Four years ago, when I started planning the very first Free Training Day Mid-Atlantic, I was focused on one thing:
How do we get martial artists together in one place and give them a day of great training?
Well...
Somewhere along the way, I accidentally on purpose created a whole weekend.
And honestly?
I love that.
Because FTDMA has become about so much more than a single day of seminars. It's about the people you meet. The conversations you have. The things you learn in classes you never would have thought to take. The friends you reconnect with. The people you finally get to meet in person after talking to them online.
And now, in 2026, there's a whole lot more time to do all of that.
So if you're joining us for FTDMA this year, here's your complete roadmap for the weekend.
Friday night.
Saturday.
Saturday night.
Sunday morning.
Let's do this.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Kick-Off Party at 2SP Brewing Company
5:00–8:00 PM
2SP Brewing Company
120 Concord Rd., Units 101–103
Aston, PA 19014
Why wait until Saturday to start the weekend?
The FTDMA Kick-Off Party is where we're getting everyone together before the training even begins.
Come grab something to eat or drink. Reconnect with people you haven't seen since the last FTDMA. Meet people you've only talked to online. Finally put some faces to names.
And, of course, talk martial arts.
This is also a great opportunity to start making your Saturday game plan.
Talk to presenters about their classes.
Compare schedules with your friends.
Figure out which classes you're taking and which ones you're going to have to divide and conquer because, unfortunately, we have not yet mastered time travel.
And then there's this little detail...
We're throwing axes.
The Delco Axe House mobile trailer will be outside from 5:00–7:00 PM, with unlimited axe throwing available.
There may even be a little axe-throwing competition with prizes involved.
I'm still working out exactly what that's going to look like, so you'll just have to show up and find out.
The best part?
There is no additional registration required for the Kick-Off Party.
Just show up.
Come hang out.
Come meet somebody new.
Come talk martial arts.
Then go home, get some sleep, and wake up Saturday already feeling like the weekend has begun.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
FTDMA 2026
Chichester High School Gymnasium
3333 Chichester Ave.
Boothwyn, PA 19061
This is the main event.
And yes, registration to train is FREE.
Here's the morning timeline:
8:00 AM: Doors open
8:45 AM: Opening remarks
9:00 AM–3:15 PM: Seminars
You don't have to sprint through the doors at exactly 8:00 AM, either.
That first 45 minutes gives you time to get settled, say hello to people, check out vendors and merchandise, warm up, look at the schedule, and generally get yourself situated before the seminars begin.
Then?
It's time to Train. Grow. Repeat.
And here's the beautiful part: you don't need to bring anything special to participate. Just bring yourself, your curiosity, and a willingness to learn.
Most importantly, bring a willingness to learn something from somebody who may do things a little differently than you do.
That's kind of the whole point.
BTW, here's the presenter announcement! --> Free Training Day Mid-Atlantic 2026 Presenter Announcement
The official schedule will drop soon!
REGISTERING FOR FTDMA
If you haven't registered yet, start here:
FTDMA Registration:
https://forms.gle/gt7u1SrDDs8eSudVA
Signing the waiver confirms your registration to train at FTDMA.
And because I know somebody is going to ask:
Yes. It's still free to train.
There are optional selections in the registration form for things like lunch and the after-party, and some selections can earn you additional sweepstakes entries.
Online registration closes Friday, September 18.
You can still register at the door on Saturday, but once online registration closes, you will no longer be eligible for registration sweepstakes entries.
So if you're coming, registering ahead of time is definitely the way to go.
MAKE YOUR FTDMA MEMORIES A BAG TAG
J+J Designs will be at FTDMA creating personalized photo bag tags on-site for $10 each.
And these aren't just generic event souvenirs.
You get to make yours personal.
Want a solo photo?
Go for it.
A picture with your training partner?
Absolutely.
Your family?
Yep.
A ridiculous pose?
Please.
A martial arts stance?
Obviously.
The idea is that your bag tag becomes a little snapshot of YOU at FTDMA.
Because after the weekend is over, the training stops. The uniforms go into the laundry. Everyone goes home.
But the energy of that day doesn't have to stay there.
Put your bag tag on your gear bag.
Your backpack.
Your gym bag.
Your suitcase.
Your rearview mirror.
Your keys.
Anywhere you're going to see it.
Then, months from now, you might catch a glimpse of it and remember the class you took, the person you met, the ridiculous thing somebody said, the technique that finally clicked, the friend you hadn't seen in forever...
Or just how much fun you had being surrounded by a whole bunch of people who happen to love martial arts.
That's a powerful memory.
NEED LUNCH?
Let's solve that problem before you're hungry.
We've got lunch available from Car-Mira's Deli for just $10.
You get:
Hoagie + bag of chips + soft drink = YUM
Your pre-ordered lunch will be waiting for you at the Concession Counter outside the gym doors when lunch break begins.
Which means:
No leaving the school.
No figuring out where to find food.
No spending your lunch break solving the "what am I eating?" problem.
Just grab your lunch and get back to enjoying the day.
IMPORTANT LUNCH DEADLINE
Hoagie orders must be placed by NOON on Friday, September 18.
