The Unexpected Benefits of Kickboxing
Kickboxing is one of the top fitness trends of 2021, and it is definitely here to stay. This high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout will leave you feeling breathless, sweaty, and invincible, no matter what your fitness level is!
But there is so much more to kickboxing than punching, kicking, and getting your sweat on. Before we dive into the unexpected benefits of kickboxing, let’s get to know what kickboxing is all about and why you should try it today.
Kickboxing 101
Kickboxing is a form of martial arts, combined with combative sport principles. When it is done for exercise it is performed in a non-contact environment. This means you are practicing your kicks and punches with punching bags, weighted bags, and hand pads instead of with a workout partner. This keeps both of you feeling healthy and injury-free.
Over time and with practice, you can learn how to move quickly and efficiently, allowing you to punch and kick harder and more powerfully. The key is to learn proper footwork, coordination, and balance while developing your cardiovascular endurance and full-body strength.
There are gyms all over the world that specialize in kickboxing classes in either a group or in a one-on-one setting. Both options will provide a great workout environment. What you decide to do depends more on your preference. Do you want one-on-one training or do you prefer the high energy of a group setting?
In a 45 minute class, you can typically burn between 350-400 calories, depending on your age, gender, and level of intensity during the workout. Obviously, the harder you push, the greater the burn.
In as little as two weeks, you will without a doubt begin to notice the more obvious benefits of kickboxing: ¹
Improved whole body aerobic power and endurance;
Improved anaerobic fitness;
Improved muscular power;
Improved agility and flexibility; and
Weight loss. ²
The great thing about kickboxing is it truly involves both the upper and lower body. Your arms need to be just as strong and powerful as your legs.
It will help you get in shape for summer, train for a 5k, get you ready for your week-long backpacking trip, or for whatever your fitness goals are. But kickboxing does so much more than make you more fit.
It prepares you for whatever life throws at you.
Kickboxing will help you develop self-defense and confidence in being able to protect yourself if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to defend yourself.
It improves your overall wellness and quality of life.
With the discipline of martial arts weaved into kickboxing, you learn the meaning of lifelong wellness. You will find yourself always striving to be better, more efficient, smoother, and stronger in your movements. With practice and time, the ability to set goals and to strive for more can translate to other areas of your life.
And, as you set and achieve your goals, you will be able to do more, feel better, and have an overall better quality of life. ³
It will improve your balance. ³
Through a focus on footwork, weight shifting, quickly transitioning from side to side, your balance will improve as you practice in your kickboxing classes. Having better balance translates to fewer falls, ankle sprains, and other injuries.
Compared to a lot of other gym workouts and fitness classes, kickboxing never gets boring!
The same old gym routines and fitness classes can become repetitive and boring over time. But with kickboxing, you are constantly learning new movements and techniques, perfecting old ones, and evolving over time.
Kickboxing also provides a great option for cross-training. It is important to intermittently change up your routine and surprise your body so that it won’t plateau.
If you’d like to try or add kickboxing classes to your fitness routine, look into your local Farrell’s today to get all of your questions answered!
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