What Every Martial Arts Instructor Should Know About ACMA Certification By Tom Fox, M.S. Member, ACMA Board of Advisors A martial arts instructor once told me that he had been teaching martial arts for 10 years and, therefore, did not need certification by the American Council of Martial Arts (ACMA). In fact, he thought the ACMA was just some organization collecting money by scaring instructors into obtaining a certification that would provide little or no benefit. There are certainly other instructors who have the same uninformed opinion. I have been actively involved in the martial arts since 1977, as an instructor and professional competitor. During that time, I also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and a Master’s in Exercise Physiology. I have studied nutrition and have written a book on diet and weight control.

As an educated professional and published author, I am considered an expert in my field. Enough so, in fact, to serve as a fitness consultant for two National Football League teams, the Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks. Given my credentials, why did I attend an ACMA Certification at the Cooper Center for Aerobics Research in Dallas, Texas?

The answer is simple. Although I know much about exercise physiology, I wanted to learn more about subjects, such as the science of teaching, risk management, medical screening and the psychology profiles of different age groups.

Most martial arts instructors learned to teach from their instructors. Which is great—if your instructor understood a wide range of teaching methods, geared toward a variety of age groups, held a law degree and studied exercise physiology. If he didn’t, then you would have to seek this important information elsewhere—such as the ACMA.

I am not being critical of your instructor or his level of martial arts expertise. Think about it: How many individuals do you know who are experts in law, exercise physiology, psychology and the martial arts? I imagine few, if any. Each of these is a complex subject mastered by experts and professionals who earned their degrees after years of specialized training. One big advantage of the ACMA is that is has gathered a respected group of these experts in one organization to share their knowledge with you.

I’m a big believer in constantly upgrading my skills and increasing my knowledge. I have been formally educated on the General Adaptation Syndrome, and I am acutely aware that a 10-year-old and a 70-year-old have different physical abilities and recovery rates.

For me, the physiology section of the ACMA Certification course was a basic review; however, I learned much from the Risk Management section.

The Importance of Legal Self-Defense

Risk management is a form of legal self-defense. Like having competent physical self-defense skills, risk management, when applied properly, arms you with a strong foundation to manage future disputes, while minimizing the probability of those disputes becoming fights. In other words, it protects you, so, hopefully, you never have to use it in a real legal battle.

I assume that most of us, as school owners, understand some of the basic legal issues, related to negligence, and, consequently, use waiver forms to protect ourselves. There are many more risks today, involving negligence, than might think. It is my unfortunate experience to know that if someone is injured at your school, then he may think he has won the lottery. It’s imperative that we educate ourselves properly about all the legal risks of running a martial arts school.

When I returned from the ACMA workshop in Dallas, I immediately removed my locker/changing rooms in my school because of what I learned about the legal risk, associated with such facilities. That is, changing rooms expose you to claims of child molestation, a charge that is very difficult to defend, even if it’s not true. Even if you were to win a child-molestation lawsuit, the negative publicity could ruin your reputation and your business.

I discovered that if my Black Belt students taught a class in return for free tuition, then that constitutes tax fraud. In many states, if the instructor receives lessons for teaching, then he must pay income tax on the value of those lessons. The only way to avoid this situation is to have signed agreements with your instructors, stipulating their responsibilities and compensation. (It’s a very good idea to have an attorney review these agreements.)

If you were a martial arts instructor who is also an attorney, then you would probably know much of what is contained in the eight-chapter Risk Management section of the ACMA Instructor Certification Manual. What about your knowledge of the science of teaching, traditionally known as pedagogy, or the psychological knowledge necessary to teach students of all age groups? There’s a vast difference in the state-of-the-art techniques used today to teach children, adults, seniors and women.

We all have our areas of expertise. In fact, most martial arts instructors are not exercise physiologists or attorneys. They are, for the most part, caring individuals who have benefited from their participation in the martial arts and want to share that experience with others. Whether your expertise is student motivation, administration or exercise prescription, we all need continuing education in the various topics covered by the ACMA Certification Program.

When I first became an ACMA Board member, I knew that many in the martial arts community would resist the organization and its certification program. This is natural because, as human beings, we tend to fear the unknown, the new. I’m sure you’ve heard the old expression, “Ignorance is bliss.” Not everyone wants to be told he or she is doing something wrong and, therefore, must change. If, however, you injure a student because you are not using accepted, up-to-date teaching methods, then ignorance is not bliss at all. It is a potential lawsuit.

The words “contraindicated exercise” scares many long-time martial artists because we include some exercises in our training programs that probably are not safe for the general population. We have always them, however, and we don’t want to change. (I know because I like the “hurdle stretch.” It’s a stretch that allows me to do an angle down round kick.) The knowledge that I received from the certification is that some exercise, such as the hurdle stretch, are appropriate for a small group of highly trained athletes, but not for the general population. I learned that teaching that potentially dangerous stretch to a 45-year-old beginner could result in a lawsuit. I also learned that it was acceptable to perform the exercise with my top students under strict supervision. I can live with that.

The Value of the Cooper Institute Relationship

There are four main sections of ACMA content in the certification program: The Science of Teaching, Physiology, Psychology and Risk Management. The new sections, added at the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research, cover Medical Screening, Fitness Profiling and Goal-Setting.

I must admit that, as an exercise physiologist, attending the Cooper Institute for the ACMA Certification was a great experience. I have followed Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s career since 1976, when his book on aerobics helped my dad recover from a heart attack. Dr. Cooper almost single-handedly started the running boom of the 1970s and, since then, his institute in Dallas has produced volumes of important research that relate to diet, exercise and fitness.

The fact that the ACMA certification program is now associated with the Cooper Institute conveys a powerful status on those who earn their certification. There are only two certifications that the medical community accepts. They are those authorized by the American College of Sports Medicine and the Cooper Institute.

My point is that, regardless of what you think about certification, this is an excellent opportunity to become a more knowledgeable instructor. You owe it to your students. Teaching the martial arts has become a legitimate profession and it is our responsibility, as instructors, to continue our education, so that our students receive the best instruction possible.

A physical education teacher in our public school system spends years in college to learn how to teach basic skills to specific age groups. Elementary school physical education teachers rarely teach high school students and never teach adults. Yet, it’s not unusual for martial arts instructors to teach a Little Ninjas class that includes three-year-olds, followed by an adult class with students as old as 70. Teaching such a vast range of age groups effectively without proper training and continuing education is not only difficult, but also could endanger students.

Please Consider Two Important Questions

1. Should martial arts instructors be required to be certified?
Today, most instructors are not certified. I feel certain that, during the next few years, it will become a necessity. The truly professional instructor will embrace this movement to provide better education. You can now earn an ACMA certification, sanctioned by the Cooper Institute. In my opinion, you would be foolish to ignore this opportunity. Remember, the medical community universally recognizes a Cooper Institute certification.

2. Do martial arts instructors owe it to their students to continue their education to become better teachers?
I think the answer is obvious. As research begins to document the fact that martial arts is one of the best exercise programs available, we, as professional instructors, must have the knowledge and credibility to take advantage of future opportunities.

Tom Fox, M.S. is an ACMA Board member and owns and operates a martial arts school in Stevensville, Maryland, with more than 270 active students. He is also CEO of Athletic Adventures, Inc., which provides consulting, lectures and instruction in a variety of fitness-related topics.