Introduction
Kickboxing fitness is a workout program that utilizes techniques, movements, and combinations of movements from boxing, karate, kickboxing, and self-defense training. The versatility and flexibility of this type of program provides an exercise routine that can potentially be tailored to a variety of specific goals!
Kickboxing fitness workouts can be designed to be safe and effective training routines for participants who may have a broad range of experience, skills, physical conditioning, levels of function, abilities and capabilities. ‘Safe’ is defined as avoidance of acute and prevention of chronic injury. ‘Effective’ is defined as experiencing the most benefit, based on specific, defined participant goals and objectives.
Kickboxing fitness training is not intended to develop Fighters or Black Belts! The goal is to provide safe workouts in which each movement is fully utilized, to positively stress the body and achieve the desired exercise program objectives and goals for the individual participant.
Competitive Fight and Self-Defense Training Vs. Kickboxing Fitness Training
Goals for a fitness /exercise activity utilizing boxing, kickboxing and martial arts techniques are very different from competitive fighter and/or self-defense training.
Competitive fight and self-defense training are primarily concerned with teaching a participant how to move and deliver various strikes with the greatest potential power and speed – in a repetitive manner. The goal is to out-point, knock out or physically destroy (for self-defense) an opponent! The development of speed and power in technique execution, for a fighter, is important. Concern for safety (defined as preventing injury resulting from improper technique execution) and health (defined as preventing disease through physical activity) is not the goal for the competitive fighter or self-defense training.
Designing & Structuring Your Personal Kickboxing Fitness Program
Like any other fitness training program, kickboxing fitness training should be designed according to proven fitness principles, to ensure the safest and most effective workout routines, providing you with the best chance to achieve your specific goals. The following are a few important Principles.
FITT Principle
The FITT principle is an acronym that represents:
- Frequency – how often an exercise routine should be performed (typically stated in ‘workouts/week’).
- Intensity – how strenuous a workout should be.
- Time – the duration of each workout session.
- Type – type of exercise that will achieve your specific goals.
Determining what is “right” for you depends on your current fitness level, your specific goals, other fitness activities you are currently involved in, and much more. It would be wise to consult with a professional fitness trainer to establish a plan for this Principle.
Specificity Principle
The Specificity principle states that your body changes according to how you train. To improve:
- Muscle conditioning, you must perform resistance training.
- Cardio fitness, you must perform cardio-based exercise.
- Body composition (lose fat and/or gain muscle), you must perform a combination of specific exercises
- Balance, you must perform exercises that challenge the ability to maintain static or dynamic balance.
You get the “drift” – your workout regimen must be designed and performed in ‘specific’ ways!
Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is the act of gradually increasing the demands or intensity of an exercise routine. Start with what is “easy” for you and gradually make it more difficult. It would be wise to consult with a professional fitness trainer to help establish a starting point and plan your exercise program progressions.
These are the 3 basic exercise science principles that you should understand and that will help you safely and effectively participate in a kickboxing fitness workout program. And you should always check with your doctor before starting a new fitness program!
There are many aspects of health and fitness that can potentially improve through kickboxing fitness including cardiovascular function, muscular function, flexibility, coordination, agility, reaction time, balance, brain health/cognitive function, emotional and mental health. Following is an initial list and descriptions of the many fitness components that can be included in and improved through participation in a professionally designed kickboxing fitness program.
Training Components for Your Kickboxing/Boxing Fitness Program
Cardiovascular Conditioning
Cardiovascular conditioning is achieved through the repetitive performance of physical movement that elevates your heart rate. kickboxing training is typically promoted as super high intensity workouts – but the training intensity can be easily designed and/or modified, based on your needs (safety and effectiveness):
- Aerobic cardiovascular function (low to moderate intensity for cardiovascular endurance),
- Anaerobic cardiovascular function (high intensity for cardiovascular power).
Cardio workouts can be performed as:
- Steady state – continuous activity at low to moderate intensity levels for long duration, or
- Interval training – high intensity work & low intensity rest time periods based on your fitness levels.
Muscular Conditioning
Conditioning for muscle function (stabilization, endurance, strength, and power) is improved and maintained by performing movements against a resistance (a force opposing the movement). Resistance can be applied against any kickboxing movement pattern. Some examples of resistance include:
- Using elastic bands to resist movements (this resistance is called ‘Continuous”),
- Wearing training gloves, wearing shoes when kicking, striking equipment (heavy bags, focus pads, etc. – this resistance is called ‘Sudden Impact’).
Kickboxing fitness requires the body’s muscles to control joint movements in a wide range of ‘unique’ directions and angles, making a workout more functional than traditional exercise movement patterns.
Overall muscle conditioning is more “complete” due to the application of resistance against a variety of joint movement patterns, which better prepares and conditions your body for life’s daily activities!
The type of muscle conditioning is influenced by manipulation of various training variables, including (but not limited to):
- Load – the amount of resistance that is opposing the movement
- Load Application – The direction the resistance force is applied, relative to the movement direction
- Does the resistance force oppose the movement directly (example: performing a punch while holding an elastic band that is anchored directly behind your shoulder)?
- Does the resistance force oppose the movement indirectly (example: performing a punch while holding a 5 lb. dumbbell or while holding an elastic band anchored higher, lower or to the side of the punching arm’s shoulder)?
- # of Repetitions – how many repetitions can be performed before muscle fatigue is experienced.
- Repetition Cadence – how fast each repetition is performed; power training requires fast movements.
- # of Sets performed of each drill/activity
- Rest between sets
- Joint positions (joints that are directly and indirectly involved in the movements)
- Type of resistance (gravity-dependent, non-gravity dependent, inertia, continuous/sudden, etc.)
Flexibility – Dynamic and Static
Due to the nature of kickboxing movement patterns, dynamic and static flexibility for the whole body is enhanced. The wide variety of movement patterns require muscles to be stretched through the full range of joint motion.
Dynamic flexibility is best performed during the warm-up segment of your workout. Start with movements performed “slowly” (gradually increasing in speed) in:
- Small range of motion (gradually progressing to full range of motion), and
- Short lever movements (gradually progressing to long lever movements)
Example – warm up for a Front Kick executed from a Fighter’s Stance
- Step 1 – Rotate the shoulders & hips while pivoting on both feet (slow to fast)
- Step 2 – Rotate shoulders & hips, pivot feet and execute a rear leg knee strike (slow to fast)
- Step 3 – Repeat Step 2 but change the Knee strike to a front kick at ankle level target (slow to fast)
- Step 4 – Repeat Step 3 but execute the front kick at knee level target (slow to fast)
- Continue the progression to a kicking height that would be dictated by the individual’s ability.
Static flexibility is best performed at the end of a workout, during the cool down segment. This involves moving a joint into a position where it is extended to the point where muscle tension (NOT pain) is felt. That position should be held for a period – if the ‘hold’ time is short (15 to 45 seconds) do more than 1 stretching rep. Static stretching is more effective if the stretch is held for 60 to 90 seconds.
Part 2 (Click here) of this 2-Part article continues listing and describing the numerous fitness components that can be included in and improved through kickboxing fitness training.
Remember, “One Body, One Life, One Choice!”