Business & Tech

Martial Arts Instructor Kicking It In Yorkville

Empower Martial Arts and Fitness in Yorkville specializes in martial arts, Fit Strike and self-defense techniques for children and adults.

When Trisha Meece’s husband passed away suddenly two years ago leaving the Yorkville resident alone to care for their two young children, her world was turned upside down.

To help her son, Keegan, an avid fan of the original Karate Kid movie, cope with the loss, Meece looked for a martial arts studio. But to her dismay, most schools do not accept children under age 5 or 6.

She overheard a group of mothers talking about in Yorkville, which specializes in martial arts, Fit Strike and self-defense techniques, and made a call.

“I was thrilled to find that they accepted students beginning at age 4,” Meece said. “Keagan is now 6 and has benefited in so many ways from the programs.”

She said the students enrolled in the school, who range in age from 4 to 40, “have been a true Godsend to our family.”

“Keagan is among a loving group that provides role-model aspects that I cannot,” Meece said. “Fellow students treat him as a friend, a little brother, and even sometimes, a son.”

She said the center’s Kajukenbo program, which Meece said focuses on respect, discipline, and confidence, has also helped Keagan adjust and move on since the death of his father.

She lauds Empower Martial Arts owner and trainer Tim Rochford for the impact he has on his students.

For the Meeces, martial arts has become a family affair.

“My daughter is now old enough to enroll and is thrilled to begin. I have found myself taking the adult fitness classes, too. We are truly an “Empower Family” and I love every minute of it,” she said.

Rochford, previously an electronics engineer for more than a decade, became a full-time martial arts and fitness instructor in 2002.

“I love my job,” he said. “I enjoy getting up every day. I don’t make near as much money as I did as an engineer, but when you hit your 40s, you’re willing to trade money for happiness.”

Besides the martial arts and fitness training, Rochford offers home study DVDs and manuals which he sells both nationally and internationally. He also hosts workshops on fitness and martial arts throughout the United States.

He began martial arts and fitness training at age 21.

“After I got out of school, it was something I always wanted to do,” Rochford said. “When I got a full-time job, I had time to do it.”

He had a facility in Sandwich for 18 years before relocating to Yorkville in 2003.

While an engineer “training was a part-time hobby,” Rochford said. “I wasn’t even dreaming I’d ever make it my career.”

He’s glad he made the career path switch.

“I love working out and I love seeing people,” he said.

And there’s a reason he has the word empower in his company name.

“One of the greatest things is to see someone come into the program and start training and watch them become more confident and their self esteem increases,” he said. “I see them transform, and that’s pretty cool.”


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