CKO Kickboxing, a health and fitness franchise, marked its 19th anniversary on November 16, 2016.
“I don’t teach kickboxing classes geared towards fighting or traditional kickboxing. The punching bags are just a vehicle to help people improve their health and their self esteem,” said CEO Joseph Andreula. “I drew my inspiration from Martha Graham, the dancer choreographer. She understood self expression through dance. What she did with dance, I do with kickboxing. I learned as much from reading books about her as I did from any kickboxing instructor I ever had. My background is in the Martial Arts, but my expression for self improvement comes from Martha Graham.”
The fast-growing franchise, which recently opened its 75th gym across the nation, focuses on improving each client’s self-esteem through kickboxing. The first club opened in Hoboken, N.J. in 1997.
Looking ahead, he added, “Gyms are exploding as business concepts, but people aren’t changing. People need to see actual results and feel better about themselves.”
Next year CKO will participate in the Reebok Spartan Races as the last obstacle, at events at Fenway Park in Boston, Citizens Bank in Philadelphia, CitiField in New York, Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Cowboy Stadium in Dallas, AT&T Stadium in San Francisco and Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
Photo courtesy CKO Kickboxing
