Who Can Benefit from Kickboxing?

(Hint: You Can!)

Experts who have studied kickboxing say that nearly everyone — male or female, young or old, fitness newbie or exercise pro — can benefit from throwing a punch. Through high-intensity interval training that builds strength while torching fat, kickboxing is undeniably one of the best workouts for your body. But what’s especially noteworthy about kickboxing isn’t just its overall effectiveness. It’s the incredibly fast rate at which you can totally transform your body, and have a blast doing it! Keep reading for four ways that kickboxing can benefit anyone, including you.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO…TONE YOUR ENTIRE BODY

Whether you’re looking to tone your arms, legs or core, there’s no area of your body kickboxing won’t tighten up. If you’ve ever taken a kickboxing class before, you have discovered that, like swimming, kickboxing is a full-body workout. By moving your entire body throughout the duration of your workout, your muscles become more defined with every session.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO…RELIEVE STRESS

There’s nothing quite like punching out your stress and anger. Studies show that boxing exercises effectively lessen those not-so-great feelings of anxiety and depression. Trust us, when you’re enjoying your hour-long kickboxing session surrounded by motivating trainers and encouraging classmates, you won’t be able to think of anything except for what a blast you’re having.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO…IMPROVE ENDURANCE

Cardio workouts are key for building endurance. By improving your endurance with kickboxing, you can transfer it to any other workout you pick up, whether biking, running, weightlifting, rowing…the list goes on. One of the most important components of kickboxing that we stress at ILKB is learning when to breathe during your workout to prevent getting winded. These proper breathing techniques are just as integral to your practice as throwing the perfect punch.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO…BURN CALORIES

Kickboxing is a high-intensity, high-impact workout. Translation: You’re always moving. When your heart rate is elevated throughout your session, that means you’re constantly burning calories. Some estimates say that an hour-long kickboxing session burns about 750 calories. What’s more, a study by Duke University found that aerobic exercise, like kickboxing, was the most effective way to reduce belly fat, a problem area for fat accumulation that correlates with heart disease and diabetes.