FMA, Fundamental Martial Arts

FMA, Fundamental Martial Arts FMA-Self defense skill development, building practical responses to serious threats. Fundamental Martial Arts is designed for the current world.

Fundamental Martial Arts (FMA) addresses the skills needed in a modern combat scenario. Over time, students develop genuine functional ability in managing and adapting to all types of attack. Students of FMA will learn and practice solutions to issues like being grabbed, being on the ground, against weapons, multiple opponents and more. FMA is not sport; sport has weight classes, only one opponent at a time, same sex, no weapons and RULES! The development of Fundamental Martial Arts points to Scott’s personal beliefs in what is important in studying Martial Arts and a result of the thousands of hours of training dedicated students. Many available martial arts today are a merger of several arts, or are “watered down” versions of an art. FMA has a lineage that is respected, but it is an evolution and is a fully refined martial art for today’s practical needs. Fundamental Martial Arts was launched in 2006 by Scott Shephard, reflecting what he emphasizes in the studying of martial arts. Fundamental Martial Arts is designed to improve every student’s ability to protect themselves and to encourage general health and wellness. The primary quest is to build true skills in the student to prepare them as well as possible for a violent engagement. The training will always be geared to improving the ability of his students to manage a confrontation with a determined and aggressive attacker(s). FMA believes paying attention to skills that are required against an aggressive and determined opponent. In a dangerous encounter, a measly kick in the groin or a pounding on his chest will not do…There isn’t much point if you expect only people weaker than you may attack. There are many feel good type studios out there that unfortunately provide an unrealistic confidence builder type atmosphere, where sub standard results are acceptable and the training methodology is obscenely optimistic. FMA believes that approach is irresponsible and not in the best interest of the student. Although we believe focus and attention to the material is critical, we dispense with bowing and wearing special outfits. We may wear a school t-shirt, but generally regular workout clothes and athletic shoes (instead of bare feet). We do have a ranking system for the student to understand their progress and to help organize productive training groups when appropriate, but we do not wear belts in classes. There is a great deal more to a street fight than breaking a board too. Having said that, Scott personally respects ancient masters and their followers who seek more of the other side of training provided by most traditional schools. It is simply not the heart of FMA, there is far too much to concentrate on in developing someone into a person who can handle the threats of the modern world.

The more serious the situation, the more simple your response needs to be. Under pressure, complicated movements and lon...
09/15/2026

The more serious the situation, the more simple your response needs to be. 

Under pressure, complicated movements and long sequences become harder to recall. That’s one reason practical self-defense shouldn’t depend on memorizing techniques.

At Fundamental Martial Arts, we focus on building strong fundamentals that can be applied again and again in different situations.

Because when the pressure goes up, complexity is often the first thing to disappear.

Fundamentals are what remain.

That philosophy is at the heart of how we train: learn the basics, understand why they work, and practice them until they become something you can rely on.

Want to experience practical self-defense training for yourself? Visit FundamentalMartialArts.com to learn about classes in Prescott.

I posted this on Facebook and several people reached out to see if I was ok. Very kind. I guess I seem more stoic than t...
09/14/2026

I posted this on Facebook and several people reached out to see if I was ok. Very kind. I guess I seem more stoic than this message. This is a public thank You prayer that I sincerely mean. I’ve come a long way. I have a long way to go, but know I am going in the right direction. I’ve come through a lot and I was not alone-I am blessed. I had the “widow maker” heart attack at 56, two years ago. I was living in a studio apt with less than $100 in the bank after working hard my whole life at age 50. I’ve gone from 240 to 185 pounds. And much more I have overcome, but I was not alone. My mission that I’ve spent my whole life building and creating, developing into something that will help so many in their confidence and genuine ability to better defend themselves and their families is growing and about to explode to its potential. Online courses, my book and more is in the works and of course in person training happening now. I’ve trained hard and studied for decades, taught thousands to get to this moment. I felt it was appropriate to share my prayer and my humble gratitude. Thank you to all of you too that support my mission, work with me and believe in what we’re doing. 🙏

Most people imagine that if they were attacked, they would simply fight as hard as they could.There’s a problem with tha...
09/13/2026

Most people imagine that if they were attacked, they would simply fight as hard as they could.

There’s a problem with that strategy.

Under pressure, uncontrolled effort burns energy quickly without necessarily solving the problem in front of you.

At FMA, we sometimes describe that as the “hand gr***de” response.

Energy everywhere. Nothing aimed.

Training develops the opposite.

Focused movement.

Deliberate action.

A clear objective.

