National Association of Professional Martial Artists

The National Association of Professional Martial Artists (NAPMA) is a United States-based professional association dedicated to the business development and long-term sustainability of martial arts schools and their owners. It was founded in 1993 by John Graden, a Florida school owner, to give martial arts school operators a professional body of their own. The association's founding principle is that martial arts instructors should not have to choose between maintaining high martial arts standards and building financially successful schools, because the two reinforce each other. NAPMA has argued this position consistently since its establishment. NAPMA serves martial arts school owners through a combination of business coaching, professional certifications, events, and publishing. In 1996 the association launched Martial Arts Professional, a trade magazine for its members; the first issue was Volume 1, Number 1, Winter 1996, and by July 1996 it was publishing monthly. The magazine ran for roughly fifteen years and became the industry's paper of record for how schools were actually operated. It now publishes online at MartialArtsProfessional.com. NAPMA also developed certifications such as the NAPMA Fitness Kickboxing Certification and the Ultimate Bodyshaping Course, and its history is tied to the growth of Cardio Karate, launched in 1996 by Jim Graden, which brought martial arts schools into the group-fitness market. NAPMA's leadership includes CEO and Chairman Stephen Oliver, MBA, who has been coaching and advising martial arts school owners since 1985, nearly a decade before NAPMA was established. The organization describes itself as having more than 30 years of organizational history backed by more than 40 years of direct martial arts business coaching experience. It remains active and continues to serve the professional martial arts community. NAPMA also recognizes significant figures in the martial arts world. In August 2026, the association posthumously inducted Chuck Norris into the NAPMA Martial Arts Professional Lifetime Achievement Awards, citing his career as a champion, instructor, performer, and founder of Kickstart Kids. The association's history page documents its founding, the launch of its magazine, the development of certifications, and the people involved, with sources that document them.

The National Association of Professional Martial Artists (NAPMA) was founded in 1993 by John Graden, a Florida school owner, to give martial arts school operators a professional body of their own. The association emerged as an answer to a problem nobody in the industry was solving: instructors were being told to choose between martial arts standards and a viable business. NAPMA was built on the position that the two reinforce each other. The NAPMA name entered registered commercial use in August 1994. In 1996, the association launched Martial Arts Professional, a trade magazine for its members. Volume 1, Number 1 was the Winter 1996 issue; by July 1996 it was publishing monthly. The magazine ran for roughly fifteen years and became the industry's paper of record for how schools were actually operated. Its archive is maintained, and it now publishes online at MartialArtsProfessional.com. Also in 1996, Jim Graden launched Cardio Karate, putting martial arts schools into the group-fitness market years before that became ordinary. The NAPMA Fitness Kickboxing Certification and, later, the Ultimate Bodyshaping Course followed from it. The American Council on Martial Arts (ACMA) was also founded in 1996. NAPMA's history page documents its record through the magazine, certifications, events, and people, with sources that document them. The association describes itself as having been arguing the same point since 1993: that a school does not have to choose between martial arts standards and a working business, because each one pays for the other. Its leadership includes CEO and Chairman Stephen Oliver, MBA, who has been coaching and advising martial arts school owners since 1985, nearly a decade before NAPMA itself was established. This gives NAPMA more than 30 years of organizational history backed by more than 40 years of direct martial arts business coaching experience. NAPMA continues to serve the professional martial arts community, providing memberships, business coaching, certifications, events, and awards. In August 2026, the association posthumously inducted Chuck Norris into the NAPMA Martial Arts Professional Lifetime Achievement Awards, recognizing his achievements as a six-time undefeated Professional Middleweight World Champion, school owner, founder of the United Fighting Arts Federation, and founder of Kickstart Kids, which as of 2026 reports roughly 8,349 students across 55 public schools and more than 120,000 young people reached since it began.

• 2026

  In August 2026, NAPMA posthumously inducts Chuck Norris into the NAPMA Martial Arts Professional Lifetime Achievement Awards.

• 1996

  Martial Arts Professional launches; Volume 1, Number 1 is the Winter 1996 issue, and by July 1996 it is publishing monthly.

• 1996

  Jim Graden launches Cardio Karate, putting martial arts schools into the group-fitness market.

• 1996

  The American Council on Martial Arts (ACMA) is founded.

• 1994

  The NAPMA name enters registered commercial use in August 1994.

• 1993

  NAPMA is founded by John Graden, a Florida school owner, to give martial arts school operators a professional body of their own.

A professional association for martial arts school owners, arguing that martial arts standards and business success reinforce each other.

• Martial Arts Professional magazine

  A trade magazine launched in 1996 for NAPMA members; it ran for roughly fifteen years and now publishes online at MartialArtsProfessional.com.

• NAPMA Fitness Kickboxing Certification

  A certification that followed from the Cardio Karate trend.

• Ultimate Bodyshaping Course

  A course that followed from the Cardio Karate trend.

1. 1NAPMA: The Association for Martial Arts School Ownersnapma.com
2. 2NAPMA History: Thirty Years of the Martial Arts School Businessnapma.com
3. 3About NAPMA: The Association for Martial Arts School Ownersnapma.com
4. 4National Association of Professional Martial Artistswikidata.org