just membership only for your teaching team so they can access our qualifications. It’s entirely up to you, and insurance is entirely optional.

All of our club pricing is volume based to ensure
discounts increase the larger your club becomes.

We provide pre-packaged club memberships for those looking to sign up online today and also provide no-obligation quotes to clubs who would like a ‘tailor made’ price for their club requirements. Here are some examples of the minimum pricing we can provide;

Instructors insurance (£5,000,000 Public Liability, £1,000,000 Professional Indemnity & £500,000 Abuse Extension) combined with membership and access to all of our membership features is available for as little as £54 per instructor, per year.
Student insurance (£1,000,000 Student Public Liability) combined with student membership and licencing, as well as access to all of our resources and student tools is available for as little as £0.44 per student, per year. Open allocation is also available.
Company cover (club cover) for those not with a leased or owned premises is £139.99 per year. We can obtain quotes directly with our broker for those with their own dedicated premises.

We Provide A Number Ways Of Registering Instructor & Students Offering You A Flexible, Powerful and Cost Effective Platform To Grow Your Club On

3 Different Ways Of Registering Students

We provide access to three completely different ways of registering your students. It’s entirely up to you and your club to decide which one provides the right flexibility, price-point and features. You can mix-and-match with more than one type of registration too.

Named Registrations

All students receive PDF certification (membership certificate and a licence slip) to confirm their licence number and national registration. Grades are ratified in real-time via our national records database and can be submitted by clubs through our instructor portal. Students also have access to our student portal, liaison officers and enhanced safeguarding assistance, among other things.

The draw back is once a student is committed to a ‘slot’ it is locked in for the year. This option is usually preferred by smaller and medium sized clubs looking to add value and demonstrate national recognition for their student’s progress. Printed documentation and/or licence books are also available.

Open Allocation

On this option, you won’t receive any documentation or extras for the student other than the core licencing and insurance. You can allocate students anytime 24/7 to open slots and – the major bonus of open allocation – you can keep recycling allocations to new students should one leave, meaning you don’t end up with lots of churn on your books.

The draw back is the lack of certification and account extras but we do provide template documents for you to use. This option is usually preferred by larger clubs who have in-house branding set up.

Self-Billing

With self-billing, students take care of registering themselves through our purpose built student portal. Clubs register for the scheme for free and then their students take care of their own payments and details directly with the association. Students benefit from enhanced membership packs featuring merchandise, documents and extras as well as the core membership and insurance.

Clubs benefit from zero-admin and payments as well as accruing credits for each student registered which can be used to take off insurance and membership costs within their instructor accounts, effectively paying for club’s instructor insurances and memberships.

The Different Types Of Student Cover & Memberships Explained

2 Different Ways Of Registering & Insuring Instructors

We can provide two options for the registration and insurance of martial arts instructors.

Named Instructor Insurance

All of your instructors assume a dedicated, named membership which is locked in for a full year. This provides full access to all of our resources, certification, licensing and qualifications as well as all other membership benefits throughout the year. This option also includes named instructor certification and customised, named confirmation of insurance certificates to help demonstrate suitable cover.

The only drawback is that instructors are ‘locked in’ to a membership for a full year as the insurance is non-transferrable.

Open Allocation

On this option, you won’t receive any dedicated instructor documentation. The instructor also won’t enjoy full premium access to MyBMABA which means they’ll miss out on benefits like our qualifications, resources and tools. They can still enjoy limited access to MyBMABA and some of our more important tools – such as safeguarding support and guidelines.

The benefit is that on this option, you’ll only pay for the total number of insurance allocations required at any one time and can then freely assign and unassign instructors at any point 24/7. This prevents you needing to pay for instructor cover on an annual basis for temporary instructors or those who rarely take control of lessons.

You can ‘chop and change’ the types of instructor and student registrations on your account.

For example, you might have two classes – one with 2 dedicated instructors and 100 regular students, the second during term time for a revolving cohort of 250 students and with three part time instructors whom alternate teaching on a weekly basis.

