What BMABA CIC Offer
The Complete Membership Solution For Ambitious Martial Arts Clubs
From governance and safeguarding to tech, tools, reputation, and growth — BMABA CIC membership gives your club everything it needs to lead, thrive, and make a real impact.
No other martial arts body comes close to the depth of governance, tools, tech and support BMABA gives its members. 🖤
How can we help your club grow.
A fully all-inclusive and ever growing collection of resources designed to help our clubs thrive.
Everything You Need To Run A World-Class Club In One Place
BMABA membership packs a punch. The idea is to provide everything clubs will ever need in one place.

Award-Winning Technology & Digital Tools
BMABA’s platform includes industry-leading technology designed specifically for martial arts clubs. From our AI-powered lesson planner and risk assessment builder, to SEO planning tools, student management, and even professional club website creation, our digital toolkit helps instructors save time, improve safety, and grow with confidence — all from one login.
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Club Management Software
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Billing & Invoicing
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Free Club Websites
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Free Expert Developer Help
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Digital Tools, Resources & More
Genuinely Audited & Assured Standards
We’re not just another logo or membership badge. BMABA CIC is ISO 9001:2015 certified, officially recognised by the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA), and independently assessed for quality and safeguarding. As a regulated social enterprise, our structure, services, and impact are built to withstand scrutiny — so you can trust what’s behind the badge.
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UKAS Accredited ISO9001:2015 Quality Assured
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Regulated by the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies
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Recognised by Major Sporting Bodies & Agencies


Practical Club Resources That Actually Help
From editable certificate templates and CPD-accredited course access to a lifetime-grade student register for awarding nationally recognised gradings, we provide the kind of day-to-day tools clubs actually need. Need template documents for safeguarding? Customisable policies? Instructor registers? It’s all included — designed by instructors, for instructors.
Instructor-Focused Support With A Solid Community
Running a martial arts club can be isolating — but it doesn’t have to be. BMABA offers expert, human support when you need it, backed by a responsive helpdesk and a deep knowledge base. Beyond support, we foster a national community of like-minded instructors through forums, peer networking, and CPD pathways that encourage learning and collaboration. You’re never left to figure it out alone.



Run Your Entire Club From One Powerful Platform
Manage every part of your club with ease — from attendance tracking, belt progression, and grading records to student information, safeguarding, and compliance. Our Club Management Platform also includes full billing and automated payments, plus practical tools like incident log books, accounting modules, club planning tools, and more. Built by martial artists, for martial artists.
A Governing Body With Teeth — Backed By Standards, Not Politics
BMABA isn’t just another association — we’re a nationally recognised, independently operated Governing Body with real authority. From ISO 9001 accreditation and Cyber Essentials certification to SCiMA registration, our credentials speak for themselves. We don’t answer to shareholders or committees — we answer to standards, governance, and the martial arts community we serve. That’s why thousands of instructors trust us to represent them at the highest level — with the compliance, legitimacy, and backbone your club deserves.





A free club website and even the time with a developer, included.
We provide a complete club management platform with built-in billing, communication tools, student records, and more. And on top of that, we’ll also build you a fully hosted, professionally designed WordPress website — for free. This includes layout design, migration, and ongoing site management, all included as part of your membership.


Looking for Comprehensive, Affordable Insurance?
Whether it’s instructor, club, student or a combination – we have comprehensive insurances served by AXA that can help protect your club where it matters most.


More Than Just Insurance.
A Not-For-Profit Built To Serve UK Martial Arts.
When you join BMABA CIC, you’re not signing up to fund flashy offices or shareholder dividends. You’re joining a UK-based, not-for-profit organisation where every penny of your membership is reinvested directly into grassroots martial arts.
That means your membership doesn’t just give you access to tools, training, and support — it helps provide scholarships for disadvantaged students, backs instructors facing hardship, and fuels national representation on safeguarding, regulation, and licensing. From championing clubs in Parliament to funding trauma-informed coaching and youth mentoring programmes, we don’t just promise impact. We deliver it — every day, alongside instructors like you.
Multi-Award Winning & Nationally Recognised





































Testimonials
What do our members say?

