PRO Martial Arts

What PRO Martial Arts does

PRO Martial Arts is a privately held martial arts franchise company founded in 2008 by Grandmaster Ed Samane and headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The company sells a turnkey franchise business to entrepreneurs who operate independently owned martial arts schools under the PRO Martial Arts brand, with existing franchise locations across 10+ US states (Pennsylvania, Texas, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Delaware, North Carolina) and first international expansion into Canada (Ontario, Alberta). The end customer base is primarily parents of children ages 3-17, with secondary adult programming.

The product portfolio blends traditional Korean martial arts (Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido) with proprietary youth-facing curriculums: the ARMOR Bullying and Predator Prevention program (12 plus 12 weekly lessons), Character Education, and Advanced Leadership Programs with 24 monthly topics. Children are segmented into Little Rhinos (ages 3-5), Basic Classes (ages 6-12), and Teen curriculum. Adult offerings include Adult Karate, Fitness Kickboxing, Self-Defense, and Yoga at select locations. The franchisor provides a web-based billing and member management platform, a national PR and marketing program, and a Live Stream/Video On Demand delivery layer (Zoom-based).

Franchisees pay a $49,000 initial franchise fee plus an estimated total unit investment of $132,855-$168,325, then 7.5% of gross revenue in monthly royalties and a 1% national advertising contribution. The franchisor's revenue streams are therefore upfront franchise fees, recurring royalties, advertising fund contributions, and branded equipment/curriculum sales. The franchisor's corporate headcount is reported at 1-10, and the founder additionally owns six karate schools in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Active franchise development agreements are publicly disclosed for Chicago, Houston, Ontario, Calgary, Raleigh, Philadelphia, and San Antonio.

Name

PRO Martial Arts

Legal name

PRO Martial Arts Corp.

Website

https://promartialarts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PRO Martial Arts is a privately held martial arts franchise company founded in 2008 by Grandmaster Ed Samane, operating across 10+ US states and Canada. It licenses a turnkey karate school system blending Korean martial arts with its proprietary ARMOR bullying prevention and Character Education curriculum, sold to franchisees who serve children and adults.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Martial Arts Education Franchise

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Martial Arts Schools (Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, etc.) (HSADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Kids & Youth Martial Arts Programs (HSADADAG), Combat Sports Gyms & Dojos (MMA, Boxing, Wrestling, Martial Arts) (MPAKAJAG)

Keywords

• Martial arts franchise
• Karate school programs
• Kids martial arts
• Adult fitness kickboxing
• Bullying prevention program

Headquarters

HQ city

King Of Prussia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Recurring monthly membership fees from student-members. The franchise operates as a membership-based karate studio business with monthly billing. Royalty fee of 7.5% of gross revenue per month is paid by franchisees to the franchisor.
2. Franchise Fees: One-time franchise fee of $49,000 for new franchisees. Total estimated single unit investment ranges from $132,855-$168,325 including $30,000 working capital.
3. Equipment, Supplies, and Apparel Sales: Revenue generated from selling PRO Martial Arts branded equipment, supplies, and wearing apparel to student-members.
4. Upgraded Classes and Personal Training: Additional revenue from providing upgraded classes and personal training services to student-members.
5. Special Events: Revenue from hosting special events including birthday parties, summer camps, and parent's night out programs.
6. Advertising Budget Contribution: Franchisees contribute 1% of gross revenue for national advertising campaigns. This represents an additional revenue stream for the franchisor's marketing efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PRO Martial Arts is a martial arts education franchisor that licenses its proprietary curriculum of Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, and Hapkido instruction to independently owned franchisees operating karate schools across the U.S. and Canada. The core offering consists of age-segmented martial arts classes for children (ages 3-17, including Little Rhinos, Basic, Teen, and Advanced Leadership programs) and adults (karate, fitness kickboxing, self-defense, and yoga at select locations), supplemented by the proprietary ARMOR Bullying and Predator Prevention curriculum and Character Education modules. Franchisees receive comprehensive training, marketing support, web-based billing infrastructure, and ongoing coaching in exchange for a $49,000 franchise fee, 7.5% monthly royalty, and 1% advertising contribution.

Product overview

PRO Martial Arts is a martial arts education franchise offering a cohesive blend of Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, and Hapkido for children (ages 3-17) and adults. The proprietary system includes distinct product lines: (1) Core martial arts programs for Kids (Little Rhinos, Basic Classes, Teen Curriculum) and Adults (Karate, Fitness Kickboxing, Self-Defense, Yoga); (2) Character-building programs including the ARMOR Bullying and Predator Prevention curriculum, Character Education, and Advanced Leadership Programs; (3) Technology-enabled services including Live Stream Classes via Zoom and Video On Demand; (4) Franchise infrastructure with web-based billing systems and membership management. The company operates through a franchise model, with independently owned and operated locations across the United States and Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARMOR: Exclusive bullying and predator prevention program teaching children safety skills for both real-world and online environments.
• Little Rhinos

