A Brief Look At The Benefits Of Kickboxing

We always hear about people not exercising enough and the increase in obesity growing in the West. We all could use to workout more and to be more active in life. This is not always easy to do however. Perhaps your like me and you have tried a ton of different fitness classes to stay motivate and keep fit. Perhaps you even tried the gym scene and that did not work either because they smell and too filled with testosterone. This happen to me as well and I could not find a class that suited my needs. I was looking for a class that had enough intensity so I did not get bored with routine, and also contained a mix of strength, cardio, and ab work. Then one dayl I stumbled on to kickboxing.

I knew shortly after that I had I had found the class or type of workout style that was the best fit for me. Then in less than 4 months I started to see a change in how I felt and how I looked. The benefits became more apparent and as I continued in life and learned more about the human body through workshops and schooling, I realized even more why kickboxing has so many benefits. Below are some examples of the benefits of kickboxing in case you have thought about joining a class or working out on your own in this style.

Cardio – We all know what cardio is, and we know we need it and probably need to do more of it. But nothing is worse than running on a treadmill and feeling like a hamster on a wheel. Or running outside and the different terrain can lead to havoc on your knees and other joints. This is where kickboxing shines. Yes there are skipping ropes but if you cannot jump 1 inch off the ground there are always low impact methods to help you achieve your goal.

What is even better is the cardio involved in kickboxing is almost continuous through the whole class, and includes bursts of interval training thrown in as well. We all know the benefits of interval training on fat loss, so it’s especially nice

Calories - Just above I mentioned Cardio as a good reason to take a class. The next benefit of kickboxing is the amount of calories that a person burns when working out at a moderate intensity based on a average class is very high. Some studies have said a person can burn between 600 and 800 calories per hour. That it makes it one of the highest caloric expenditures v.s many other type fitness classes.

Full body Workout - Anyone who has taking a kickboxing class knows how much a full body workout can be achieved from a kickboxing class, and knows how good kickboxing can strengthen you overall. There is nothing like a full body exercise regime to help shed the extra fat. Why it is so much of a full body routine you ask? Well your lower body is used in movements, squats, kicks. Glutes, lower back and obliques get used with all those kicks and the many rotation based movements. Upper body used in punches of course, however don’t forget about all the extra push ups and core stabilization used during the class. In the end you get an amazing full body workout that keeps your metabolism revved up long after the workout is completed.

Core Development – You can’t be good at kickboxing unless you a good core. Every time you kick, punch, balance on one foot or whatever you are may be doing. Most of it originates from the core or is a responsive of core stabilization that is allows the move to be performed. The good thing about kick box class is you are developing your core nearly the whole time and then most class finish with even more ab and core development before stretching.

Relief stress - By working out you feel good and it is nice to punch things

Meet People - What a great way to have an hour or so to yourself and meet other people who have similar taste as you.

Improve posture – Stretching and better muscle definition helps with posture but it is also the improvement in self esteem

Build bone density - Much like any training done on earth, there is going to be an increase in density from the positive stress placed on the joints.

Improves mood - Working out causes a release of endorphins – These peptides are natural in your body and help you feel better

Learn to kick butt! - Unless you’re going to one of those classes where all you do is kick or punch a standing bag every class, you will even learn some self defence that could come in handy one day if needed.