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Would you like a whole body workout that thoroughly kicks butt? How about a means to increasing your stamina, flexibility and strength while being entertained by popular dance songs?

Sounds appealing, does it not? Then read more for some important pointers before you jab your way into the kickboxing excitement.

What Is Kickboxing?

Modern recreational kickboxing was created in the 1970s, when American karate experts established athletic events that permitted full-contact punches and kicks that were disallowed by the karate community.

As a consequence of health and well being issues, protective apparel, padding and security measures were incorporated into the sport throughout the years. Therefore, the distinct forms of competitive kickboxing were born. The different schools of competitive kickboxing are dissimilar in the amount of physical contact, which are allowed amongst the rivals and in the techniques which are used.

Presently, one popular form of kickboxing is called cardiovascular, cardio or aerobic kickboxing. This category of kickboxing blends components of martial arts, boxing, and aerobic exercises to render overall physical fitness, endurance and toning. Separate from other kinds of kickboxing, cardiovascular kickboxing does not require physical contact among the participants. It is, therefore, a cardiovascular workout instead of a martial art.

Cardio-kick classes ordinarily start with about 10 minutes of warm-ups. The warm-up may comprise stretching out and other traditional exercises (i.e., push-ups, lunges and body squats). This is followed by a 30-35 minute high-intensity cardiovascular kickboxing session. Techniques involve movements like kicks, knee strikes, elbow jabs and punches. Some kickboxing teachers may use equipment such as jump ropes, stability balls or heavy bags.

About 5 minutes of cool down and 10 minutes of stretching and muscle conditioning typically succeed the cardiovascular portion of the class. Stretches are actually essential because beginners almost surely strain their muscles. Thus, slow and correct stretching out help loosen the muscles and prevent injuries.

Videos or DVDs are available if you are curious about checking out a cardio kickboxing routine in your home.

The Basics of Kickboxing

Before you determine to jump into and enroll at a class, you ought to keep a few basic ground rules. They are:

* Be aware of your present fitness level.

Kickboxing is a high-intensity, high-impact variety of workout, so it is probably not a good idea to dive in after an extended stint as a couch potato. You could try preparing yourself by taking a low-impact aerobics class or a less physical style of working out. You can then work up to a higher level of endurance. When you begin kickboxing, allow yourself to be a starter by working at your own speed. Do not drain yourself to exhaustion.

* Test it out before you sign up.

If it is at all possible, observe or try a class beforehand to see whether it is right for you. The instructor should be prepared to modify the routine in order to adjust to the different abilities and level of fitness of the participants. Stay away from classes that seem too complex, move too fast or do not provide the opportunity for any 1-on-1 instruction during or after the class.

* Search for a class act.

Look for a teacher who is registered by an organization like the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

Try to start at a stage that suits you and slowly progress to an increasingly intense kickboxing class. Several classes need intermediate levels of fitness and meet two to three times each week.

* Your Comfort is important.

Wear unrestrained, relaxed workout clothes that allow your legs and arms to maneuver easily in all directions. The best footwear is cross-trainers because they allow for side-to-side cushioning. Gloves or hand wraps are from time to time used during class. You can be in a position to buy these at the gym where the classes are held. Call your instructor ahead of time and ask about dress codes and accessories that you will need so that you may be fully prepared for class.

* Slowly Start and avoid overdoing it.

The cornerstone to a good kickboxing drill is precise and controlled movements. You can cripple yourself by kicking too high or locking your legs and arms while performing the moves. You can also pull tendons and muscles and strain your ankles, joints or knees. Start with low lying kicks as you slowly learn appropriate kickboxing methods. This is very important for the beginner, who is more liable to acquire injuries while tackling rapid and intricate kickboxing movements.

* Drink plenty of liquids.

Drink a lot of liquids from the beginning to the end of your class to satisfy your thirst and provide you with enough hydration.

* Communicate with your physician

It is generally a great idea to see your doctor and have a full physical examination before you begin any sort of physical exercise plan especially one with a great deal of aerobic activity such as kickboxing. This is very important if you have any chronic medical conditions like heart murmurs or asthma or if you are highly overweight.

Why Choose Kickboxing?

Besides keeping your body fit, kickboxing has quite a few more advantages. You can burn approximately 350 to 450 calories in one hour with kickboxing, according to a study conducted by the ACSM.

