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Kickbox Conditioning For Fitness
Shortly after the birth of my first son, I took my first
kickboxing class. Seven years later, I currently sit typing this
article sore as can be from an hour-long class of kicking and
punching. And to further the case of my love for this exercise,
by week's end, I will have prepared the routine for the
kickboxing class that I teach every Wednesday morning.
Obviously, there is an undying passion that I have for this
sport, and if you have missed out on the invigorating chance to
spar with a bag, let me enlighten you on the basics.
Let me start by saying there are many variations of which
kickboxing can be taught. First, you have cardio kickboxing
which is a class in where no equipment is used - think general
aerobics with demonstrative flair. The key word here is cardio,
and to accommodate cardio, form is sacrificed in order to keep
an elevated heart rate. This variation is an excellent way to
burn up the calories from your favorite dessert, without jarring
all the body's joints with an hour of running. The second form
also offers you plenty of intensity. During a class of strictly
bag work, you will endure the class facing an opponent with a
pad or paddles or stand tall against an erect black base covered
with some form of cushioned surface. This, too, offers a great
workout and plenty of sweat to provide proof of your beneficial
exertion. But, my favorite, and the class we will review today
is that of kickbox-conditioning. The core of this class is a mix
of alternating bag work coupled with Plyometrics.
For the sake of formality, I will remind you that all classes,
kickboxing included, should start with a warm-up. Walking into
class and launching into a double hook, front kick, roundhouse
combo may very well stretch, pull and tear quite a few muscles
and lead you straight to the medicine cabinet with dampened
enthusiasm for this caliber of exercise. Also, in the
kickbox-conditioning class, you will perform body toning
exercises for the arms, abdominal area and lower body and end
safely with a cooldown and stretch. In between this mix is the
fun stuff.
The secret to effective kickboxing is preparing your muscle
tissue to mix speed with resistance. Every combo of punches and
kicks you throw ideally require both of these factors. Speed is
used when throwing an individual movement, when drawing back the
same movement as quickly as you threw it and in between several
consecutive movements executed during a chosen combination. The
resistance in kickboxing is straight off of Newton's note pad.
When force is applied from one source to another (e.g. fist to
bag), that same force is equally applied back to its origin. The
harder you hit your bag, the
harder the resistance will 'hit'
back into your muscle tissue. While this is great for strength,
it is also something you want to be conscientious of when first
starting out. Gradual progression over a period of time will
insure that you are not putting yourself at risk for an injury.
Do not let your self beat you up too early in the game!
Aside from the bag work, Plyometrics are commonly used in
kickboxing. Plyometrics are conditioning exercises that pair the
speed and resistance factors. Jumpshots, jump squats, jumping
jacks, jump rope...if it has the word jump in it, you can pretty
well bet it will help your cause. These exercises utilize two
phases during execution, the eccentric phase followed by an
immediate concentric phase, to acclimate the muscular system to
the use of high intensity expulsion of strength. The main idea
when performing the Plyometric exercise is to create good
recovery time for the sake of endurance, which results in the
ability to repeatedly execute a combination of moves without
fatigue. If this reads familiar to you, you probably read my
article, Hop, Skip And A Jump To Strength. Quite a few women I
have talked with who have never taken a kickboxing class are
intimidated by the perceived aggression of the sport. Others are
worried that their lack of coordination will hinder their
performance and make them look foolish. This is why I strongly
urge a beginner to look into a kickbox conditioning class. The
warm-up is usually the only aerobic part of the class where you
need to keep up with the instructor. When it comes time to
alternate bagwork with Plyometrics, some instructors will let
you work at your own pace and they will simply make the rounds
checking form and activity to keep you honest in attempt.
Choosing a variety of exercises is a great way to stay motivated
with a fitness plan. If you love to run, spin on a regular basis
or simply pump iron, try giving a kickbox class a chance. My
greatest joy is hearing a student come up to me and say that she
has dropped a pant size in less than a month. But, far beyond
weight loss, kickboxing will give you confidence, increase your
strength and teach you techniques that very well come in handy
when faced with a potentially harmful situation.
About the author:
Sherri L Dodd is the creator and author of Mom Looks Great - The
Fitness Program for Moms. She is an ACE-certified Personal
Trainer, Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant and Kickboxing
Instructor with over fifteen years of exercise experience. She
has lectured to groups on her fitness plan and is a freelance
writer on the topics of fitness and general nutrition as well as
the humorous side of motherhood.
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