Lunch is ordered through the FTDMA registration form, so if you haven't registered yet, you can take care of both at once.
Your future hungry self will thank you.
AND THEN...
Eventually, the seminars end.
You've trained.
You've learned.
You've talked to people.
You've probably used muscles you forgot existed.
And you could go home.
But...
Why?
You've already spent the day surrounded by all of these people.
So let's keep the weekend going.
SATURDAY NIGHT
The FTDMA After-Party at Duffer's Mill
Duffer's Mill
1600 Naamans Creek Rd.
Garnet Valley, PA 19061
It's only about five minutes from Chichester High School.
And this is where we get to be people who also happen to train martial arts.
We're taking all of the people you've spent the day training alongside and giving you a place to actually hang out with them.
There will be:
-
Dinner
-
A private game room
-
A private bar
-
Pool tables
-
Video games
-
Plenty of time to sit, eat, talk and laugh
Because for some of us, FTDMA is one of the only times all year when we're going to have this many martial artists from this many schools, styles and organizations in the same place at the same time.
I don't really want us to spend all day building connections and then immediately say:
"Well, this was fun. See you next year!"
So stick around.
Talk about the classes you took.
Find out what somebody else learned in the class you couldn't get to.
Compare notes.
Tell stories.
Play some games.
Eat dinner.
Maybe make a training connection that lasts a whole lot longer than one Saturday.
After-party pricing
The Value Price is available through TODAY, September 14.
After September 14, the price increases, but you can still register.
After-party admission can be purchased through the FTDMA registration form or paid at the door.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Reset + Refuel with Courtney Eby
9:00 AM
MNSA Martial Arts
3609 Chapel Rd., 2nd Floor
Newtown Square, PA 19073
And then we get to Sunday.
Because after Friday night, a full day of training on Saturday, and an after-party Saturday night, I don't really want to slam the door on the weekend and send everyone rushing home.
So we're giving ourselves one more morning.
This isn't another seminar.
It isn't officially part of FTDMA.
It's simply an optional Sunday morning gathering for anyone who is still in the area and wants to spend a little more time together before returning to regularly scheduled life.
Courtney Eby will lead us through Reset + Refuel, featuring a yoga slow flow designed to give us some time to slow down, move, breathe and let everything settle.
Then we'll have breakfast together.
Breakfast will be catered by Luigi & Giovanni, one of our local favorites just a few doors down from MNSA.
So we can sit around for a while.
Talk about the weekend.
Talk about what we learned.
Compare notes on the classes we took.
Or...
We can eat breakfast and talk about absolutely nothing related to martial arts.
That's okay, too.
Sunday options
Yoga + breakfast: $35
Yoga only: $25
Breakfast only: $20
If you have a yoga mat, please bring it with you.
Sunday registration
Register here:
https://forms.gle/eu8AMuGid3awtgvA8
Advance registration is encouraged, or you can pay at the door.
Because after an entire weekend of bringing people together, I thought maybe we should give ourselves just a little more time before everybody heads home.
Move.
Refuel.
Breathe.
And eventually...
we can all return to our regularly scheduled lives.
Hopefully a little more rested and Zenned Out.
THE WHOLE WEEKEND, IN ONE PLACE
So let's recap.
FRIDAY NIGHT
FTDMA Kick-Off Party
5–8 PM at 2SP Brewing Company
Meet people. Reconnect. Talk martial arts. Throw some axes.
SATURDAY
Free Training Day Mid-Atlantic
8 AM doors open
8:45 AM opening remarks
9 AM–3:15 PM seminars
Chichester High School Gymnasium
Train. Grow. Repeat.
SATURDAY NIGHT
FTDMA After-Party
Duffer's Mill
Dinner. Games. Pool. Video games. Conversation. Connection.
SUNDAY MORNING
Reset + Refuel with Courtney Eby
9 AM at MNSA Martial Arts
Yoga slow flow + breakfast
Move. Refuel. Breathe.
THIS IS WHAT I WANT FTDMA TO FEEL LIKE
Maybe you learned something.
Maybe you met somebody new.
Maybe you found a new way to look at your training.
Maybe you took a class that completely surprised you.
Maybe you laughed a lot.
Maybe you got sore.
Probably all of the above.
But more than anything, I hope you leave feeling like you were part of something.
Because there are martial artists all over this region who might never otherwise have a reason to cross paths.
Different schools.
Different styles.
Different backgrounds.
Different experiences.
And for one weekend, we get to put all of that in the same room.
We get to train together.
Eat together.
Talk together.
Learn from each other.
And maybe, somewhere in the middle of all of that, make a connection that lasts well beyond September 19.
That's what I want this weekend to be.
Not just:
"I went to FTDMA."
But:
"That was a really great weekend!"
So...
Friday night.
Saturday.
Saturday night.
Sunday morning.
The whole weekend.
Come spend it with us, my friends.
Jenni
Jenni Nather
Free Training Day Mid-Atlantic Event Coordinator
Free Training Day Team Liaison
Book Division Director
Books@whistlekick.com
