#1 In The UK
Free Martial Arts Instructor Qualifications
Access our industry leading Level 1 and 2 Martial Arts Instructor Awards, widely recognised as the most accessible and modern formal certification for instructors in the UK.
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BMABA Martial Arts Instructor Qualifications
The most widely adopted martial arts instructorship award across multiple disciplines, with more than 6,000 instructors, assistants and volunteers now being in receipt of BMABA’s regulatory framework and coaching standards.
What's This Course About?
We know that so many martial arts instructors in the independent (and NGB) space want to upskill their professional standards and coaching competency. We also know the availability of martial arts specific coaches are next to none, and incredibly expensive.
Our BMABA Level 1 and 2 Instructor Qualifications are designed to offer best-in-industry awards freely, to all instructors, assistants and volunteers who join.
Tried and tested, and now completed by thousands of instructors of varying skill across multiple disciplines, our Instructor Qualifications are some of the most highly recognised anywhere in the UK.
Training You Can Trust
Every BMABA course is delivered under the credibility of BMABA CIC — a nationally recognised, not-for-profit Community Interest Company. As an ISO9001:2015 certified, CPD Accredited, and UKRLP registered provider, we’re committed to raising standards in martial arts through quality, compliance, and genuine social impact.
Back-Office Expertise and Professional Development To Enhance Your On-The-Mats Technical Competence, Not To Tell You How To Do What You Already Do Well
The BMABA Level 1 Coaching Qualification is designed to introduce senior martial artists (typically 2nd Kyu and above) to the fundamentals of safe and effective instruction. This course covers essential requirements such as insurance, DBS checks, first aid, safeguarding, and health & safety, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of an instructor’s responsibilities. It also introduces key principles of student management and instructor supervision, equipping participants with the skills needed to assist in delivering safe and professional martial arts lessons. Completing this qualification is a compulsory step for those wishing to progress to Level 2.
The BMABA Level 2 Coaching Qualification builds upon the foundations set in Level 1, offering a deeper exploration of the coaching role, responsibilities, and the skills required to lead a class independently. This course goes beyond safety, focusing on technical proficiency and the most effective methods of instruction. By refining coaching techniques and delivery strategies, the Level 2 qualification ensures that instructors can confidently teach structured, high-quality martial arts lessons while maintaining the highest standards of student safety and development.
Course Content (LV1)
This award can be accessed online. Each lesson or module typically contains specialist text-based content and can also include videography, imagery or other exclusive content.
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1
An Introduction To The Course, And The Purpose Of A Coaching Programme
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2
An Overview Of The Martial Arts Industry, Including The Structure Of Clubs, Associations And Governance
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3
Martial Arts Insurance And It’s Function
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4
An Introduction To Health And Safety Awareness, And It’s Place Within Martial Art
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5
Core Requirements For Practical, Safe Martial Arts Instructorship
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6
An Introduction To The Course, And The Purpose Of A Coaching Programme
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7
Your Responsibility When Supervising Martial Arts, And The Role Of An Instructor To Safeguard
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8
An Introduction To Safeguarding For Martial Arts Instructors
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9
Equality And Diversity In Martial Arts
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10
The Human Anatomy, Including The Skeletal And Muscular Systems
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11
BMABA Level 1 Instructor Qualification Final Exam
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1
An Introduction To The Level 2 Qualification
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2
GDPR, Confidentiality & Data Protection
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3
How Concerns From The Public Can Escalate, And How To Deal With Complaints
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4
A Detailed Look At Martial Arts Insurance And The Claims
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5
A Refresher On The Core Requirements For Practical, Safe Martial Arts Instructorship
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6
A Refresher On Health And Safety Awareness
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7
Supervising Groups, And Appointing Assistant Instructors.
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8
Recruiting Or Appointing Instructors
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9
The Structural Elements Of A Class, And Their Role In Effective Coaching
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10
Lesson Planning And ‘On-The-Night’ Deviations
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11
The Fundamentals Of Coaching Sport, Including The Differing Types Of Coaching And The Various Types Of Learners
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12
Planning & Administering Gradings
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13
Understanding Club Finances Including The Principles Of Turnover, Profit & Loss
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14
Developing Your Coaching
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15
Level 2 Final Assessment
Course Content (LV2)
This award can be accessed online. Each lesson or module typically contains specialist text-based content and can also include videography, imagery or other exclusive content.
