Easy to Teach with Fewer Classes. Easy to Learn.
A Simple Comparison
High Block in Forward Walking Stance
TO INSTRUCTORS
1. Which skill do you want to teach?
Front stance high block or fighting stance hook?
2. What skills do you want to teach each day?
Complex skills or simple skills?
TO PARENTS & STUDENTS
1. Which skill makes more sense? Complex or simple?
2. Which skill is easier to learn? Complex or simple?
3. Which skill is easier to understand? Complex or simple?
The Smoke and Mirrors of
Traditional Martial Arts
To be clear, there is nothing wrong with teaching traditional martial arts if that’s your passion. Many people teach Russian ballet, but they don’t call it self-defense.
We are just more focused on the benefits for students than perpetuating out-dated skills.
How Many Stances have to be learned in a Traditional Martial Arts Style?
Traditional Style Stances: 4–31
Click to see all 31 stances
The Minimum
1. Horse Stance
2. Front Stance
3. Back Stance
4. Cat Stance
The Japanese Additions
5. Heisoku-dachi (閉足立, Feet together stance)
6. Musubi-dachi (結び立, Joining stance)
Heels together, toes open at about 45 degrees.
7. Musubi-dachi-heiko (結び立-平行)
From musubi-dachi, open heels until both outer edges of feet are parallel.
8. Hachiji-dachi (八字立, natural stance, literally “stand like the character 八”)
9. Uchi hachiji-dachi (内八字立, literally “stand like the upside-down character 八”)
The feet are shoulder width apart, toes facing inwards at 30-45 degrees, knees tense.
10. Heikō-dachi (平行立, parallel stance)
11. Seisan-dachi (十三立, universal stance)
12. Renoji-dachi (レの字立, stand like the character レ)
Feet are at the shoulder width.
13. Teiji-dachi (丁字立, stand like the character 丁)
Similar to renoji–dachi, but if the front foot is brought back, its heel will touch the middle of the rear foot, thus the foot print is shaped like the character 丁 (or letter T).
14. Chokusen-seisan-dachi (直線十三立, straight line universal stance)
15. Sagi-ashi-dachi (鷺足立 Heron-foot stance) also known as Tsuru-ashi-dachi (鶴足立 Crane-foot stance)
16. Naihanchi-dachi (内歩進立)
The feet are wider than the shoulder width, with their outer edges parallel.
17. Sanchin-dachi (三戦立 Three Battles stance)
The stance is fixed and tensed in the same way as Naihanchin-dachi.
18. Hangetsu-dachi (半月立, Halfmoon stance)
A version of sanchin used in some karate styles, particularly Shotokan.
19. Moto-dachi (基立, Foundational stance)
The stance is shin length and around two fist widths wide, with both legs slightly bent, the front foot facing straight forward and the back foot pointed outward at about 20-30 degrees.
20. Kosa-dachi (交差立, Crossing stance)
From Moto-dachi, bring the back leg forward so that the back knee is tucked in to the back of the front knee, with only the toes and ball of the back foot on the floor.
21. Han Zenkutsu-dachi (半前屈立, half zenkutsu), also known as Sho Zenkutsu-dachi (小前屈立, short zenkutsu)
Shortened and raised zenkutsu–dachi, this stance is slightly lower than moto-dachi.
22. Han-Kokutsu-dachi (半後屈立, half kokutsu), also known as Sho Kokutsu-dachi (小後屈立, short kokutsu)
Shortened and raised kokutsu–dachi.
23. Kiba-dachi (騎馬立, horse stance or rider stance)
This stance is not used in all styles of karate because of strong tension that it requires, instead it is often replaced by Shiko-dachi.
24. Shiko-dachi (四股立, square stance, often called horse stance where kiba–dachi is not used)
Same as Kiba-dachi but the toes face out at about 45 degrees.
25. Zenkutsu-dachi (前屈立, forward stance)
This is a long frontal stance where the weight is mostly on the front leg.
27. Nekoashi-dachi (猫足立, cat foot stance)
All weight rests on the back leg, which is bent at the knee.
28. Iaigoshi-dachi (居合腰立, Kneeling stance)
29. Fudō-dachi (不動立, unshakable stance) also called Sōchin-dachi (壯鎭立) after kata Sōchin
30. Kōkutsu-dachi (後屈立, back long stance)
This is a mirror image of zenkutsu–dachi, where the rear leg is bent strongly at the knee and the front leg is either straight or slightly bent, depending on the style.
31. Sōkutsu-dachi (側屈立, side long stance)
Often conflated with kōkutsu-dachi, this is a variant of kōkutsu where the head faces the direction perpendicular to the line on which the feet stand.
Empower Kickboxing Stance: 1
Major Martial Arts Contradictions
Traditional
(First half of a traditional class is spent on basics and kata)
1. Put your hand on your hip.
2. Chin up and still.
3. Keep your head up.
4. Square your shoulders to the front.
5. Leave your punch out.
6. Full step-through to punch.
7. Cross your arms, step, and block.
Reality
(Second half of class during drills and sparring)
1. Keep your hands up.
2. Chin down. Move head.
3. Keep your head down.
4. Turn your body to protect your center line.
5. Snap your punch back.
6. Step in to fire your punch.
7. There is no time to cross arms and step. Block in your fighting stance.
How We Are Different
1. This is NOT fitness kickboxing. Empower Kickboxing is a rank-based martial arts system designed by John Graden.
2. Students may attend any class. Instructors can reduce their teaching load because all students can attend any class.
We do suggest separating classes by age. 4 – 6, 7 – 12, 13+, and family classes.
3. Testing is optional for the school. Some award rank in paid belt exams while others award rank after a certain number of classes have been attended.