To take full advantage of our flexible memberships you may wish to register;

2x Named Instructors & 100x Named Student Registrations

+

1x Open Allocation Instructor & 250x Open Allocation Students

On this basis, you would be able to rotate the three part time instructors through just one insurance allocation which would mean paying for 1 active cover and not 3. Likewise, the 250 open allocation student placements could be updated and changed as new terms of students came through your school.

For the regular lessons, students could benefit from named, certificated memberships and instructors could enjoy 24/7 named membership and insurance.

5 Things BMABA Can Deliver To
Help Your Martial Arts Club Grow

Instructor Insurance

We can provide access to affordable and flexible  martial arts Instructor Insurance. All of our cover features Public Liability, Professional Indemnity and Abuse Extension Cover with the optional extra of Contents Cover and Personal Accident Cover.

We don’t pass on a third party policy. We’re experts in martial arts and know our provisions through and through. Our Group cover policy is an expert policy we’ve crafted with thanks to our insurance broking expert and is governed by our standards and regulations. This allows us to remove the blurred lines and misunderstandings that often come when general insurers dabble in something specialised like martial arts.

Student Insurance

BMABA are experts in providing martial arts Student Insurance and licensing. We combine student insurance (commonly referred to as ‘member to member’) with licencing and membership to provide an all-round package that works brilliantly for students, and even better for clubs.

BMABA student memberships are incredibly affordable and offer a huge range of flexible options to help you produce cover and licencing options that enhance the service you offer to your students. From the basics like Student Public Liability and Personal Accident through to extras like printed documentation, merchandise and student licence books – we’ve got it covered.

Club Insurance

We know that for many Martial Arts clubs there will be a business and brand behind the teaching. We can help you source the right cover at the right price.

We have access through an exclusive broking link to our main insurers for a range of specialist covers martial arts businesses often need. From cover for contents and buildings needed to cover Martial Arts venues through to business liability insurance and events cover – we can provide direct access without admin fees and additional levies.

Core Essentials

BMABA are experts in providing access to the core essentials needed to run a safe, professional club. From DBS checks and safeguarding qualifications through to first aid training and risk assessments – we can provide it directly with membership.

We’re experts in providing a range of licencing, qualifications and essentials to clubs of all sizes to help you meet your legal requirements. We can also assist in best practice and the more intricate side of club management – such as risk assessments, concussions awareness, safeguarding policies and so much more.

Association Membership & Benefits

BMABA offers the most comprehensive range of membership features, tools and benefits of any major UK martial arts association. From club websites, template documents and risk assessments through to business advice, printing and marketing assistance.

We include in all memberships access to dozens of resources, tools, qualifications and provisions that ensure you’re not just receiving a bit of paper as your membership – you’ll be granted access to a growing library of content and tools designed to help your club grow.

We Can Be As Flexible
As You Need Us To Be

Here are just a few examples of how we can assist.

Pay Monthly At No Extra Cost

If the annual total cost of your membership to us is more than £200 you can split the fees with us on a monthly basis at no additional cost to you. This is designed to help with cashflow and to make more complex cover and membership packages more affordable to growing clubs.

Bespoke Arrangements & Onboarding

From white-label student documents through to staggered on-boarding and pro-rata registrations, we can be as flexible as required in terms of moving away from your existing association to BMABA.

Complete Control Over Your Account

Whether you allow access to our portal for your team or not, we can offer hierarchical account management allowing you provide access to some content but not others for your team, whilst remaining in control of their accounts.

All Of Our Insurances Explained
In Less Than 5 Minutes!

Per the featured warning in the video, this explainer is designed to help illustrate very broadly some of the types of cover listed above. It’s not exhaustive and is not professional advice so please refer specific questions to us before acting on any information!

Membership Benefits

All of our insurances are bundled in with membership (at no extra cost) which means you’ll enjoy dozens of additional resources, licensing, tools and provisions to help you grow your club and make the most of your membership to the association.

  • MULTI-AWARD WINNING

    The BMABA is recognised as a multi-award winning martial arts association with a number of externally issued awards and nominations across our leadership, governance, association and initiatives. We also work with dozens of leading national charities to extend our foundation’s programmes.

