Institute of Martial Arts & Sciences

Promoting professionalism and quality in the martial arts worldwide

Learn more about IMAS and joining us

Membership

To ensure that the IMAS remains a professional and specialised Institute, Membership and Fellowship are only awarded to individuals who meet the specified requirements, both academically and practically, and who are prepared to maintain the high standards expected. The Letters IMAS represent quality and professionalism in the Martial Arts worldwide. IMAS membership offers opportunities to develop professionally as a Marital Artist, networking opportunities and can allow you to make contact with Martial Artists worldwide who share common viewpoints, in addition you will have access to a variety of lectures, academic papers from IMAS members, and preferential rates for IMAS courses. You can join the IMAS as an individual or as a club. For individuals, there are three levels of IMAS membership, FIMAS, MIMAS, and AIMAS. Fellow, Member and Associate Member respectively.  To apply for membership as an individual please complete our online application form.

Levels of Membership

There are three levels of full membership available for individuals and we also now offer an Affiliate Membership. Anyone who is studying, or has studied a Martial Art can apply for Associate Membership to the IMAS. Information is given below on the different levels of membership available, and the requirements for each. Please apply for the level of membership you feel to be most relevant to your skills and experience.

ASSOCIATE

The candidate must have experience and training in at least one martial arts, and be willing to undertake further martial arts training and academic study.

MEMBER

The candidate must possess a recognised academic degree/professional qualification (or equivalent) and must hold the rank of at least 1st Dan black belt (or equivalent) in one or more martial arts.

FELLOW

The candidate must possess a recognised advanced academic degree/professional qualification (or equivalent) and must hold the rank of at least 5th Dan black belt (or equivalent) in one or more martial arts.

What can IMAS do for you?

  IMAS membership offers a great deal of benefits to the martial arts practitioner. A few of these are listed below:

Enrich your martial arts training experience

IMAS will offer you several completely new perspectives upon your regular martial arts training simply because it will cause you to look at the techniques you are practicing in a different and more profound way

Improve your CV

IMAS membership means that you belong to a recognised professional body, dedicated to setting standards of excellence. Being able to put the respective letters after your name demonstrates your commitment and shows people that you are to be taken seriously

Enrich your qualifications

IMAS membership is a much sought-after professional qualification in its own right. In addition to this, the institute runs regular CPD courses in relevant aspects, as well as certificate, diploma and even degree courses in the martial arts and related subjects. We now include the Praetorian Academy of Security Studies and the Instructors Training College which is run in partnership with the Teaching and Learning Academy and enables martial arts instructors to turn their years of experience in the martial arts into a properly recognised and accredited teaching qualification

Greater status and credibility

IMAS is an officially recognised professional body in the UK, and now has branches all over the world. IMAS works with various universities and professional bodies and is listed in British Qualifications alongside other academic institutions. Membership of IMAS counts for a huge amount, with its qualifications meaning a lot in all aspects of a persons life, rather than just the martial arts club.

Access to national and international events

IMAS has regular conferences, seminars and courses. Some of these events are strictly academic in nature whereas others might well consist of mainstream martial arts training with very senior grades, or even competitions.

Opportunities to get your work published

MAS academic research papers and articles are regularly published throughout the world. The new peer reviewed IMAS Quarterly journal  has been launched in order to provide a vehicle for this important research. This journal enables all IMAS members to stay up to date with the very latest developments in the martial arts and sciences. The IMAS Quarterly has its own number from the British Library and is also on the Index Copernicus (an index of scientific research journals) Having your news items and articles published enables you to contribute to this important work, and anything published may be included on your CV/Resume[. The institute also publishes an annual yearbook in hard copy