John Matthews
Fantastic organisation - very welcomed in comparison to the usual organisations and NGBs out there.
Miles ahead of other organisations in terms of their transparency, attention to detail and genuine understanding of martial arts.
Very affordable, fair and a lovely team behind the scenes. Just moved our entire school across and very, very happy - no need to go anywhere else.

C. Sanderson
Very easy to navigate website making it an even more pleasant experience along with very friendly staff and members.
Fantastic Value for money and an association that puts its students and instructors first. Instructors have full autonomy over their club without any interference but with enough support to feel part of a valued and safe group.

Georgina
Found these guys in Martial Arts Illustrated doing a piece on professionalism in martial arts and thought, as an instructor, they might be worth looking at further. Really impressed from the moment I hit their website through to now, 3 months on as a member.
Quite alot of additional bits and pieces to look at, as my current org wasn't asking me to have any safeguarding or dbs etc - but I suppose that's only a good thing as it means i'm now properly checked and being professional.
Website is amazing - great member's area too. Unlike the normal stuff I'm used to seeing, having spent years with the other 'big players'. 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.

Michael Willington
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.

Jon D
I joined the BMABA right in its infancy (I believe I was their second member!). I had been searching, literally for a few years, to find an association where I could get away from the political wrangling, find support where and when I needed it, be regulated in a safe and formal way, but be left to run my classes as I wanted to run them.
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 cannot begin to understand how he has found the time, energy and ability to build the BMABA into the association it is today with a first class Team and unquestionable ethics, but this is what all other Martial Arts Associations need to aspire to.
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 what support and benefits are on offer - it is light years ahead and exists for people who just want to enjoy teaching and practising their Art.

Ali Hasanzade
Someone has answered my gentle prayers and FINALLY designed an organisation that will leave you stress-free in the world of MARTIAL ARTS 🙂
I am so excited to leave my recommendation because words cannot describe how much BMABA means to me and how it has changed everything in my organisation for the better.

Fabian Burdett
As we all know 2020 has been the year from hell for martial arts. We have been push about and left in the dark. 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. From the courses to the schemes available to clubs. Can't wait to see where 2021 takes BMABA. We sure will be here to go for the ride
Once again big THANK YOU to you guys for all the help. 💙🐺👊
Date of experience: 17 November 2020

John Tomsett
I have been a customer of BMABA for two years now, and I am extremely impressed with their services. As a New City Martial Arts club, we were in need of a reliable Club Association and Insurance provider, and BMABA has exceeded our expectations in every aspect.
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, addressing our concerns with a level of professionalism that is truly commendable.

Matthew Johnson
Having left my previous association in November, and being very daunted by the prospect of being responsible for all my own compliance and everything else I can honestly say BMABA have made the whole thing possible and even pleasant.
The training resources are great, it's been fantastic for me to be able to quickly up skill my team, the insurance is really easy to sort out, the team are super friendly and helpful, the perks on Gold membership are also fantastic.
I would love to be able to give something "constructive" but honestly I can't. From signing up for the gold package (the perks are great), additional insurances, licensing, LSGR, training, certificates for gradings and everything in between they've been really awesome.
If you're committed to doing things right, without breaking the bank, don't hesitate. Outstanding work guys, please keep it up

Adrian Jackson
Always quick to respond and thoughtful. Great service delivered at a very reasonable price and very supportive of the community. Been a member for a couple of years now and recommend highly

Matthew Robert Cooling-Stones
as i'm heading into the brave world of starting up my own small self defence club in our village, i can say with complete honesty and satisfaction that BMABA have been the most supportive and upfront association i have come across. the help they give setting up, and walking you through step by step, to the certifications they offer are a blessing for this industry. i have seen and had first hand experience with the Mcdojo's offering you the greatest adventures of a life time, and golden opportunities. but these guys are the real deal... i hold my head high, and say with great pride "i am a BMABA member"

