Kickboxing is a contact sport that combines elements of martial arts and traditional boxing. A closely related noncontact exercise, called cardio or aerobic kickboxing, uses kickboxing motions as part of an aerobics routine. Cardio kickboxing can provide a variety of health benefits. However, it also requires substantial stamina and exercise experience, and is not particularly well-suited for beginning or lapsed exercisers.
Benefits
Cardio kickboxing is an intense activity that provides a full-body workout and improves your aerobic fitness, flexibility and strength, according to the American Council on Exercise. In addition, performance of the moves required during cardio kickboxing can significantly improve your balance and coordination and hone your body's reflexes. If you're looking for an exercise that will help you lose weight, be aware that most people in a kickboxing class burn through anywhere from 350 to 450 calories during each individual exercise session.
Physical Demands
Even at the introductory level, a kickboxing class requires more strength, endurance and flexibility than most types of exercise, according to the American Council on Exercise. In addition, most classes don't introduce you to these demands gradually, but rather make you adapt to the current set pace. For these reasons, anyone considering kickboxing needs to have considerable exercise experience and strong overall capabilities. Kickboxing also requires the use of proper form in a series of fairly complex movements and movement combinations.
Observing a Class
If you have the chance, observe any kickboxing class in person before you sign up. That way, you can see for yourself whether or not the class exceeds your physical capabilities or desired exercise intensity. You can also see if all people in the class work at the same intensity, or are allowed to work at their own pace. In addition to observing, make sure the class instructor has training in martial arts, as well as fitness training from an accredited organization such as ACE or the Academy of Applied Personal Training Education. This type of certification means the instructor has learned to work effectively in one-on-one and group training.
Considerations
Talk to your doctor before starting any type of kickboxing program. The demands of a kickboxing routine can easily cause problems for people with diabetes, asthma or certain other chronic health conditions. Kickboxing can also be problematic if you're significantly overweight. ACE recommends that even experienced exercisers begin a kickboxing program at a relatively low intensity and increase the rigors of their routine as they become used to kickboxing's physical requirements.
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