  • DOZENS OF RESOURCES & TOOLS

    We provide instructors and clubs with quite literally everything you’ll need in one place, all combined with your insurance. From websites and marketing advice through to licensing, DBS checks and certification – it’s all bundled up into one membership. Access hundreds of resources all in one place.

  • SUPPORT & ADVICE

    From our library of online tools, vlogs and podcasts on all things business, marketing and club management through to one to one calls, face to face meetings and Skype conversations; we’re here to help you grow. Be it small regulatory queries or big club plans; we’ve got your back.

We're A New Kind Of Martial Arts Association

We’re a self-funded, independent and community led martial arts association. This allows us to represent more than 180 styles and disciplines under a collective regulatory and licensing framework.

Our work covers much of the ‘usual’ association services – insurance, licensing, grade recognition, syllabus licensing; but with so much more attached. From essential resources to help you grow your club – like business advice, a free club website and template documents – through to professional services such as DBS checks, first aid training and instructor qualifications. It’s all covered.

We know all of the cliches and ‘old boys’ clubs, and know the politics and squabbling so many clubs have been held back by for many years.

We’re an industry disruptor in spite of being founded on just £20 of capital in 2012. Our membership now surpasses 100,000 members and volunteers from every part of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The association is politics free, completely independent, community led and fiercely committed to the development of our industry, leading the way for change and a modern martial arts industry. What’s more, we can provide you and your club with everything you need to grow within a supportive framework, whilst remaining completely independent to chose your club’s best future path.

Our Association At A Glance
  • Completely Independent & Self-Funded

    We don’t receive a penny in grants or funding from any government body. This means the BMABA is completely independent and drive instead by the direction our members tell us they’d like us to travel.

  • Professional, Accountable & Politics Free

    One of our major reasons for success stems from our absolute intolerance of politics, who’s-who and squabbling. It’s not necessary, and doesn’t happen within our organisation. Instead we focus our association on setting and adhering to the very best-practice. We work with independent third parties to ensure this – such as the Living Wage Foundation, Information Commissioners Office and Sport & Recreation Alliance.

  • Small Or Big, Modern Or Traditional

    We welcome tens of thousands of members from all styles and backgrounds. Be that a modern, commercial MMA gym or a traditional amateur Karate club – no students to a thousand; everyone has a voice, and everyone is respected as a client. We don’t follow the usual idea that you must bow to us. You’re our client, so we have a service to provide to you. Simple as.

  • Insurance, Licensing, Guidance & Tools

    From instructor, club or student insurance through to licensing. Instructor qualifications and DBS checks to risk assessments and business plans. Regulatory guidance through to marketing advice; our membership packs a real punch and combines hundreds of different elements into a single place.

  • Multi-Award Winning & ‘Out Of Industry Recognised’

    Our organisation, charitable programmes and founder are all award winning. What’s more, through our work with organisations like the Home Office, End Child Poverty, Anti-Bullying Alliance, White Ribbon and more, we’re a renowned and respected organisation both within and outside of the martial arts world.

Included In All Club Memberships Is Access To Our Comprehensive Membership & Instructor Portal

We’ve spent nearly a decade building, re-building and refining our member’s area. It’s a secure system just for our instructors and provides access to dozens of resources, tools, features and extras that will ensure your membership to BMABA is like non-other.

Features Include

  • Network and connect with thousands of other instructors and clubs through forums, private chat, community walls, groups, projects and more.
  • Manage all aspects of your membership, from your community profile to account verification, registered students and personal details all in one place.
  • Explore articles and tutorials on club management, administrative matters and business development written by industry experts to help your club grow.
  • Access dozens of membership features, such as free club websites, template documents and forms, stock grading certificates and so much more.
  • Enjoy a growing library of professional qualifications and courses in our intuitive, purpose-built online learning platform.
  • Activate insurances and renew your membership in real time from anywhere in the world.
  • Access priority support, live chat, tickets, our help desk and knowledge base – amongst support forums – to find the answers you need to queries on membership, regulation, teaching or BMABA.
  • Access a secure online shop with exclusive merchandise, clothing, printing 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.

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.

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.

Just some of the available tools we offer from within our member’s area;

Our member’s area consists of three primary systems; MyBMABA, Help Desk and The Instructor’s Portal.