Anna Martensson
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’ve never taken shortcuts or silver spoons — but we’ve earned recognition at the highest levels of UK sport, including Sport England, DCMS, and national media, purely on merit. Every pound we generate — more than £2,100,000 to date — is reinvested directly into the UK martial arts community.
No gimmicks. No politics. No hidden shareholders.
We’ve built one of the UK’s most trusted martial arts ecosystems from the ground up. That means a comprehensive, style-agnostic governance system. Sector-leading vetting, 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.
Plus So Much More As Standard Just Some Of The Tools & Resources We Offer
FREE Club Management Software Exclusively Built By Us, Just For Our Clubs
ClubManager by BMABA is our in-house, professionally developed Club Management solution. It’s free for all of our members and comes with a tonne of essential and groundbreaking features as standard.
COMMON FAQS
- Thinking of Switching
Club Identity & Autonomy
At BMABA, we believe that every martial arts club should have the freedom to operate in a way that reflects its values, vision, and style — without interference or unnecessary control.
That’s why, although we operate under a nationally recognised framework audited to ISO9001:2015 UKAS standards, this framework exists only to ensure minimum standards are upheld in critical areas such as safeguarding, health and safety, ethics, and governance. It’s not about micromanagement — it’s about protecting the integrity of our sector.
Beyond this baseline, your club remains entirely autonomous. The way you run classes, structure your syllabus, develop lesson plans, and deliver gradings is entirely your decision. We don’t oversee your pedagogy or teaching methods, and we’ll never charge you to run your own gradings or courses — a practice still common in some associations.
In short, we exist to support, not to interfere. As long as your club operates in a safe, ethical and professional manner, you’ll always retain full sovereignty and direction. We’re here to help you grow — not tell you how to run your club.
Instructor Recognition & Qualifications
Switching associations doesn’t mean starting over. We know how much time, effort, and passion goes into achieving your instructor qualifications — and we respect that. At BMABA, we recognise existing grades, certifications, and experience through a transparent, fair assessment process. Whether you’re a seasoned instructor or transitioning from another governing body, our goal is to uphold the credibility of your qualifications while supporting continued development.
Our framework allows for prior learning (RPL), mapped recognition, and, where needed, straightforward verification — without belittling or undermining your journey. We understand that your position as a lead instructor is earned, not just awarded, and we’re here to support your status through formal records, professional recognition, and access to nationally respected CPD and certification pathways.
At BMABA, our reputation is second to none — and we work hard to keep it that way. That’s why we proactively vet the credentials of every lead instructor joining under our name. It’s not about gatekeeping; it’s about upholding the integrity of our community and ensuring only genuine, qualified martial arts instructors gain BMABA affiliation. This safeguarding of standards not only protects our organisation — it protects your club, your students, and your reputation under our care.
Our in-house compliance team maintains a detailed vetting database containing thousands of known organisations, instructors, and governing bodies. In most cases, we can verify your credentials quickly upon sight of your certification. For those joining from ungraded or non-traditional styles, our Black Belt Equivalency Process offers a respectful, structured route to formal recognition — without forcing anyone to conform to a singular syllabus or style.
Student Licencing & Records
Transferring student licences, grades, and records can feel like one of the most complex parts of switching associations — but with BMABA, it doesn’t need to be.
We offer total flexibility when it comes to student licensing, insurance, and record management. You’re free to bring across your students with all previously awarded grades intact. We don’t question your grading history or ask clubs to jump through hoops — it’s a straightforward, respectful transfer.
We also stay out of your grading process entirely. Provided your club follows our National Grading Integrity & Ethics Policy — which promotes fair, merit-based progression — we don’t interfere. You won’t pay us for grading events, updates, or approvals. Grade promotions are a club-level affair, and you retain complete autonomy. That means no fees per grade, no need to notify us, and no bureaucracy — just professional, compliant support that respects your teaching.
Costs & Financial Transparency
We know that for many clubs, cost is a deciding factor — but so is clarity. That’s why BMABA operates with complete transparency and fairness when it comes to fees.
There are no hidden charges, mandatory upsells, or unexpected renewals. Our membership options are clearly priced and publicly available, and we don’t charge for additional essentials like grade updates, club gradings, safeguarding audits, or issuing certificates — which are often monetised elsewhere.