Because when a dangerous situation develops quickly, you don’t have unlimited time or energy to waste.

Self-defense isn’t about doing more.

It’s about knowing what matters and responding with purpose.

That kind of response isn’t something you want to try and figure out for the first time when you actually need it.

Learn how we train focused, practical responses at FMA. Visit FundamentalMartialArts.com to book a class in Prescott.

09/11/2026

When fear hits, your body responds automatically: fight or flight.

The problem is, most people have never trained the fight response—so when seconds matter, they’re left trying to think their way through an unfamiliar situation.

At FMA, we train until effective movement becomes instinctive. You’re not relying on a technique you saw once at a seminar. You’re building real, repeatable capability—one class at a time.

It’s okay to be afraid. The goal is to know what to do despite the fear.
Awareness is good. Capability is better.

Book a class at FundamentalMartialArts.com.

09/08/2026

How many hours disappear each week to distractions, multitasking, and meaningless noise?

Now imagine redirecting just ONE of those hours toward something that builds real strength, awareness, and capability.

One focused hour a week.
No distractions. No multitasking.
Just you—fully present, getting stronger and sharper.

Over time, that hour compounds into practical skills and the kind of confidence that isn’t performed—it’s earned.

Give yourself one hour to discover what your mind and body are truly capable of.

Book a class at FundamentalMartialArts.com

Today, we honor the people whose hard work, skill, and dedication keep our communities moving forward. 🇺🇸At Fundamental ...
09/07/2026

Today, we honor the people whose hard work, skill, and dedication keep our communities moving forward. 🇺🇸

At Fundamental Martial Arts, we know that strength isn’t built overnight. It’s earned through consistency, discipline, and a willingness to keep showing up—even when the work gets hard.

Happy Labor Day from all of us at FMA!

Ready to put in the work? Book a class and start building practical skills you can rely on.

Good self-defense often happens long before anyone throws a punch.One FMA student who lives alone keeps a pair of large ...
09/05/2026

Good self-defense often happens long before anyone throws a punch.

One FMA student who lives alone keeps a pair of large work boots near her back door so someone looking at the house might assume she isn’t alone.

Simple? Yes.

But prevention often is.

Other examples might look like:

Putting a shopping cart between yourself and someone who makes you uncomfortable.

Asking someone to walk you to your car.

Changing direction when something doesn’t feel right.

Moving toward other people instead of continuing into an isolated area.

None of those actions make for a dramatic self-defense story. That’s exactly the point.

The best outcome is that you recognize a dangerous situation early enough to avoid it.

Want to develop both the awareness and practical skills behind self-defense? Visit FundamentalMartialArts.com to learn about our Prescott classes.

09/03/2026

Most people defend themselves like a gr***de — powerful, but going off in every direction. 💣

🤜 At FMA, we train that same force, but channeled. Aimed. Every movement has a target and a reason behind it. 💥

Same power. Everything else is control — and control is what makes force effective instead of just chaotic.

This is what it means to train with intention.

When justified, but you don’t have a weapon in hand — this is your answer. Join a class — visit FundamentalMartialArts.com to book yours.

You might expect self-defense training to be physically demanding.What surprises many new students is how mentally deman...
09/01/2026

You might expect self-defense training to be physically demanding.

What surprises many new students is how mentally demanding it can be, too. 

You’re learning to pay attention to what your own body is doing while simultaneously watching the person in front of you, noticing your surroundings and processing what is changing around you.

That kind of awareness isn’t something most of us practice during everyday life.

One member described her first class this way:

“It was a lot more intellectual, more cerebral than what I thought it was going to be. I thought it would be physically demanding — it was actually more mentally demanding.”

That’s an important part of FMA training.

We’re not simply learning movements. We’re developing the ability to observe, make decisions and respond intentionally.

Curious what an FMA class is actually like? Send us a DM or visit FundamentalMartialArts.com to learn how to get started.

08/27/2026

A groin kick may hurt—but pain doesn’t always stop the threat.

Someone who is determined may continue attacking despite the pain. And when you kick, you temporarily sacrifice two things you may desperately need: balance and mobility.

Effective self-defense isn’t built around one “magic move.”

It’s about understanding function—how to disrupt someone’s ability to control or restrain you while maintaining your position and building an opportunity to escape.

That’s the difference between a technique that sounds effective in theory and a skill that can function in an aggressive encounter.

Train for what actually works. Visit FundamentalMartialArts.com to book a class.

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Historic Building Gurley & Cortez
Prescott, AZ

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+19289252642

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