Too many people are put off by exercise because it can often be as mundane and repetitive as the jobs we are trying to forget about. Running or working out at the gym can often be the equivalent to filling out and applying a cover sheet to your TPS report. So it’s no wonder that when any form of mild distraction arises that seems remotely more rewarding than the exercise equivalent of celebrating another one of your manager’s promotions, running or working out are often replaced with more pleasurable activities like watching a Trading Spaces marathon or doing the laundry.
The problem is that a typical exercise routine does not adequately reward the participant for their effort. Working out at a gym is seen by most as repetitive, laborious and most of all completely boring. The harsh truth is that they’re completely right. Running or lifting weights are miserable activities for most people and offer no positive stimulus to keep a person coming back. So what then is the solution you might ask? Well it’s quite simple. It is to find an exercise routine that benefits the individual in all aspects of his or her life.
It is understood that, in life, a person can be at their happiest when their job involves an activity that they love to do. Well, the same logic applies when it comes to exercise. So when your regimen keeps you coming back for more and rewards you with positive results which make working out at your gym pale in comparison, you know that you have found fitness nirvana. Such is the knowledge of any fitness kickboxer.
Fitness kickboxing is a hybrid of boxing, martial arts, and aerobic dance that offers a high-intensity, aggression-releasing workout without the mind-numbing boredom that can come with some other gym-bound activities. Fitness kickboxers can burn up to 800 calories per hour and boast many healthy benefits such as:
Significant Weight loss
Increased cardiovascular endurance
Increased muscular strength
Increased muscular endurance
Increased flexibility
Increased metabolic rate
Increased muscle tone
Decreased body fat composition
Stress relief
The above are more than just benefits, however. They are gym tested, mother approved (I’m not kidding about this one. Many mothers join our gym post natal to get back into their previous shape) guaranteed results for any dedicated fitness kickboxer. These results lead to an instant change in your health and appearance and are factors that provide incentive enough to keep you coming back However, they still aren’t the most important reason for any woman to participate in fitness kickboxing.
The best reason for any woman to join fitness kickboxing is to learn important self defense techniques like jabbing, kicking, punching and blocking. Fitness Kickboxing takes the music, excitement and energy of an aerobics workout and does it one better. It provides women a safe and fun environment in which to strengthen that aspect of their personality which could be responsible for one day saving their life. The fighting skills learned in class along with the increased strength and endurance you gain combine to form a superior level of self-confidence (Literally!) In the words of one of my students, “You can totally see your body transforming. You feel bigger, taller and stronger.”
When your workout consists of pounding on a six foot tall heavy bag for an hour straight you begin to learn that you have the ability to defend yourself. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the skill is easily transferable to a human being. As you punch, kick and protect your face and body from an imagined attacker, you’re learning to protect yourself, only without the bruises. The knowledge that at any moment you could unleash a fury of punches and kicks worthy of any Bruce Lee film gives you a mental strength which extends to all aspects of your work and home life.
Now don’t worry. Fitness kickboxing is not going to change who you are. It’s not going make you tougher unless you want it to. Like a pink ladies coat on Sandra Dee at the end of the movie Grease, fitness kickboxing let’s you be that sweet woman that you are while helping you to develop an attitude which won’t allow you to be taken advantage of. This is because fitness kickboxing strengthens your character along with your body. You begin to deal with your coworkers, family and friends more confidently because you begin to deal with yourself in the same manner.
The exercises illustrated in this article are designed to be done at home. Just remember that you don’t have to kick like Chuck Norris to reap the rewards of fitness kickboxing. Any kickboxing routine, including the routine on the following pages, can be modified to accommodate your fitness level.
Before beginning, be sure to warm up the muscles with a few minutes of jumping rope or jumping jacks, and thoroughly stretch the arms, legs and back. During the workout, be sure not to overextend yourself during the kicks and punches. Discontinue the routine if:
• Legs become fatigued and uncoordinated.
• Any pain becomes evident, especially joint pain.
• Shin area pain or discomfort.
• Dizziness occurs.
ISAAC BEAL is one of Club KO Kickboxing’s many instructors and currently runs a Club KO kickboxing gym in West New York, NJ. Club KO also has locations throughout NJ and NY and classes 7 days a week.; please visit www.clubkogyms.com for more information. If you have any questions feel free to contact him at isaac@clubkogyms.com.