A Clean, Modern Classroom You Can Access 24/7, When Your Schedule Allows
Our courses are accessible 24/7 via our MyBMABA website or app, so you can login and do what you can, when you can. Your progress is saved, and on completion you’ll be able to instantly access verified certification.
Upskill You & Your Team With Industry Leading Qualifications & Courses
From essentials like coaching qualifications, safeguarding and first aid through to specialist such as SENCO and Trauma informed, through to club management, finance and marketing. Access a growing library of expertly written, award-winning content.
Train Anywhere, Anytime
Our online qualifications and awards can be completed entirely online — whether at home, at your club, or on the move. Access the courses via our website or mobile app, with the option to learn in flexible blocks that fit around your schedule.
Dozens of Specialists Courses. One Low Membership Price.
We don't make our instructors spend a small fortune on a fluffed up course to raise revenue. Instead we invest in expert courses created by some of the best minds in martial arts, and we make them accessible to instructors, assistants and volunteers inclusive with memberships wherever possible.
Completed Courses
Questions & Answers
About Our Courses & Qualifications
All Silver and Gold members receive completely free access to all current and future courses. If you’re a Bronze member, we’ll provide free access to our SENCO, Induction, Level 1 and Level 1 instructor qualifications. We also make a range of qualifications inclusive in assistant and volunteer memberships.
The ambition is to make content and qualifications available at no extra cost. If you opt for our only membership not to include all courses as standard (Bronze) you can access any course on a pay as you go basis for the low fee of typically £9.99.
All of our courses and delivered 100% online. Many include several hours of videography – be it webinars or video lessons, and all also include comprehensive text. There’s no requirement to travel anywhere to conduct courses.
Our ever-growing catalogue of qualifications covers everything from Instructor Qualification to SEN, First aid to Safeguarding, Club Management to Web Design and so much more.
We often work with specialist partners to gain topic-specific knowledge. This could be leading charities or other companies.
The rest of our content is produced in house our team of industry experts. From our dedicated safeguarding team to our own industry insurance experts – we’ll share as much specialist insight as we can with our clubs.
It depends what you mean by recognised and the specific course. BMABA is a household name in martial arts, and our courses are served not just through BMABA memberships but also via exclusive partner relationships with NGBs given the level of engagement and quality content. We then have other courses recognised by specialist in-sector charities or bodies, and our Club Colours award is recognised by Sport England’s Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA).
We also work to structure courses for CPD approval, have all core qualifications approved by our insurer and to date aren’t aware of any external provider turning down our awards.
We’ve even had our Safer Recruitment Training accepted by OFSTED inspectors!
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.
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Attendance & Grade Tracking
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Student Records Management
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Class Bookings & Timetables
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Flexible Payments & Memberships
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Grading Certificates Generator
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Licence Slip & Documents Generator
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Customised Branding & Functionality
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Data Freedom & Ownership
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Leads & Prospects Management
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Online Video Training Library
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1to1 Tuition Management & Billing
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Events Management & Ticketing
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Secure Safeguarding Case Management
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Manage Events & Competitions
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Student Portal & Member's Content
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Concussion & RtP Management
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Digital Incident Log Book
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Digital Risk Assessments
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Task Management
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Registrations & Waivers
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Built-In Club Community & Forums
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Manual Invoicing
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Accounting & Budgeting
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Staff Management & Staffroom
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Calendar & Scheduling
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Business Management & Planning
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Easy To Use Parent Accounts
100% Online. 100% At Your Ready.
Long before it ever became acceptable to complete online training (namely during COVID!) we were pioneering making courses and qualifications as accessible to all via our exclusive MyBMABA. Take all of our courses and qualifications with you, and complete them – even on the commute, if needs be.
Take Your Club To The Next Level
It’s not just CPD and qualifications you’ll find with BMABA CIC. It’s dozens of resources, cutting edge technology, a free club website and club management platform, leading governance, and more.
