About the Martial Arts Certification Authority

Certified Martial Arts

The Martial Arts Certification Authority (MACA) was founded by Aikido Sensei Jeffrey Mims in order to protect children from dangerous individuals claiming to be martial arts instructors, and to protect prospective students from abusive teachers. The secondary goal of the organization is to help legitimate martial artists market their businesses and connect with other students and instructors around the world.

Throughout over twenty five years as an instructor and practitioner in the martial arts, Jeff heard dozens of stories about both emotionally and physically abusive instructors in the martial arts. These people not only caused emotional and physical damage to their victims, but they painted all martial arts instructors in a bad light. After years of planning, Jeff finally introduced his concept of Registered and Certified instructors to the world in 2010. To data, MACA is the only martial arts certification body that requires extensive background checks on their members.

While many certification organizations require their members take specific skill tests or classes, MACA believes that individual instructors express their art in their own ways and hold to their own traditions. Therefore we respect the decisions of master instructors to promote their students how they see fit. We do however, thoroughly research each applicant to check for criminal background, sex offender status, prior complaints, and to verify details such as employment, education, citizenship, and military service history. For certified individuals we carefully follow their promotion chain and verify ranks and dates with appropriate teachers and associations.

About Sensei Jeff

Jeff is a technology executive and internet entrepreneur from Baltimore Maryland. He founded the Martial Arts Certification Authority in cooperation with The Surveillance Group, a licensed private detective agency. MACA is currently operated by Atlantic Defense, a division of Mims Innovations, Inc.

Jeff is the author of several books, including "The Essential Guide to Choosing a Martial Arts School." He has been practicing martial arts since 1984 and holds a third degree black belt in Aikido as well as black belts in Judo and Karate.

Learn more about Sensei Jeffrey Mims