Kickboxing is a great way to mix up your workout routine and have tons of fun! But maybe you’ve never done kickboxing before and you’re not sure what all it involves or how to do it correctly. So here are some answers to a few potential questions you may have:
Is kickboxing really a good workout?
Kickboxing is a great cardio workout. It burns tons of calories, helps build lean muscle, increases fat burning, all while improving your cardiovascular fitness and endurance. But just like any workout, you get what you put in…so don’t hold back!
Do I need to buy gloves?
NO! No equipment is necessary to get great results with kickboxing. You can enhance your workout by adding weighted gloves, but you can always up the intensity by squatting lower or punching with more power instead.
What if it’s too hard?
Beginners may need a few classes to get the hang of it, but it won’t take long to catch on. Most moves are low-impact and easy to modify to fit your specific abilities. The movements in kickboxing activate many muscles in your body that you never use, so expect to feel that awesome post-workout soreness!
Will the instructor teach me how to do it?
YES! As long as you follow the instructors lead, you will be fine. But here are a few terms to be familiar with before you go:
- Boxer’s Stance: Stand with feet hip-width apart and staggered, knees slightly bent, shoulders down, and chin in a cage (chin up with elbows by sides and fists on either side of it). Stay light on the balls of your feet.
- Jab: Start in a boxer’s stance, and punch your lead arm out at shoulder level in front of you, while shifting weight to the ball of your front foot; immediately return to start.
- Hook: From a boxer’s stance, bring your front elbow out to the side at shoulder level and swing your fist forward, in an arc, while pivoting your front foot in the same direction, as if you were trying to hit someone in the cheek in front of you.
- Upper Cut: From a boxer’s stance, dip down on your front side, leading with your shoulder, bring front elbow behind you, and then punch up with your fist, while thrusting your hips forward, as if you were hitting someone in the stomach in front of you.
- Speedbag: Lift your arms in front of you, with elbows out to sides, and move both fists in a small, circular motion as fast as you can, while shuffling back and forth from one foot to the other.
- Front kick: Keeping chin in a cage, lift one foot off the floor, lean back slightly, and then bring lifted knee up to hip level in front of you, and kick forward with flexed foot; reverse back to start.
- Roundhouse kick: From a boxer’s stance, lean back onto your rear leg with body and back toes facing the same direction, lift front knee out to side, and then kick front leg in a circular motion in front of you, with toes pointed.
Try our Kickboxing class
Tuesdays 5:00-5:45PM
References:
https://gethealthyu.com/get-started-kickboxing/
http://www.activelynorthwest.com/fitness/know-go-kickboxing-101/