4. New students can be oriented into a class within 5 – 7 minutes. No need for separate trial lessons.
5. Because we do NOT teach any traditional stances, basics, or kata we spend more time on the skills that students benefit from the most.
This creates a higher level of skill and student retention.
Super Easy to Teach
1. Most styles are designed to be difficult to learn and teach.
2. Most schools teach more material than necessary.
3. Most schools teach skills that are out-dated and will never be repeated outside of the classroom.
When is the last time you did kata for a personal workout?
Providing Students What They Want
1. Would you take your kid to a swimming school that takes longer to teach your child to swim? It’s human nature to want to learn faster not slower.
2. Empower Kickboxing creates excellent black belts in less than half the time of a regular martial arts school.
3. Rather than teaching complex forms and techniques, we teach students how to master the basics of balance, striking, kicking, self-defense, and sparring.
4. We have a huge catalog of drills and scenarios with the best of martial arts, kickboxing, self-defense, weapons, and ground defense.
5. Students train hard and gain a high skill level because they don’t have to learn a lot of awkward material they didn’t sign up for.
6. All ranks can be in the same class which reduces the number classes that you have to each.
7. Students are more comfortable in black sweat pants or gi pants, their belt, and a school t-shirt rather than a traditional gi.
As and Empower Kickboxing™ licensee, you will get access to our proprietary system of marketing, lesson plans, and the support you need to succeed. Plus, MATA-Pro membership and the MATA Life Skills Program are included.
Empower Kickboxing makes it easy to teach classes by providing you with months of lesson plans that consist of self-defense, warm-up, learning modules, and cool down. You can modify them as you see fit. Each skill is demonstrated for you on video.
In addition to a beautiful branded website, you’ll get proven tools and campaigns to help you grow including email, text, and video marketing, seasonal marketing and social media campaigns.
The Power of Branding
2. Provides the collective support of John Graden and other licensees.
3. While licensees are not required to “follow the system,” Empower Kickboxing is a proven success.
4. Licensees are permitted to use either Empower Boxing logo and/or Empower Kickboxing logo.*
*certain restrictions apply
Two Options for Licensing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Empower Kickboxing™?
Empower Kickboxing™ (EKB) is a White to Black Belt based curriculum and business system designed by John Graden.
The real value of EKB will be in the class-by-class lesson plans that will available via a members only web site. Each section of every class will be taught and demonstrated on streaming video much like the video on EKB.
Do I have to use the entire curriculum and replace my current program?
Not at all. Here are the various ways our current Founding Members plan to use EKB:
a. As their main program;
b. As a BBC Curriculum;
c. As a Master’s Club Curriculum or;
d. As a black belt curriculum (depending on your system).
e. Some will simply pick and choose techniques to layer into their current program.
f. Some will use it to streamline the operations of additional locations.
You have total control and flexibility with the program.
Is there a class I have to take to be ready to teach?
You must complete the MATA Certification Program before launching the Empower Kickboxing program. The Certification Fee is waived for Empower Kickboxing licensees.
Do I need to drop my current curriculum to do EKB?
No. You may and most of you will, but you may want to simply insert various elements of EKB into your current program until you get comfortable with the program.
We’re confident most schools will transition over but we’re happy to let them do it on their time. Some schools are using EKB as their Black Belt Club or Masters’ Club Program.
How do I transition existing students so they maintain rank and don’t lose time in rank for the next belt?
While this will vary school to school and system to system, we suggest you look at the EKB ranking system for year one. You then match up the EKB ranks with your students’ ranks.
For instance, if you have an XYZ color student who has been training for six months, that would equate to a EKB High Orange or Green belt. So, rather than having to go through six two-month semesters, this student might only do three semesters and then graduate into the Intermediate Year Two EKB Program.
Should I shut down and prepare, then have a student meeting or something?
No need to shut down. Start introducing the techniques to your students in class to build support and excitement. Create enthusiasm for these combinations before making changes to requirements. We will help you make the transition. In our experience, students really enjoy the combinations and see the Instant Value they bring to the class.
Do I have to change my school name to Empower Kickboxing™?
No. Empower Kickboxing™ is the name of the branded curriculum. Think about a camera store that sells Nikon. They advertise that they sell Nikon, but the store name is not Nikon. Empower Kickboxing™ is like that. You may be USA Karate which offers the Empower Kickboxing™ curriculum.
Do I need to leave my current organization?
That’s entirely up to you. EKB doesn’t require you to be exclusive to EKB. Mr. Graden has always had the philosophy that the freedom to learn and grow shouldn’t be restricted by politics.
The Empower Kickboxing™ License
- Use of Empower Kickboxing™ logo & brand
- A branded Empower Kickboxing website
- Access to curriculum lesson plans
- Access to Life Skills Curriculum
- 15-mile territory protection
- Branded collateral material
- Coaching and Support from John Graden
- Martial Arts Teachers Association membership for Master Instructor
- 100% Discount on MATA Certification and Rank Program for Master Instructor
- SEO for your new website*
* Business Directories Listings
* Authority Local Citations Listings
* Press Release Marketing
* Facebook & Instagram ads done for you
* YouTube Channel designed and optimized for you
* Onsite SEO
* (does not include hard costs such as Facebook ad cost.)
Special Stimulus Offer During the Virus
In order to help schools to attract and engage both current and new students, we are cutting the Empower Kickboxing™ license fee by over 50% until all 50 states are open.
All new member license are subject to a 12-month minimum.
Regular License $197 per month
Stimulus Rate $97 per month ($100 off)
Contact us to set up a phone call to evaluate your situation and see if Empower Kickboxing is a good fit for you.
(727) 279-0505