We can tailor access based on your club’s set up, meaning we can provide access to some systems for some of your team and restrict access for others, or we can provide everyone with full access to all systems. Our records are inherently hierarchy based which means instructors will only have visibility over their own managed assets. This means the lead instructor can see all insurances, licences, details and students but an instructor two down will only see students beneath them. This makes our software fantastic for those with bigger teams, staff or an association of their own.

Access MyBMABA On Any Device

Whilst we recommend using a laptop or desktop with a bigger screen, our systems are fully responsive and work absolutely fine across all devices – especially if you use our app. Find yourself with 15 minutes spare on a bus? There’s no reason you can make use of our professional courses on the move…

Hundreds Of Pages Of Content

MyBMABA and our supporting systems grows by the day, and is crammed-packed with features, articles, guides, resources, tools and more to help you make the most of your BMABA membership and to ultimately grow your club faster.

Easy & In-Depth Student Management

Whether you opt for named students or open-allocation cover, you can easily and quickly view, sort and edit records via our Instructor Portal. Add grades, update medical information, assign notes that can be kept private or shared with our office, change names and so on. All from a secure, modern portal.

Questions & Answers

Below you’ll find some slightly more in-depth articles on key insurance questions we hear alot. Below this section, you’ll find some ‘quick-fire’ FAQs which might help. If you can’t find the answers your need, please feel free to contact us.

I don't need all of the insurances, can I pick and choose?

Yes, you can. By default Public Liability for either (or both) instructors and students is essential, and we include Professional Indemnity (PI) for instructors free of charge. Other than this core cover, you’re free to pick and choose what you need.

I need exactly what I had with my previous association. Can you do this?

Insurance is a unique thing and exceptional care is needed when ‘porting’ from one insurance provision to another. We will assess any prior insurance arrangements to try and ensure a ‘like for like’ (or usually, better) service is available with us but you will need to ultimately decide if you’re happy with what we can offer. We’ll provide all the guidance we can to help you with this.

Can I talk to someone about my requirements?

Yes, absolutely. Please call our operations office on 017983 06546 and we’ll be happy to help.

Please note; as you’ll need to speak with a senior member of our team (as you’re discussing technical matters relating to insurance) you may need to arrange a call. We’d recommend contacting us via our web form here and we can get straight back to you.

Better still, complete a quote request below and we’ll be able to send across an itemised quote with pricing within 1 working day. This means you’ll have pricing in front of you when we speak, which might help you make an informed decision.

How does the process work if I want to sign up?

Start by requesting a quote below. We’ll send you across a bespoke club quote so you can see all of the potential costs up-front and in full. If you’re happy and want to proceed, that’s great!

The sign up is fast and mostly automated, so you’ll have access to our systems in no time at all. You can register additional instructors easily from our member’s area and if you have any students, we can either accept them via a spreadsheet (we provide a template, but can work with your software if needed) or you can register them via our member’s area.

I've never heard of the BMABA before. Are you big?

12,500 members and counting, dozens of awards and nominations (from outside of our industry, so no ‘backhanders’!), partnerships with leading UK charities and nearly a decade in operation. Ultimately, you can be the judge of our success to date. Take a look at our awards & testimonials.

See Pricing Or Speak With An Expert

We know club cover and setups are rarely straight forward. We have a range of pre-set club packages which can be assumed today or we can produce a bespoke club quote for you to mirror your exact requirements in just 2 working days. There’s always no obligation and our expert team are on hand to answer any questions you might have about us, our memberships, insurances or anything else.

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.

Recommended

01798 306546

We’re always happy to speak with new and current members by phone.

Lines are generally staffed between the hours of 9.30am and 2.30pm Monday to Thursday. Occasionally you may not be able to reach us if we’re all tied up elsewhere (you’re calling a real office, not a call-centre!) but we provide an answer phone service 24/7. Please leave a message and we’ll be happy to call you back as soon as we’re free.

(We’re a modern organisation, so we welcome your enquiry via email, SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter and various other channels. See how you can reach us.)

Or, if you prefer, you’re welcome to;

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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.

Latest Updates

Articles & Guides You May Find Helpful

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.

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.

AWARD WINNING

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.