The CMAIA is founded on the philosophy that no single martial art holds all the answers for any given practitioner.  Each discipline has benefits that is unique to its art and to its students.  The schools associated with CMAIA are community driven and are not interested in the dollars earned but instead of the experience and skills one develops by learning and teaching in the martial arts.

  Many of the seminars offered are for advanced students and the primary reason for this is that training and being challenged at the advanced level is needed for growth in martial training.  CMAIA offers a place for advanced practitioners to get together and exchange ideas, philosophies, instruction methods etc. all for the benefit of those who come to them for knowledge. 

  We also hold events for all martial arts students that cover everything from a multi-school gathering for fight night, to Hapkido joint lock seminars, to traditional kata training and interpretation.  Also events such as the Canon City sparring nights for charity fundraising or food donations are supported and sponsored by CMAIA instructors and their students.  


  
  Two criteria are to be met for involvement in CMAIA :
- Contribute to the group at least once annually such as presenting a seminar, or host / assist with an event.
- Participate in a CMAIA event twice annually.  


  The following schools have founded the CMAIA and are currently presenting seminars, charitable events, and
student activities to improve ourselves and our students training and involvment in the community.

  I joined Butokukan Karate under the instruction of Micheal Butero in 1990 when I was 10 years old.  I grew up with visiting students and black belts in the dojo on a regular basis.  I was also lucky that Sensei Butero and later Sensei Dave Cooley and Jerrie Holcomb who ran the dojo when I was a teenager were always open to new information, and new energy from other practitioners.  This led to me inviting friends from the local Kung-Fu school over on Fridays to spar then later to a gathering of our two dojos once I began instructing in 1995.

  As time went on I met Tony Sorrenti who ran the Dokan Karate dojo in Canon City through his annual tournaments  This led to some multi-dojo fight nights he would put on at his dojo.  Keeping with the spirit of my instructors, and the desire to expose my students to other practitioners for training reasons I would drop in to other martial arts schools and see if we could meet from time to time. 

  By the time Sensei John Sanchez took over as head instructor for our dojo we were beginning to host fight nights in Pueblo, an annual practice tournament and self defense barbecues out in Mineral Palace Park.  This of course led to more instructor communication much like my instructors did in the 1980's, and the next logical step to me was to create a way for us to really examine and train the advanced areas of our systems.  

  Thankfully there's a number of martial artists out there that share the concept of continual improvement, community impact, and are willing to go the extra mile to help their students.  We don't have all the answers, I know I don't and therefore the CMAIA presents a way for us to get and stay connected and I thank all of the instructors willing to help out.

Barry Drew