NAPMA - National Association of Professional Martial Artists

Q: What is the ACMA?
A: The American Council On Martial Arts (ACMA) is a council of experts in a variety of fields, including Child Psychology, Sports Psychology, Pedagogy (Science of Teaching), Motivation, Sport Medicine, Risk Management and Fitness. All ACMA members are either active martial artists or otherwise involved in the arts.

Q: How do I earn an ACMA certificate?
A: Certification candidates study the manual, in preparation for the ACMA exam. The exam workshop is a Home Study Course conducted via video by ACMA instructors and instructors from the Cooper Institute of Aerobic Research in Dallas, Texas. The Home Study Course is $295, and includes two DVDs, workbook, study guide and one ACMA exam and one Fitness Practical exam. The exams are administered at local community colleges or similar institutions, proctored by faculty, in conjunction with the Cooper Institute, and graded by the Institute.

Q: How will certification benefit me?
A: Continuing education is required in any teaching profession. The ACMA program presents scientifically proven approaches, strategies and techniques to maximize teacher effectiveness. For example, subjects such as "How to Teach Martial Arts to Children with Attention Deficit Disorder," are usually not taught to instructors as part of their Black Belt tests. Consequently, the methods used by instructors, working with ADD children, are inconsistent from school to school and, typically, incorrect for the special needs of hyperactive children. The ACMA program teaches instructors exactly how to work with these children.

Q: What if an instructor is certified, yet, becomes known for inappropriate business practices? Will this have a negative impact on my professional reputation in my community, if I am also certified by the ACMA?
A: The ACMA is designed to correct inappropriate teaching methods, not business practices. The ACMA has nothing to do with how a business is run. It's only concerned with the education of instructors. Completion of the ACMA certification program means simply that instructors have studied the material and passed the exam. It's not a guarantee that they are individuals of quality and character or excellent teachers. If someone conducts a dishonest business, then it reflects badly on all martial artists, not just the ACMA.

Q: Does being certified create the perception that non-certified instructors are less qualified, or have inferior schools?
A: Non-certified instructors are simply those who have not studied the ACMA manual and passed the exam. Certification can certainly add to an instructor’s professional image with his students, their parents and the community. It is likely certification will become more important as the martial arts continue to enter the mainstream.

Q: Why should I be certified? What's in it for me?
A: Certainly, the more you learn the more you earn; however, the purpose of an ACMA certification is not to earn money. The benefit for you is to become the most well prepared, professional martial arts instructor you can be. You may not be a great fighter, but you can become a great teacher. You can attend seminars for martial arts technique and business throughout the year. Now, you can also benefit from continuing education programs and seminars. In fact, your students pay you for your ability as an instructor, first, and your business acumen, second. They don't pay tuition because you can kick high or you can upgrade them to a Black Belt course. It's how well you communicate and motivate them that determine your success, as a teacher. The ACMA is dedicated to help you become the best instructor possible.

Q: Who will decide the "acceptable standards" for martial arts instruction and how will they be determined?
The ACMA’s mission does not include proposing, establishing or deciding on the “acceptable standards” of martial arts instruction. The ACMA does not monitor instructors’ performance. Instead, the ACMA presents instructors with teaching methods that are scientifically valid and recognized at the highest educational levels. The ACMA does its best to establish universal standards of instructor education, and only tests instructors, through examination, when they voluntarily choose to participate in the certification program.

The ACMA Certification exam does not require that you perform a sidekick, and then be judged on your performance. Instead, you will be tested on your understanding of the psychology of teaching, motivation and other topics, as presented in the manual and other educational materials.

It is a traditional and “acceptable standard” of the martial arts that a student earns a Black Belt, based on his technical skill. You and your instructor are responsible for your technical skills. Unfortunately, the Black Belt has been mistakenly considered an “acceptable standard” for one’s teaching skill. A 7^th-Degree Black Belt may be a great martial artist, according to technical standards, but lack the formal education to teach a wide spectrum of ages and physical abilities.

The psychology of teaching is not style-specific. It's universal. Maybe the best way to explain the ACMA is to describe what it is not. The ACMA does not, and is not interested in, establishing a strictly controlled set of standards that you must follow explicitly or be denied the opportunity to teach. It is not be concerned with your style or how you operate your business. The ACMA is simply a recommended educational supplement to the style-specific training you have already received.