What you see is what you get, and that includes access to our full suite of services: instructor credentials, insurance, safeguarding, digital tools, training resources, club management software, and much more. Even better, we offer a completely free Affiliate Membership to let you test the waters, with no obligation and no payment details required.
We’re also proud to be one of the only martial arts governing bodies that publishes its financial data annually, and as a registered social enterprise (CIC), any profits must be reinvested into our mission — not shareholders. You can be sure your fees are funding sector-wide impact, not lining pockets.
Technology & Tools
At BMABA, we believe that modern martial arts governance needs modern tools. That’s why we’ve invested in building a comprehensive digital ecosystem to support your club’s operations — without the need for third-party software or endless subscriptions.
From the moment you join, you’ll gain access to MyBMABA, our industry-leading member portal packed with features like digital student records, attendance tracking, licence and insurance management, renewal tools, club documents, and more. For those looking to go further, our MyBMABA Club Manager platform offers advanced capabilities like grading logs, event bookings, invoice generation, communication tools, and full student dashboards — all integrated and included with your membership tier.
Best of all, we don’t upsell core functionality. Whether you’re a traditional club or a progressive, tech-savvy organisation, you’ll have access to secure, powerful, and easy-to-use tools built specifically for the martial arts sector. And because we build in-house, we listen to feedback and continually improve the system to meet your evolving needs — not those of a faceless software vendor.
Our tech doesn’t replace good teaching — it amplifies it. Whether you’re a pen-and-paper club or ready to go fully digital, we provide the systems, security, and support to help your club thrive in the modern era.
Support & Responsiveness
We pride ourselves on being one of the most responsive, supportive governing bodies in the industry. Whether you’re a club with hundreds of students or an instructor just starting out, you deserve to feel heard — and supported — without delay, red tape, or scripted responses.
BMABA offers multi-channel, human-first support that includes email, live chat, helpdesk, and platform-based guidance — often with responses within minutes. Our internal systems allow us to keep your enquiries linked to your club’s history, so we can provide relevant, informed help without asking you to repeat yourself.
More than just ticket replies, we offer true operational support — helping clubs with complex safeguarding queries, DBS and vetting challenges, insurance nuances, policy writing, funding applications, and more. Behind the scenes, our systems and dedicated staff mean nothing is lost or ignored, even during peak periods.
We don’t believe support should be a premium add-on — it’s core to what makes us different. That’s why every BMABA club gets access to real help from real people, with the kind of care, professionalism and dedication we’d expect ourselves.
Community & Recognition
At BMABA, we believe that a governing body should be more than just a service provider — it should be a community and a source of recognition for the incredible work instructors and clubs do on the ground.
We’re proud to foster one of the most inclusive, politics-free communities in UK martial arts. Whether you’re teaching in a village hall or running a multi-discipline academy, you’ll find peers, mentors, and allies across our digital platforms, community spaces, and member forums.
We also go the extra mile to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our members. From national awards and public-facing club recognition to media exposure and charity campaigns, our network creates visibility for your work — not just within the martial arts world, but across wider community and social impact spaces too.
BMABA isn’t just somewhere to register — it’s a place to belong, to be seen, and to be supported.
AWARDS
Awards That Reflect Our Impact — Not Just Our Ambition
We’re proud to have received some of the most respected accolades in UK sport, governance, and business — not as vanity badges, but as proof of the genuine impact we’re having on the martial arts sector. From national governing body awards to entrepreneurial leadership and digital excellence, our recognition speaks to the depth, integrity, and innovation we bring to the table. These awards affirm that we’re not just talking about change — we’re delivering it, at scale, for the benefit of our members and the wider community.


Best Sports Governing Body Initiative
Winners

Best Association Serving Sport
Finalists

Best COVID Response for Sports
Finalists

Sports Diversity Award
Finalists

Sports Association of the Year
Bronze

Best Sporting Association in the UK
Winners

Best Sport & Recreation Entrepreneur
Winners

Best Association Website
Winners

Association of the Year
Finalists

Executive Director of the Year Finalists
Finalists

Best Use Of Technology Award
Winners

Best Sport & Recreation Entrepreneur
Winners

UK Business Leader of the Year
Winners

Entrepreneur Of The Year
Finalists

Director Of The Year
Finalists

Young Entrepreneur Of The Year
Finalists
Not Entirely Convinced?
We get it. Martial Arts Governance is messy. So we invite you to try BMABA CIC completely risk free with a year’s free affiliate membership, so you can put us to the test.