Products and services

• ARMOR Bullying and Predator Prevention Program Proprietary 12-lesson Bullying Prevention curriculum plus 12 separate Predator Prevention lessons teaching children to recognize bullying behavior, set personal boundaries, and respond appropriately to online and real-world threats; delivered at PRO Martial Arts franchise schools.
• Kids Martial Arts Programs Age-differentiated martial arts instruction for children ages 3-17, including Little Rhinos (ages 3-5), Basic Classes (ages 6-12), and Teen curriculum (ages 13-17), incorporating Korean martial arts techniques with character education components.
• Adult Fitness Kickboxing Adult kickboxing course combining motivational lectures, functional athletic drills, and proven martial arts techniques, with claimed burn rate up to 750 calories per hour, teaching proper kicking and punching methods.
• Adult Karate Adult karate program addressing five primary focus areas: convenience, fitness, weight control, confidence and well-being, and self-defense, designed to build confidence, develop self-discipline, and hone athletic skills in a high-energy environment.
• Character Education Program Proprietary interactive character-education and leadership curriculum comprising short informational modules offered to students before martial arts instruction, with tools to measure student progress and understanding.
• Advanced Leadership Program 60-minute advanced classes covering 24 monthly topics including individuality, friendship, self-reliance, self-control, goal setting, courage, and generosity, available to motivated students by application only and progressing them toward black belt.
• Adult Self-Defense Self-Defense and Personal Safety program introducing adults to concepts, perspectives, and techniques for avoiding or dealing with dangerous encounters, teaching situational awareness, vigilance, and tactics for real-life situations.
• Little Rhinos Program Beginner martial arts program for preschoolers ages 3 to 5 using skills, drills, and games to teach values including self-control, focus, confidence, self-esteem, assertiveness, teamwork, manners, respect, and attitude.
• Yoga (Select Locations) Yoga instruction available at select franchise locations offering mindfulness, stress reduction, core strengthening, and breathing techniques for holistic wellness.
• PRO Martial Arts Franchise Program Turnkey franchise program providing complete martial arts business operations including Grandmaster Samane training methods, marketing support, billing infrastructure, operations manuals, and ongoing franchisee support; $49,000 franchise fee with $132,855-$168,325 total investment.
• Web-Based Billing and Member Management Platform Web-based billing and member management platform provided to franchisees, handling billing and collections, student-member account servicing, administrative functions, and reporting on school activities.
• Live Stream Classes Live streaming of martial arts classes delivered via Zoom video conferencing, providing real-time remote participation for students who cannot attend in-person sessions.
• Video On Demand Proprietary recorded livestream classes and videos accessible on demand for Little Rhinos, Basic, Leadership, and Master's Club programs, enabling members to access class content remotely at their convenience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Burn up to 750 calories per hour in fitness kickboxing classes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CRUSH AGENCY 2.0minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDesignated agency for media and advertising inquiries. Contact: (844) 921-3553 or [email protected]. This is a service provider relationship for marketing communications rather than a core strategic partnership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• UFC Gym: National fitness franchise combining MMA-inspired training with group fitness and youth programs. Overlaps with PRO Martial Arts in adult kickboxing and youth martial arts, but operates at significantly larger scale and brand strength.
• 9Round Fitness: Specialty kickboxing fitness franchise with 400+ locations. Comparable to PRO Martial Arts' adult fitness kickboxing line in customer demographic and franchise-driven unit economics, though 9Round focuses exclusively on adult members.
• iLoveKickboxing: Group kickboxing fitness franchise with hundreds of locations. Comparable to PRO Martial Arts' adult fitness kickboxing in customer demographic and group-class delivery model, though positioned as a fitness rather than martial arts school.
• Title Boxing Club: Boxing and kickboxing fitness franchise with national footprint. Comparable to PRO Martial Arts' adult fitness offerings, with similar member-based pricing and franchise economics, though without a children's martial arts curriculum.

Direct peers

• Premier Martial Arts: Martial arts franchise with several hundred locations offering age-segmented children's programs and adult kickboxing. Closely comparable to PRO Martial Arts in franchise model, children's character-development curriculum, and multi-discipline (karate, kickboxing) offering.
• Tiger Schulmann's Martial Arts: Large karate and kickboxing franchise with company-owned and franchised locations across the Northeast and Midwest. Comparable to PRO Martial Arts in its combination of children's martial arts, adult fitness kickboxing, and recurring membership revenue.
• ATA Martial Arts: Karate and martial arts franchise with hundreds of independently owned locations across the US. Directly comparable to PRO Martial Arts in offering taekwondo-based programs, age-segmented children's curricula, and franchise-driven unit economics.

Emerging players

• KMA (Karate Martial Arts) International: Smaller martial arts instruction organization providing curriculum licensing and instructor certification to independent schools. Comparable to PRO Martial Arts in franchisor-style curriculum distribution, though smaller and less brand-driven.

Others

• World Taekwondo: International governing body for Olympic taekwondo. Tangentially comparable to PRO Martial Arts' taekwondo-based curriculum, but operates as a federation rather than a competing commercial entity.
• Chuck E. Cheese (parent: CEC Entertainment): Family entertainment and birthday-party venue franchise. Comparable to PRO Martial Arts in children's discretionary-spend customer base and special-events revenue (e.g., birthday parties), though in a different category of experiential spend.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PROMartialArt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/promartialartsTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/promartialarts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PRO Martial Arts