Kickboxing Vs. Karate for Losing Weight

Besides the psychological benefits regular martial arts training will give you, karate and kickboxing are both effective aerobic workouts that can help you lose weight, build muscle and increase cardiovascular and muscular endurance. Since karate and kickboxing are so similar, it can be difficult to ascertain which art will help you lose more weight. Weight loss shouldn't be your only concern when choosing the right martial art, so evaluate each for their relative benefits before making a decision on which is right for you.

  1. Calories Burned

    • Taking into account calorie-burn calculations from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, MayoClinic.com and Harvard Health Publications, martial arts training such as karate, kickboxing, judo, taekwondo and jiu-jitsu can help you burn between 600 and 1,100 calories per hour. How much weight you shed depends on how intense your training is and how much effort you're putting in. The number of calories you'll burn in karate and kickboxing is similar to running at a fast clip of 8 mph.

    Karate Training Structure

    • What kind of training you're going to get varies from dojo to dojo, but karate training may be less intense than kickboxing training from a cardiovascular standpoint. In addition to fitness exercises and striking techniques, karate practitioners often round out their training with joint locks, traditional forms and self-defense seminars. These technique-based classes are unlikely to burn a significant amount of calories, but they will encourage confidence, focus and discipline in self-defense situations.

    Kickboxing Training Structure

    • Kickboxing can range from an ultracompetitive contact sport to an invigorating cardio class at your local gym. Kickboxing relives stress, strengthens your heart and reduces blood pressure. Cardio kickboxing will force you to expend a lot of energy, but the amount of calories you'll burn depends on the effort you put in. You won't burn as many calories hitting the bag as you will in sparring, for example.

    Risks and Rewards

    • Martial arts training can lead to injuries, even if you're only practicing for weight loss. A 2005 study conducted by the University of Manitoba found that injury rates in the martial arts varied from style to style. Sparring and competition will burn more calories than shadow boxing, bag work and traditional forms, but the higher impact of the exercise is more stressful on your body. Martial arts training can be dangerous, but it's safer than many other sports, and the benefits should outweigh the risks for most. If your only goal is weight loss, exercises such as swimming, jogging and cycling are lower-impact options.