Fight Your Fight:
Kickboxing Your Way to a New You!
Did you know that kickboxing can revolutionize not only your body, but your life?
An incredible workout, kickboxing is a fun, effective alternative to traditional strength and cardio workouts,
transforming your body composition and overall health. Even more impressive,
kickboxing also has a valuable function as it teaches you to defend yourself,
improves reaction times, balance, and coordination, and empowers you to take charge of your life beyond the gym.
Kickboxing is the workout that won’t quit and it will teach you not to quit, either.
Popularized in the 1990s, kickboxing is a sport based on kicking and punching that is a combination of various types of martial arts and boxing.
There are several different types of kickboxing, with the most common being fighting (contact) kickboxing and fitness kickboxing (sometimes referred to as cardio kickboxing).
Fitness kickboxing can be either contact or non-contact. Equipment is not always necessary,
but depending on the style of kickboxing you are doing, you might find yourself using a punching bag and boxing gloves!
Looking to unleash some stress, in a fun, non-judgmental environment? Maybe you simply want to improve your body composition
and get fitter without being a cardio bunny. Perhaps you are in great shape, but you need a confidence boost?
Or are you looking to improve your reaction time and feel safer? Luckily,
regardless of the category you fall into, kickboxing will satisfy your needs in a dynamic, fun, and high-energy workout atmosphere.
Don’t worry if you are new to exercise; kickboxing offers something to everyone.
Start with shorter, less complicated, non-contact classes (classes will always give recommendations for experience levels).
The first punch you ever throw should not be against someone else!
Additionally, don’t worry if you never want to spar – many lifelong kickboxing lovers have never sparred!
Kickboxing studios often offer classes dedicated to beginners, teaching common combinations and technique for routine moves.
All classes should be scalable to your fitness level, and instructors should accommodate anyone and everyone who wants to join.
If you find that you are in a class that is far too advanced, ask if another teacher offers the classes, or try another studio. Don’t give up!
Kickboxing produces tangible physical results as you shred fat and burn calories with the high intensity
intervals that elevate your heart rate but also allow for active recovery before you boost that heart rate again.
All the while, even though you may not be using weights, you are building strength and toning muscles all over
your body by creating your own resistance. You will be amazed at how exhausting and satisfying punching air can be!
If you are looking for an outlet for pent-up frustrations and stresses, kickboxing might be your answer!
If you are stressed out, kickboxing allows you to unleash your power and release the stressors of the day,
while also instilling a discipline that calms you down and brings you back to center.
Alternatively, if you are struggling to find your voice, kickboxing can empower
you to find your inner worth and confidence in the studio as well as the rest of your life.
Whether you are high strung or super-shy, kickboxing can help you find balance.
One of the few completely functional fitness or exercise practices,
kickboxing teaches participants real self-defense skills while improving balance and reaction times.
If you’ve ever felt physically threatened, kickboxing can help you learn
how to protect yourself on a basic level through daily practice, and there are even self-defense-specific kickboxing classes.
Hopefully, you will never need to use those self-defense skills and will only notice that you are lighter on your feet and more reactive in traffic.
A kickboxing workout consists of a series of moves repeated and strung together. For example, you might start with sets of 8 jabs in time,
then 8 crosses, then 8 jab-cross combinations (a combination is one move performed directly after another).
The instructor will build together a series of moves to create a climax combination, such as jab-cross-hook-uppercut-rest-repeat.
In most fitness or cardio kickboxing classes, participants can expect this both for the upper body and the lower body, and then a full body combination,
with appropriate cardio blast intervals (like jumping jacks or high knees) or rest intervals (such as boxers shuffle) in between.
Any well-created kickboxing classes should also always include a proper warm-up and cool down of at least 5 minutes each.
Kickboxing is taught all over, from commercial gyms to small family-run boxing gyms and even dedicated fitness/cardio kickboxing studios!
But if you are truly strapped for time and don’t have time in your schedule for the class offerings around you,
know that kickboxing is a fantastic option for an at-home workout.
Many awesome kickboxing DVDs and online videos will give you a full-body cardio workout in as little as 15 or 30 minutes.
Just make sure that you have at least an 8-foot-square cleared space in which to work out.
Beyond that, there isn’t much more you will need to get your sweat on.
Whether you need to build confidence or work out some pent-up stress,
looking to lose fat or build muscle, kickboxing will deliver what you need.
You will be able to track how much your fitness improves by your recovery times,
watch your coordination increase in your ability to follow complicated combinations,
and you will be breathing easier when you deal with frustrating or threatening situations.
What are you waiting for?
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