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Having a proficient level of first aid training isn’t just common sense – it’s essential. You’re working with adults and children in a very physical environment, often combining fast-paced physical contact. Knowing what to do should the worse happen is about more than just your duty of care – it’s a moral obligation to protect your members.

We require all of our instructors to hold a sufficient level of first aid training in order to obtain an instructor’s license and can provide you with a discounted option for obtaining martial arts based first aid training.

What is Martial Arts First Aid & Who Needs It?

First Aid Training is designed to equip you with the knowledge required to respond to an emergency medical situation within your club.

From managing what are often minor issues – such as bruising to hands and feet – through to knowing how to preserve life should somebody in your class suffer a cardiac arrest; it’s critical knowledge every instructor must know.

We firmly believe (and enforce) every instructor teaching without supervision holding a minimum standard of emergency first aid qualification. This is essential. We recommend every member of club staff – from volunteer treasurers through to assistant instructors – also holding a basic level of first aid. This forms part of our charitable #MartialArtsDoneRight campaign.

What’s The Minimum Standard And What Courses Are Available?

The minimum standard should always be the highest level of training available. It must be a level of training that equips you with the essential skills necessary to deal with life threatening medical emergencies – such as serious neck injuries, cardiac arrests and bleeds through to minor injury treatment.

 

Courses We Can Provide Access To

BMABA Martial Arts First Aid Essentials

The BMABA Martial Arts First Aid Essentials award is designed to provide instructors and assistant coaches with a basic grasp of emergency first aid for martial arts settings. The course covers some of the more likely ‘minor’ injuries as well as serious medical emergencies, focusing on providing instructors and coaches with the skills needed to identify and assist whilst awaiting medical support.

During this course, we’ll look at;

  • An Introduction To First Aid For Martial Arts
  • Basics Of The Human Anatomy
  • Basic First Aid Course (Consisting of a 1 hour qualified video based lesson)
  • First Aid Essentials
  • Head Trauma & Concussion Awareness
  • Incident Reporting
  • Martial Arts First Aid Essentials Course Assessment

COST

We can provide access to this qualification free of charge for Silver and Gold members.

For those who do not have the course inclusive of membership, it costs just £14.99 on a ‘pay to access’ basis.

In-Person VTQ Level 3 Martial Arts First Aid Qualifications

We also run a number of in-person VTQ First Aid qualifications specific for martial arts instructors.

These courses are delivered by qualified experts at various locations throughout the UK at various times throughout the year. Course prices vary, as does availability, but we will always provide access to these qualifications for our instructors at the best possible rates.

Beautifully Certified Training, Available 24/7.

Whilst in-person training is always an essential qualification for an instructor to undertake initially, when it comes to annual refreshers inside of the best practice guidance our online martial arts first aid essentials course, which includes over an hour of video resources, is available on your phone, laptop or tablet via the MyBMABA app or by browser.

Questions & Answers Around First Aid

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You'll Need To Be A BMABA Member To Access Our First Aid Resources & Discounts

BMABA membership includes everything you and your club will need – resources, tools, licensing, insurance and more – all bundled into one membership. Join a new kind of association; a multi-award winning governing body that’s been reshaping the martial arts industry for the best part of a decade.

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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01798 306546

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

Lines are generally staffed between the hours of 9.15am and 4pm Monday to Thursday, and 9.30am to 1pm Friday. 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.

Or, if you prefer, you’re welcome to;

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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.

AWARD WINNING

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.

Not sure if we're the right fit for you?
We're here to answer any questions with impartial, expert advice.

Multi-Award Winning & As Seen On Various Platforms

Join More Than 6,500 Like-Minded Instructors & Clubs

Representing Over 100,000 Members Across 94 Disciplines

A completely free club management system.

We know. What’s the catch? Well, we’re a trade body for martial arts, not a profit-hungry corporation. We know how important the latest tech is in keeping our clubs kicking and – ultimately – that keeps us going too!

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.

LEARN MORE >>

  • Attendance & Grade Tracking
  • Student Records Management
  • Class Bookings & Timetables
  • Flexible Payments & Memberships
  • Grading Certificates Generator
  • Licence Slip & Documents Generator
  • Customised Branding & Functionality
  • Data Freedom & Ownership
  • Leads & Prospects Management
  • Online Video Training Library
  • 1to1 Tuition Management & Billing
  • Events Management & Ticketing
  • Secure Safeguarding Case Management
  • Manage Events & Competitions
  • Student Portal & Member's Content
  • Concussion & RtP Management
  • Digital Incident Log Book
  • Digital Risk Assessments
  • Task Management
  • Registrations & Waivers
  • Built-In Club Community & Forums
  • Manual Invoicing
  • Accounting & Budgeting
  • Staff Management & Staffroom
  • Calendar & Scheduling
  • Business Management & Planning
  • Easy To Use Parent Accounts

Membership with BMABA is so much more than just a piece of paper.

From template grading certificates and draft 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 – even club management platforms and web hosting. We can cover it under just one simple, affordable membership.

Founded in 2012 by the now Multi-Award Winning Social Entrepreneur & Life-Long Martial Artist, Giovanni Soffietto.

