No Contracts. No Belts.
We are the only non-commercial MMA school in Whatcom County for children, teens and adults.
If you are turned off by the pressure of a commercial school...
If you have ever wanted to:
Locally owned and operated since 2003, UMA offers sessions for Private Lessons and Corporate Training.
For 40 years, Rob Eis has been dedicated to the practice of martial arts. Inspired by live action Japanese superheroes he watched as a child on TV growing up in Hawaii, Rob’s martial arts career began with the study of traditional Shito-ryu and Goju-ryu Karate at the age of 10. By age 15 he was competing internationally and that year he was the youngest member on the U.S. Junior National Karate Team. Since then, he has studied a multitude of styles that he now teaches to others, including Doce Pares Escrima, Shamrock Submission Fighting, Judo, Western Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, JKD concepts, and Muay Thai kickboxing. Learn more
Before I went to Rob’s classes I was doing Shito-Ryu (karate) for about 8 years. It was a very formal class and not much fun. I joined Rob’s class because I knew him and wanted to try something different. Rob’s classes help you out in a lot of real life situations. They are fun and Rob’s school has a more relaxed environment. The things that I like best is the mat work that teaches you submissions and how to take someone to the ground. All of the instructions that Rob gives in class are very clear and easy to do. The classes don’t go too fast so you are able to keep up with everyone else and not get confused. The classes aren’t formal like a lot of other places that make you wear a uniform, bow or have a certain rank in the class. After each class you feel like you have just had a good workout so you’re not too tired to do other things (compared to) when other places leave you extremely worn out. Overall Rob’s classes are fun, useful, and not confusing.
Getting in shape has been a battle for me most of my life. I have gone through spurts of regular jogging, lifting, and trying to eat healthier, but it always seemed to taper off at some point, due to an illness or some other stress in my life, and I found myself back at square one, back in my old eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. After a few weeks of class at UMA, I noticed that not only did I feel healthier and in better shape, I was actually looking forward to going to class and working out. Learning about self-defense has made getting in shape a secondary outcome, and my newfound optimism about working out doesn’t come from looking healthier, but from the fact that I know I’m developing toughness, mental discipline, and valuable skills.
Every Tuesday and Thursday night for the past six months, I have attended martial arts classes with Rob Eis at Unbridled Martial Arts. As an active community member, parent and small business owner, finding the time to attend class isn’t always easy, but it is always worth the effort. Unbridled Martial Arts has had a very positive affect on the way I approach physical fitness and life in general. Having never participated in martial arts during my youth, I was reluctant to begin a program as an adult. I have several friends who participate in traditional martial arts programs, and have witnessed their training sessions as well. I knew that the traditional approach was not for me. Unbridled Martial Arts offers an informal, yet well-orchestrated learning environment for adults whose primary goal is to learn technique, effective stretching methods, and self-defense strategies. Rob Eis uses a blend of styles to achieve those goals. From the first night of class I was learning the proper fighting stance. I was throwing punches, executing kicks and using knees. Instead of throwing punches into the air, I was paired with a partner who provided me sensory feedback by holding pads for me to land my blows. In addition to immediately learning new skills, I was getting a good workout and having fun while I was at it. Rob has proven to be a humble and competent teacher. He works well with students of all abilities, taking time to make sure each individual executes each technique properly. I have never left class feeling as though I didn’t learn something new. I look forward to the next six months of instruction from Rob at Unbridled Martial Arts!