Kickboxing Fitness & Weight Loss Program

When performed as a fitness and weight loss program, kickboxing provides a full-body workout that targets both improvements in cardiovascular endurance and muscular toning.

In addition, regularly performing a kickboxing exercise routine works all major muscle groups in a fun and energetic way and improves balance, coordination, flexibility and self-confidence.

Kickboxing is a combination of boxing, martial arts and aerobics, and encompasses a large variety of exercise types so the chances of getting bored are slim. While the workouts may be quite enjoyable and diverse, they are also very effective at providing a total-body workout that not only burns a reasonable number of calories, but tones the muscles as well.

The number of calories burned per exercise session varies according to your weight, intensity level, duration of your exercise session and types of exercises performed.

In general, you should expect to burn between 275 to 450 calories per each 30-minute session performed.

Types of Movements

Kickboxing weight loss programs incorporate movements from boxing, martial arts and aerobics. Some examples of the types of movements you can expect to perform when kickboxing are punches, kicks and jumps. These types of movements are performed in a series of sequences and drills, and in some cases on a punching bag.

Kickboxing fitness and weight loss programs tend to be a bit more advanced than some other exercise types, so it might not be the best choice for those who have physical limitations or are significantly out-of-shape. Kickboxing is a very vigorous activity and can be frustrating for those who do not have a good range of motion or a fair level of cardiovascular endurance.

Targeted Muscles

Kickboxing requires the use of all the muscle groups associated with the upper and lower body, including the core area. The legs become more toned and defined through the kicks and jumping movements. The core and torso area of the body is conditioned through the requirements to rotate, bend and support all movements and sequences that are performed. The back, shoulders and arms are conditioned through the movements that require punching and blocking.

This type of total-body approach works out the body fairly uniformly and produces a well-rounded set of results. The balance of exercise movements and sequences also makes kickboxing an effective exercise type for raising the heart rate, improving cardiovascular endurance and burning calories.

In order to perform several of the movements and sequences required in a kickboxing exercise routine, an individual must have a reasonable level of flexibility. As such, stretching is an important component of a kickboxing routine. This requirement leads to an improvement in muscle, ligament and tendon flexibility, and not only decreases the risk of pulled or strained muscles, but improves blood and oxygen flow as well.

Aerobic Effect

Individuals can achieve a very intense aerobic effect through the practice of kickboxing. Kickboxing works all of the major muscle groups of the body, increases the heart rate, increases oxygen intake requirements, and is an excellent choice in conditioning the entire cardiovascular system.

The large number and diverse combination of muscle groups worked together in kickboxing produces a high caloric expenditure value. Kickboxing is one of the more sweaty, intense and exhaustive exercise types when compared to many of the other cardiovascular exercise routines.

Required Equipment

The equipment required to participate in a kickboxing fitness and weight loss program varies depending on the format and type of kickboxing class. In most kickboxing class settings, the majority of the equipment should be provided for you. However, you should plan on wearing cool, dry, unrestrictive clothing. In addition, you should also plan on bringing along a pair of kickboxing gloves, a water bottle and a small towel.

If you are going to practice kickboxing at home, you can pick up a DVD/VHS-based program relatively cheaply. You will need to purchase a firm floor mat. Many of the home kickboxing exercise programs require that you purchase a punching bag, so you will need to allocate space for that as well.

Benefits

Kickboxing is a great way to tone your entire body and achieve an excellent cardiovascular workout. Kickboxing is a very intense, vigorous exercise type, so you will need to plan on bringing a high level of motivation and intensity to each workout. In addition, kickboxing offers a large variety of movements and sequences that many individuals find fun and engaging. By performing an exercise type that is diverse and incorporates a wide range of movements, your probability of sticking with the program improves dramatically.

A 150 pound person practicing kickboxing for 30 minutes per session can expect to burn between 325 and 450 calories. In many cases, this amount of calories will comprise around one-quarter of that person's daily caloric intake. This being the case, kickboxing is a highly effective addition to almost anyone's weight loss program.

Participating in an activity like kickboxing does more than just tone your muscles and work your cardiovascular system. Students must work on stretches to effectively and safely perform the workouts, so flexibility improves while participating in kickboxing. Kickboxing also helps improve balance and agility, making other activities easier to perform and injuries from muscle strains and falls less likely.

Kickboxing is also a fun activity. Many people enjoy it for the martial arts aspect without the dogma that comes with traditional forms. It is a very active, vigorous activity, and the individuals that participate are usually very enthusiastic and energetic. This attitude can be very contagious and helps motivate others to continue participating.

For all these reasons, kickboxing is an effective weight loss program that delivers solid results. While kickboxing is enjoyable, it's also very challenging as well. However, by continually challenging your body to perform movements that are increasingly difficult, true gains in your overall level of conditioning and fitness are achieved in a relatively short period of time.

For individuals that enjoy a fairly aggressive exercise routine that will continually challenge their overall fitness level, improve their coordination and balance, strengthen their cardiovascular system and tone their entire body, a kickboxing exercise program is worth considering.