Besides, it also reduces and relieves stress. The vigorous, controlled kicking and punching movements executed with the mastery required for martial arts discipline, can do wonders for emotions of distress and frustration. Perfecting kickboxing moves can also aid to enhance stamina, balance, agility and flexibility.

In addition, kickboxing is a great way to get a total body workout while discovering clear self-defense movements. Kickboxing fans say that the art of kickboxing assists them in feeling more empowered and confident.

So, get out there, and kickbox your way to a healthier you.

Fitness Centers of Rochester NY, Rochester NY Athletic Club for Women and Weight Loss Centers of Rochester provide health and fitness services to its members.

Fifty-eight obese men and women were analyzed for twelve weeks with cardiovascular exercise in a weight loss Australian study. Each person in the study burnt 500 calories per session five times a week. Seven pounds were lost below the anticipated weight loss. Even though they had been working out for close to 60 hours. Twenty-six of the 58 total participants only saw a reduction in weight of 2 pounds in the 12-week period.

Conclusion: the emphasis of cardiovascular exercise on weight loss should be reduced.

Do not misunderstand me. I am not putting down cardiovascular exercises. We all recognize that cardiovascular exercise is good for you. Stress-relief, stronger stamina, lower cholesterol and blood pressure are some of it is benefits. A good balanced diet will help improve your results. But research has shown that (quote) From a public health perspective, cardiovascular exercise should be encouraged and the emphasis on weight loss reduced.(unquote)

Personal trainers, magazines, and health clubs need to stop promoting cardio as the magic formula for weight loss – it isn’t. Do not give in to the cardiovascular trap. If you depend on the calorie burning counters on cardiovascular machines, you are falling for the biggest fraud in fat loss today.

You must not kid yourself into thinking that you can erase the effects of overeating by doing extra cardio exercise. A more reasonable option would be not to eat the second 450 calorie serving of pasta and place your attention on increasing your metabolism with weight training. Instead of stressing your body with monotonous cardio exercises, do away with them. Say NO to cardio.

After you understand and believe just how hard it is to burn fat with only cardiovascular exercise, you will find the whole process of weight loss to be very simple. It is necessary for you to do some prep work – plan your meals ahead of time, map out your strength training workouts so that you are never lost in the middle of it, get your social network or workout partner in place, and be ready for obstacles that you know might come up.

Let’s look at another study that shows the power of the diet. In this study, overweight women and men were placed on a 12-week low-calorie diet. They ended up losing over 36 pounds and 18 times more than the amount of weight lost by some of the participants in the cardiovascular study mentioned above. That just shows you that diet is superior to cardiovascular exercise for weight loss. However, there was a second part to the study worth noteing.

The participants were split into two groups. For 12 months, one group of subjects went on a high-protein diet while the other group went on a high-carbohydrate diet At the end of the 12-month study, both groups on average gained back 4 pounds! Here’s my point: both groups accumulated the same amount of weight. Both diets helped people maintain a large portion of their original weight loss. But only 47% of the 180 subjects who began the study completed both phases. And that’s a lot of dropouts!

Conclusion: dieting is not the challenge, it’s getting people to stick with it that is hard. That’s where planning, finding the right diet that works for you and social support, come into play.

The adage diets do not work is merely an excuse which enables people to avoid dieting outright. The problem actually lies not in the diets but rather in the dieters. Find the right diet for you. Do not forget, even when you have found the proper diet, you will still need to put in hard work and dedication to see results.

Combine this with short well balanced workouts (combination weight training exercises, cardiovascular exercises and stretching). Avoid monotonous, dull, continuous cardiovascular exercises. Only then will the results that you deserve be a reality.

1 Br J Sports Med. 2009 Sep 29. Beneficial effects of exercise: shifting the focus from body weight to other markers of health. King N, Hopkins M, Caudwell P, Stubbs J, Blundell J.

2 Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Sep 30. One-year weight maintenance after significant weight loss in healthy overweight and obese subjects: does diet composition matter? Delbridge EA, Prendergast LA, Pritchard JE, Proietto J.

Rochester Athletic Club NY, Rochester Health Club NY and Rochester Personal Training NY dedicate their services to fitness and health.