Frustrated by a governing structure in martial arts that failed to look forward to the future, Giovanni setup BMABA in 2012. Aged just 20 with only £20 of ‘start-up capital’ BMABA comes from humble beginnings.

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. We now turnover more than £1,000,000 and support tens of thousands of martial artists across the UK.

"BMABA give away belts for cash"

"BMABA don't care about safeguarding"

"BMABA are so unprofessional"

Over the past 13+ years we’ve heard so much of this sort of nonsense from the ‘old boys’ associations.

The truth couldn’t be further than their lazy, fear-filled assertions. We’re a disruptor, renowned for our professionalism and governance, but they wouldn’t want you to know that. 

In an industry so full of cowboys, we don’t expect you to take our word for any of this. Dig beneath the surface, and see for yourself.

Membership To BMABA Is So Much More Than 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 Exceeds Sport England’s Safeguarding Standards

Our Club Colours Award process not only issues a ‘school of excellence’ mark to clubs who hold it, but the safeguarding oversight has been mapped against SCiMA and then approved by Sport England which 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.

We’re the only independent association who can offer this.

Certification, Insurance & Evidence With You, On The Go.

Tired of waiting weeks for hand-written documents in the post? Access your BMABA instructor’s documentation, student license slips, insurance certification and even your own submitted DBS checks, first aid qualifications and other criteria 24/7.

Our systems provide you with access to all of this documentation on the go. 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 for free on Android and OS devices, the BMABA app allows instructors, volunteers and assistant instructors to access the latest updates, resources, guidance, community, forums and loads more. Bring your association, along with all your digital certification – with you in your pocket.

Industry Renowned 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, Risk Management, Concussion & Head Injury, and so much more. 

All online and accessible 24/7 from any device.

The Ultimate, FREE, Club Management Platform

We provide all members 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 members’ only area and so much more. All completely free of charge.

From SEO, AI and Analytics through to content publishing, class scheduling, online incident log book entries and so, so much more. It’s all inclusive at no extra cost making BMABA the industry leaders in affordable tech solutions for martial arts clubs.

£1,000 Of Tools, Rolled Into One Affordable Membership

From template grading certificates, safeguarding policies and club registration forms to our online logo designer, club accreditation marks and premium club finder listings. BMABA Club Cash Grants and designated safeguarding lead services through to marketing plans, SEO platforms, AI software, Wordpress websites, web hosting and so, so much more. 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.

We Grant Up To £500 To Help Clubs Make Charitable Impact & Grow

Our BMABA Club Grants Scheme donates up to £500 per grant to clubs up and down the UK of all sizes. It helps to make a difference to clubs who want to make a charitable impact, purchase new kit to offer safer classes, or need emergency support in times of crisis. 

We’ve funded research into safeguarding failures in MMA, classes for women and girls at risk of abuse, scholarships for children living in poverty, new mats and punchbags for clubs wanting to safer classes, and so much more.

All self funded. From our profits, back into our community.

Ready to take your club to new heights?

It's in our slogan; "To High Places By Narrow Roads".

Plus So Much More As Standard Just Some Of The Tools & Resources We Offer

  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Student Insurance & Licensing
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Safeguarding Qualifications
  • Enhanced DBS Checks
  • First Aid Training
  • Free Club Website
  • Club Management Support
  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Logos & Accreditation Marks
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Platform
  • Local & National Networking
  • Stock Grading Certificates
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Template Documents & Forms
  • Printing & Design
  • Safeguarding Code For Martial Arts
  • Best Practice Guidance
  • Wordpress Hosting
  • a.i For Martial Arts
  • Event Management Checklists
  • Safeguarding Model Policies
  • Analytics & Tracking Tools
  • Budgeting Apps
  • Professional Webmail
  • Clothing & Uniform
  • Cyber Toolkit
  • Cash Grants & Funding
  • Risk Management Awards
  • Concussion & Head Injury
  • National Advertising
  • Entrepreneur's Support
  • Plus So Much More

Not entirely convinced?

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 yourself.

Thinking of switching?

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.

We have a real team based out of a real office.

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.

HQ

BMABA. Suite I & K, The Old Bakery, Golden Square, Petworth. GU28 0AP

Registered Office

BMABA, 132 City Road, London. N1 6AD

Servicing Office

BMABA, International House, Woolwich House, 61 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3HZ

The UK's Leading and Largest Multi-Style Trade Body For Martial Arts

BMABA Limited T/A British Martial Arts & Boxing Association
Registered Address: Kemp House, 132 City Road. London. EC1V 2NX
HQ: BMABA, The Old Bakery. Golden Square, Petworth. GU28 0AP
Servicing Office: International House, Woolwich House, 61 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3HZ
Phone: 0333 335 6032  | EMail: info@bmaba.org.uk

BMABA Limited. Reg. 10676965.
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Social Enterprise License No: 11677
VAT Registration Number: 373018216

Emergency Services, Armed Forces and NHS front line staff are all entitled to 10% discounts across all of our memberships for live. This applies to all ex-serving armed forces and emergency workers too.

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