Kickboxing is a full-body workout that works almost every muscle group in your core, arms, legs and back. According to a 2014 study published in Muscles Ligaments Tendons Journal, participants who engaged in kickboxing three times weekly for one hour at each session experienced increased muscle strength in both their upper and lower bodies.
Increased Strength and Endurance
Kickboxing provides both strength and cardiovascular training in one sport, helping build leg muscles as well as upper-torso strength. The constant movement associated with kickboxing exercises like jumping, running, shuffles and punches builds endurance as well. Many who attend kickboxing classes report improved core stability as well as stronger hips and shoulders.
Kickboxing can help to maximize metabolic stress through high intensity training with short bursts of intense activity followed by active recovery. Work:rest intervals are tailored throughout a training programme to optimize general endurance and power; longer rest periods may also help optimise muscle endurance (4,6).
Kickboxing sessions typically last 10 minutes and begin with a good warmup routine consisting of moves like alternating high knees, side-to-side shuffles, jogging in place, inchworms and jumping rope. This method gradually raises both heart rate and body temperature in preparation for an intensive workout regimen involving strenuous movements like kickboxing. However, before embarking on any new exercise regime it is always wise to consult your physician first.
Boosted Energy
Kickboxing is a high-intensity workout that engages nearly every muscle group, burning calories quickly. By eating healthily prior to and following class and taking time for stretching properly afterwards, this could even become an effective method for weight loss.
Kickboxing classes stand out as being fun strength-training workouts that don’t feel monotonous or tedious; with upbeat music and routines designed to increase heart rates, kickboxing can help reduce stress while leaving you more energized throughout your day.
Kickboxing is an anaerobic exercise that requires repetitive punching movements combined with short rest intervals. Although kickboxing training may result in muscle soreness, take comfort knowing this is only temporary as your body adapts and builds muscle! As you continue participating in kickboxing training, your anaerobic capacity increases through increased intensity and duration of workouts.
Reduced Risk of Injury
An effective kickboxing session requires much coordination, particularly due to the fast footwork and hand strikes involved in kickboxing. Regular practice of kickboxing will improve coordination over time and decrease injury risks.
Strength training also has another advantage – it can prevent injuries before they arise. For example, kickboxing workouts often irritate knees and ankles, but adding in exercises such as jump squats or compound resistance exercises like man makers to your routine may strengthen those muscles to lessen stress on joints.
Interval training can mimic the nonstop nature of kickboxing and help fighters adjust to working at high intensity for short bursts, followed by brief recovery periods (4,15). High intensity interval sessions should be tailored specifically to an individual and tapered off as the kickboxing competition date approaches (4,16). Furthermore, weight training sessions focusing solely on pure power are recommended prior to kickboxing so as to complement performance rather than detract from it by creating fatigue (4,16).
Increased Confidence
Kickboxing’s repetitive nature can help build confidence as your skills advance, while HIIT workouts increase endurance so you can complete everyday tasks more effortlessly.
Kickboxing exercises also target specific muscle groups to enhance your self-defense abilities. For instance, kickboxing strengthens quadriceps muscles for improved jumping and kicking abilities as well as core stability by engaging obliques, spinal erectors, and hips during each bout.
Studies have demonstrated the benefits of kickboxing on anxiety and depression while increasing feelings of control and accomplishment. Furthermore, its disciplined training environment can teach individuals to set goals and meet them consistently.
Strength training modalities such as multijoint lifts can be particularly advantageous to kickboxers as they promote type II muscle fiber recruitment and enhance the triple extension mechanism required to deliver powerful techniques (14). A low repetition range with multiple sets per exercise and sufficient interset rest periods is advised in order to achieve optimal strength gains (15,16).
My passion for martial arts goes beyond practice; it is a philosophy that shapes my writing, bringing a distinctive edge to my narratives and advice. I hold black belts in two martial arts disciplines and have competed internationally, experiences that enrich my storytelling with authenticity and excitement.