The rule normally is: what happens in fight club, stays in fight club, but this is not the case with martial arts in Tauranga.

The Tauranga Martial Arts Academy is issuing an open invitation to all martial artists in Tauranga and the Bay to attend her academy's fortnightly Open Mats events.

Jiu Jitsu instructor Nathan Sowter, Kung Fu instructor Robert Smith and Tae Kwan Do instructor Christine Young at the Tauranga Martial Arts Academy.

'Each form of martial arts has its strengths and weaknesses and we thought it was time we got together and learned from each other,” says Tauranga Martial Academy co-founder Christine Young.

Rather than challenge each other as has happened a bit in the past, she says she thought it was time for martial artists to cooperate.

Open Mats is held every other Friday night from 5.30pm and has already seen a number of Bay clubs show off their skills to others.

'We started earlier in the year with mixed sparring and now want to widen that.”

Christine says any martial art has many health and confidence benefits for people of all ages and walks of life, and she wants to bring the arts to more local people.

Open Mats is aimed at people who have been practising their martial arts for a few years. It is not suitable for newbies.

'There are so many strong clubs in this area, who do different styles. It is good to get together and share techniques.”

Christine found out for herself the benefits of learning a different set of skills.

She's a sixth Dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do, where kicking is big, and when she began doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsiu she found it is all about grabbing instead.

So far, a Rotorua club has made an appearance at Open Mats and so have people who do Kung Fu and Muay Thai. Other forms of martial arts are more than welcome.

The next Open Mat events is this Friday from 5.30pm at the Martial Arts Academy, 153 Fist Avenue West, Tauranga and suits martial artists from intermediate school age and up with a few years' experience.