A private academy
Leaders in reality-based martial arts, family fitness, and practical protection — in central Alabama, and recognized beyond it.
United Martial Arts Academy was established in Alexander City, Alabama, in 1990 by Master Instructor Russell Wright.
Since then the academy has led in reality-based mixed martial arts, personal and family fitness, and practical tactical protection.
It is a private academy, open to public application. The minimum requirement is a simple rational-bias test.
American Freestyle
Every program is American Freestyle: martial arts that originated in the United States and are not locked to one traditional style.
Freestyle means we take the most effective attributes from several disciplines and build a system that can be taught, repeated, and fitted to the student. The student does not have to force a body into a style it cannot use.
Lissajous-Do
The specialty is Lissajous-Do (liss-SAY-jus doh) — the Way of Motion. It is a physics-based American Freestyle system, drawn from classical arts and modern combatives.
Striking
Karate, Kenpo, modified Wing Chun, taekwondo, Western boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai.
Control
Hapkido, judo, and jujitsu — grips, throws, and joint work.
Combatives
Modern military combatives, trained for use off the floor.
An everyday warrior
The work is confidence, self-discipline, fitness, and self-protection. Character, life skills, and healthy choices sit on top of the technique, so a student can use it the same day — at home, at school, and in public.
The record includes champions in sport karate, Olympic taekwondo, full-contact kickboxing, and Muay Thai, and academic standouts, including seven valedictorians.