About
United Martial Arts and Fitness, UMF Academy, was established in 2005 by Pablo Cardenas. 
It has grown from its origins as the North Queensland Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy, with 30 students, to incorporate many highly recognised martial arts programs with over 160 students and its own dedicated training facility.
UMF Academy hosts martial arts and combat experts from across the globe, and regularly offers special events for students and the general community of Townsville.
For adults, the UMF Academy offers Wing Chun Kung Fu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Combatives, Muay Thai Kickboxing/Boxing, Street Edge Krav Maga, Reality Based Self-defence Bootcamp and FREE Self-Defence classes 18+.
For children, the UMF Academy offers Little Dragons (ages 4-7) and Young Warriors (ages 8-14) Wing Chun Kung Fu, Kickboxing/Boxing 4 Kids (ages 6-14) and Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Combatives (ages 6-14).
All children’s programs include Non Striking Solutions and Bully Buster SystemTM programs to teach children anti-bullying skills. UMF Academy provides the industry’s #1 Character Development System, created by child development expert specifically for the martial arts, and licensed in Townsville exclusively to UMF Academy. This will assist children to demonstrate the same skills with their teachers at school and with parents at home. UMF’s Character Development System is implemented in ALL children’s programs.
UMF Academy students are made up of almost every type of person you can think of – tradies, soldiers, security officers, doctors, lawyers, students, law enforcement, teachers, nurses, business people, and more. Every day our students walk into the academy for the same reasons: to be better, to improve their health and well-being, learning ability and stress levels. Our students are taking the lessons learned on the mat and applying them to their everyday life and making their lives better.
Learn More About UMF Academy
Our Heritage
UMF Academy takes pride in understanding its historical foundation and where it comes from. In 2013, Sifu Pablo was part of a global delegation to China’s Henan Province led by Grandmaster William Cheung. The delegation, with local Shaolin monks led by Abbot Shi Yongxin, participated in a ceremony that recognised Wing Chun’s Shaolin origins.
The delegation included masters and students from Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, Italy, Slovakia, China, Japan and Turkey, and their names are engraved on the twenty-foot high plaque (see left). Some of the more famous names include, Shannon Lee (daughter of Bruce Lee), Mike Tyson, Chris Tucker, Stevie Wonder and Robert Downey, Jr.
To begin your journey, contact us today!
You can trial one of our many classes, book yours today
The best way to see if any of our classes are for you, is to experience it first-hand. See our Academy, meet our instructors and emerge yourself in the UMF culture.
To register for your trial class simply check the class schedule, then click the link below to fill in the registration form.