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Bored with your aerobics class? Looking for a high-intensity workout that will increase your strength and flexibility while burning fat? Are you reasonably fit already? Then cardio-kickboxing may be for you.
Cardio-kickboxing invaded the nation's health clubs with startling speed. According to a 2002 member survey by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), a nonprofit trade group, 86 percent of 1,208 health and fitness clubs in the United States offered cardio-kickboxing classes.
What is cardio-kickboxing?
Popularized by Billy Blanks' 1998 Tae-Bo video workout and infomercials, cardio-kickboxing (a.k.a. aerobic boxing, Aerobox, Boxercise, Boxaerobics and others) is a high-impact cardiovascular workout that blends elements of boxing, martial arts and traditional aerobics into a 30- to 60-minute exercise routine.
Classes vary but generally feature a variety of punches, kicks, knee strikes and other self-defense moves interspersed with a bouncing "base" move.
Some cardio-kickboxing classes spend at least part of the time kicking and punching weighted, padded targets or engaging in actual sparring. The class may also incorporate traditional exercises, such as jumping jacks, abdominal crunches, leg lifts and pushups to create a total body workout.
Advantages
In addition to improving and maintaining cardiovascular fitness, cardio-kickboxing increases strength and flexibility, improves coordination and balance and sharpens reflexes, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Cardio-kickboxing also may help relieve stress, and it can be done at home in a relatively small space.
Disadvantages
Even if you are physically fit, cardio-kickboxing poses considerable risk of joint injury and next-day soreness, particularly for beginners and those who use incorrect form.
According to ACE, the most common, potentially injurious cardio-kickboxing mistakes are:
- Overextending kicks
- Locking your joints when throwing punches or kicking
- Exercising beyond fatigue
- Wearing weights or holding dumbbells when throwing punches
In addition to using correct form, it is important to work out at your own pace; don't feel pressured to punch as fast or kick as high as the rest of the class. Only advanced students should be kicking above waist level. Your speed, endurance and flexibility will increase with time and practice.
Who should participate?
Cardio-kickboxing is ideal for physically fit people who exercise aerobically at least three times a week, and can be adapted for people who are less physically fit. Cardio-kickboxing should be approached with caution if you have balance problems or certain other medical conditions, especially joint disease affecting the knee, hip, ankle or back. Before enrolling in a cardio-kickboxing class or any new exercise program for that matter, discuss your plan with your doctor.
What to look for in a cardio-kickboxing class
If possible, observe or participate in a class on a tryout basis before committing any money. Look for an instructor who keeps a close eye on the class and modifies routines for varying fitness levels. Every class should include warm-up and cool-down phases as well as time to stretch warmed muscles. The class should not be overcrowded.
The instructor should have a group exercise certification by a nationally recognized organization, such as ACE or the American College Of Sports Medicine. While these certifications are not kickboxing-specific, they do indicate that the instructor receives continuing education and has passed an exam demonstrating, among other things, knowledge of body mechanics, exercise physiology and group leadership. Ask where the instructors were trained to teach cardio-kickboxing and how much experience they have. Solicit opinions from other participants whose fitness level appears similar to your own.
Exercise guidelines
In most aerobics classes, you watch yourself in the mirror most of the time. While cardio-kickboxing, you generally train your eyes on the target you are punching or kicking, be it real or imagined. This means, for example, turning your head and watching your foot when you are making a sidekick.
The Nemours Foundation offers the following suggestions for exercisers seeking a safe and effective cardio-kickboxing program:
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Know what level of fitness you're at. If you haven't been exercising much, you may need to take a low-impact aerobics class or do some other less strenuous exercise and build up your endurance before you start kickboxing. When you do start, work at your own pace without tiring yourself out.
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Try to watch or take a trial class before you sign up. Look for a class that accommodates various skill levels, moves gradually, isn't too complicated and gives you the chance for individual as well as group instruction.
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Find a qualified teacher and appropriate class. Make sure the teacher has both a high-level martial belt in martial arts and certification as a fitness instructor by an organization like ACE. Try to find a class that starts on your level and progresses gradually.
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Wear comfortable clothing. You want to dress in loose clothes that let you move your arms and legs easily. For shoes, cross-trainers are best, and you may want to get gloves or hand wraps, too.
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Start slowly and don't overdo.
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Stay hydrated. Drink water or other liquids before, during and after your class.
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Check with your doctor before you begin kickboxing or any other exercise program.
Cardio-kickboxing gear
Wear comfortable exercise shorts and a non-restricting t-shirt or tank top. Women should wear a sports bra. Bring a towel and water to class. (Drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout.) You may also want to bring a mat for floor exercises and wear a sweatband around your forehead.
Wear aerobic shoes or other lightweight athletic shoes designed for pivots and lateral movements. You could risk a sprained ankle if you wear running or walking shoes on carpet.
If you'll be hitting a bag or sparring, you'll also need wraps and gloves to protect your hands and wrists. Some cardio-kickboxing facilities sell these items, as do most sporting good stores. The wraps are long strips of absorbent cloth that are wrapped around your hands and wrists and secured with Velcro. Boxing gloves come in a variety of sizes and degrees of thickness.
Glossary of terms
Base move: Quickly shifting your weight from the ball of one foot to the other.
Bob and weave: Shifting your weight back and forth while raising and lowering your torso from near-standing to near-squatting positions. With elbows bent, fisted hands are held in front of your face.
Combination: A series of punches thrown in quick succession.
Front Kick: A kick where the foot is lifted straight out in front of you with your toe up.
Hook: A punch in which you swing your fist around from the side in toward the center.
Jab: A quick punch at face level in which the thumb is at a 45-degree angle.
Roundhouse Kick: A kick in which your foot and leg are swung up in such a way that your shoelaces hit the side of the target in front of you.
Side Kick: A kick in which your lower torso is turned inward so that your heel lands on the target while your foot is parallel to the floor.
Uppercut: A biceps-powered punch that begins with your fist low and ends with your fist almost straight up.
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