Kickboxing Components of Wellness

Kickboxing is a relatively broad term used to describe both cardiovascular workouts and a highly competitive contact sport. No matter which style of kickboxing workout you include as part of your training regimen, you can improve your physical and mental well-being by burning calories, building muscle, increasing confidence and relieving stress.

  1. Workouts

    • If you're looking to burn some calories and relieve stress built up in the office, a cardio kickboxing class might work well for you. Cardio kickboxing is a non-contact workout that simulates techniques used by fighters to work up a sweat and improve fitness. To kick it up a notch, training for competitive kickboxing involves a combination of strength and conditioning with bag work and sparring to create well-oiled striking machines.

    Health Benefits

    • The number of calories you'll burn with a kickboxing workout depends entirely on your effort and the pace you keep up. A study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise confirmed the benefits of kickboxing, stating it may help you burn around 400 calories per hour. Ancillary benefits of kickboxing training include improved reflexes, coordination, agility, endurance and cardiovascular fitness.

    Psychological Benefits

    • Training regularly in kickboxing or any other martial art can have significant and immediate benefits for your mental state. Regular practice often leads to decreased stress, tension and anxiety. It isn't completely understood why kickboxing and other intense workouts lead to these positive changes, but the trend is real. Interestingly, having a supportive, respected and inspiring instructor may be more influential on your psychological health than the act of kickboxing on its own.

    Injury Risk

    • Training for competitive kickboxing can be intense and stressful on your bones, joints and head. You're going to absorb strikes in sparring and put pressure on your joints and bones while making contact with heavy bags. But even cardio kickboxing carries some risks. Strains are the most common type of injury you're likely to incur in a cardio kickboxing class, but you need to be cautious and rest when you need to.