Kickboxing is a group fitness class that combines martial arts with various cardio and strength training routines. It is an ideal training format for those who want to get fit quickly.
But, first things first!!
What should be your fitness level when you start kickboxing? A straight answer would be that it doesn’t really matter. From being ultra-fit to sedentary, anyone can be a kickboxer. But, what you do need is a good coach who can properly assess your health and fitness level to slot you into the program that you are most suited for. A high level of training could injure you if you aren’t already fit, and a low paced training for an ultra-fit individual might be a put-off as it is not challenging enough. A very dangerous situation would be to encourage a medically unfit individual to start practicing kickboxing which could result in serious health complications.
So look for a good coach who is certified and experienced. It is not easy to find one. To be a Kickboxing coach, the person needs to be a Certified Martial Arts Trainer and also a Certified Group Fitness / Personal Trainer. Look for a coach who has NCCA (US) Accredited Certification, such as those from esteemed institutions like ACE and NASM. Also carefully review his Martial Arts background and certification.
Once you have found a good coach and your health and fitness level has been ascertained, you are ready to start your kickboxing program. You can now expect huge health benefits from pursuing it. So, let’s take a closer look at a few of these benefits:
Increased Strength / Speed / Stamina
I call these the ‘3S’ of Kickboxing. You can be rest assured that a proper kickboxing program would include strength training and a fairly intense cardio workout. Needless to say, a kickboxing class is a high calorie consumer i.e. you will lose weight if you combine this program with a healthy diet. If your diet isn’t very healthy, chances are you will not loose weight but progressively gain strength and speed.
Positive Mental Health
Kickboxing is a great stress buster. And I don’t mean simply venting your frustration kicking a bag. It’s a lot deeper and scientific than that! Due to the intense nature of the workout, the body secretes various good hormones. The feeling after every session is one of achievement, fulfillment and a job well done. In marathon jargon, this feeling is often called a “runners high”. In short, Kickboxing is a great confidence builder and a positive mental health motivator. So if you are depressed, try Kickboxing before any medication!
Skill and Self Defence
Kickboxing is not just a workout. It’s also a skill. All said and done, a good Kickboxing coach is teaching you the essentials of combat. Over time, a high level of “martial” skill is acquired through regular practice of kickboxing. The techniques learnt can be easily used to defend one when faced with threat of physical harm. Acquiring Self-defence skills is therefore a part and parcel of any good kickboxing program.
There are many more benefits, but creating an exhaustive list is not the objective here. What this article hopes to achieve is to motivate the reader into identifying and signing up for a good kickboxing program.
Let this be one of the New Year Resolution’s that actually works! Your health comes first. Happy Kickboxing!