Fem Wrestlers: Would Kick Boxing Enhance Your Workout?

It’s all the rave. Kick Boxing for fitness that is.

At the great health and exercise site besthealthmag.ca, they express, “With women’s boxing now a sport in the Summer Olympics, more and more women are getting into the ring. Find out what makes kick boxing such an amazing workout for women. Combining martial arts techniques and heart-pumping cardio, kickboxing is a high-energy workout that is guaranteed to burn calories and fat.”

As a female athlete, you no doubt have a strong fitness program, but have you ever considered kick boxing as an enhancement?

If you are interested, let’s turn our attention to a guest writer who shares why he feels it would be beneficial for you.

The Health Benefits Of Kickboxing For Women

By Satvik Mittal

Martial arts like kickboxing are popular as self-defense strategies. Nevertheless, the benefits are not confined to self-protection alone. Kickboxing combines boxing maneuvers with cardio elements to give you a full-body workout. It harmonizes the body, mind and soul. The holistic approach renders it an effective fitness program for men, women and children.

This article sheds light on the health benefits of kickboxing for women.

Self Defense:

The self-defense aspect is the biggest bonus for women. Given the increasing rate of crimes against women, learning how to defend oneself in dangerous situations has become important. This ability empowers women and allows her to go about her daily activities fearlessly.

Stress relief:

Often, when angry, sad or stressed, you may have noticed that shedding a few tears offers relief. Many of us are not aware that crying is therapeutic; it has cathartic effects. The same is with kickboxing. It provides a healthy vent for stress, anger and aggression. The boxing activity releases endorphins. These feel good chemicals help alleviate stress and relieve depression. Healthy stress levels improve mental clarity and better mood. It enhances sleep. It also improves concentration and focus.

Weight loss:

This combination of cardio and martial arts techniques guarantees weight loss. It revs up metabolism prompting the body to burn calories at a faster rate. Instructors claim that the activity burns between 450 and 750 calories in an hour. For better weight loss results, kickboxing should be combined with other aerobic exercises such as walking or jogging or equipment such as conditioning drills and jump ropes.

Improves cardiovascular health:

When it comes to getting rid of belly fat, aerobic exercises are better than resistance training. Kickboxing is included in the first group. It gets rid of fat sitting in the stubborn areas especially belly fat. In doing so, it reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiac problems and specific types of cancer. It also regulates blood pressure levels.

Stabilizes energy levels:

Kickboxing demands a lot of energy. However, in return, it also stabilizes energy levels. It builds endurance and stamina. The initial classes are exhausting, but gradually you will observe how this martial arts form bolsters energy levels. Other physical benefits include increased strength and flexibility and better co-ordination and balance.

Tones the muscles:

Although a kickboxing workout does not incorporate resistance bands and weights, it helps build muscle. It trains and strengthens them. The exercise movements engage core muscle groups in the body. It works on the back, the waist, legs and arms.

On the whole, kickboxing boosts confidence. It makes you look good, feel good and allows you to live healthy. Not only this, you make a lot new friends at class.

You can look up the internet for kickboxing classes in Nottingham or kickboxing classes in Derby. Gyms and Fitness facilities also offer kickboxing classes. Workouts last for 30-60 minutes on an average. You may train with another person or equipment such as a punching bag, jump rope, speed bag and plyometric blocks.

Thanks so much Satvik. We’ve just scratched the surface, but we can sure see the benefits.

Now that you are excited about your kick boxing journey, hold that enthusiastic thought because we will come back to it.

For now though, let’s look at a few precautions you might want to consider, and most importantly apply, before you begin your kick boxing journey.

Take it away Doug.

Common Kick-Boxing Mistakes

By Doug Setter

Just when I think that I am an old martial artist has-been, I see things that say otherwise. Like the young guys, with all of the fancy gym wear, who thrown these ridiculously slow roundhouse kicks at the heavy punching bag. Before you get your head handed to you in a match or scuffle please:

Keep your hands up. A good boxer or puncher can step inside of your kick and knock you o-u-t out, when you drop your hands.
Kick a lighter bag around 40 pounds. Something with give. I was constantly going to a chiropractor when training heavy and, 30 years later, I still get hip problems.
Work the bag, do not let the bag work you. Kick and punch to develop your hitting power. Do not just keep hitting the heavy bag until exhaustion. You will just get sloppy.
If your coach is not watching you, try not to train to exhaustion. When you get too tired. You get sloppy. Sloppy practice makes sloppy technique. While you have to be able to train while under stress or fatigue, make sure that you are not making sloppy mistakes. I used to train wrong for weeks and then have to untrain myself. Better to train less properly than too much improperly.
Avoid over-training. You will know when you cannot sleep well, have a poor appetite and an accelerated heart rate. Underweight, skinny guys take note.
Train patiently. The whole idea of martial arts is to develop the person. When you train intelligently, consistently and patiently, you will make more progress. The guy who is in a big hurry to just “bust heads” always takes longer.
Practice some humility. The genuine martial artists do not strut around town with “cage fighter” t-shirts and attitudes to boot. The skinny guy will just attract the attention of bullies and the blow-hard will get taken down a notch or two. I have met world-class martial artists who do not flaunt their abilities. (One 19 year old insisted that he had won 48 bare knuckle matches. He also failed a simple fitness test, so it makes you wonder.)
Nail down one technique at a time. Some methods, like Hapkido, practice dozens of kicks and hand strikes every session. This works after a couple of years. I found that becoming proficient at a couple of punches put me ahead of most other beginners. One good technique beats a dozen sloppy ones.
If you are going to train, TRAIN. I get tired of the guy claiming to train 3 hours a day, when he mostly hangs around the gym flapping his gums. Have fun, socialize, but get some serious training in.
Jogging is not road work. Road work, as described by champion grappler, Matt Furey, is running while imagining that you are fighting. If kick-boxing, practice punches while running. If too many people are around, practice footwork and wind sprints. Kick-boxing matches are not at the jogging intensity.
Most of all, enjoy your training. If you do not like the workouts, try something else. Just remember that professionalism does not come easy.

Doug Setter holds a Bachelor’s of Food and Nutrition. He has served as a paratrooper and U.N. Peacekeeper, has completed 5 full marathons and climbed Mt. Rainier. He held a welterweight kick-boxing title at age 40. He consults clients in alcohol reduction, stomach-flattening, kick-boxing and nutrition. He is the author of Stomach Flattening, Reduce Your Alcohol Craving and One Less Victim. Visit his website: http://www.2ndwindbodyscience.com

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Opening feature photo: Requiem Productions, Flickr.com photo,

Sources: brainyquote.com, Wikipedia, fciwomenswrestling2.com, FCI Elite Competitor, photos thank you Wikimedia Commons.

Photo: http://79.170.40.39/activityproject.co.uk/box-er-cise/?doing_wp_cron=1467563028.6263220310211181640625

Photo: http://www.mmatrainingtech.com/muay-thai/kickboxing-heavy-bag-workout/

Photo: http://combatfit.net/kickboxing

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Health-Benefits-Of-Kickboxing-For-Women&id=8091711

http://EzineArticles.com/2837948

http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Satvik_Mittal/1728302

http://EzineArticles.com/8091711

http://ezinearticles.com/?Common-Kick-Boxing-Mistakes&id=2837948

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/cardio/kickboxing/kickboxing-workout-exercise-moves/