Hitting the gym is undoubtedly stress–relieving. But you know what’s better? One-on-one Kickboxing training! Instead of doing a bunch of different exercises without an aim, train in martial arts to improve your physical fitness in a holistic way, learn combat skills, and be able to defend yourself against attacks. Not to mention the immense benefits it has on your mental health. Try this beginner’s guide on Kikcboxing to get started!

What exactly is kickboxing?

Kickboxing is a combat sport that makes use of the entire body. Opponents can hit each other at any part of the body to strike blows and knock each other out. As the name suggests, it combines aspects of boxing and kicking. Professional fights take place inside a traditional boxing ring, with timed rounds.

Is Muay Thai & Kickboxing the same?

In the fitness community, Muay Thai and kickboxing are frequently used to mean the same thing. They are even sometimes referred to as Muay Thai Kickboxing. Though they have similarities, they are different disciplines.

Muay Thai originated in Thailand in the 16th century as a form of combat training for the king’s army. It also heavily relies on self-defence tactics. On the contrary, Kickboxing takes inspiration from several martial arts including Muay Thai, Karate, Japanese kickboxing, Lethwei, etc.

Furthermore, there are vast differences between the moves and techniques in both games. In the end, they have more differences than similarities making them two separate disciplines.

How to Start Kickboxing as a Beginner?

Whether you opt for private kickboxing lessons or choose a group session; here are some important things to get you started!

1. Choose a Reputable Gym and Trainer

This should be your number one consideration if you’re interested in seriously learning kickboxing. Make sure to do your research and check Google reviews to find reputable gyms and trustworthy trainers that are experts in the field. 

2. Select your Style 

There are essentially five different styles of kickboxing, that is Muay Thai, Dutch-style Kickboxing, Full Contac Karate, Savate, and Sanda. As a beginner, it can be intimidating for you to choose one that’s why most pros recommend starting with Cardio-Kickboxing and trying various styles at least once. Later, you can pick whichever you liked the best. Likewise, you can ask your trainer to help choose one for you based on your fitness goals.

3. Gear up

The next important thing is to get the right gear. Since kickboxing is a full-contact sport, the chances of injuries are quite high. To protect yourself from getting seriously harmed, make sure you have the right gloves (sparring gloves and bag gloves), headwear, mouthguard, shin guards, etc.

4. Do Body weight exercises & Strength Training

It is extremely significant that fighters build their core strength in order to control their body effectively during sparring and competitions. You can’t just jump into it. Your trainer is sure to evaluate your current physical fitness level and assign strength training exercises such as push-ups, squats, jump squats, planks, pull-ups, lunges, etc. 

5. Show up for Three One-on-one kickboxing Training Sessions a Week

If you want to see actual results from your kickboxing training, you must attend at least 3 sessions per week. Doing only one or two one-on-one kickboxing training is not going to give you the fitness results you want. 

10 Fundamental Moves to Learn in Private Kickboxing Lessons

In order to master anything, it is essential to learn all the basics thoroughly. The same applies to kickboxing. Here are the fundamental moves in Kickboxing that you must drill into your body.

1. Kick

Pretty straightforward, we all understand what a kick is. In Kickboxing, kicking is the most basic of strikes. There are several different subcategories of kicks such as push kicks, side kicks, back kicks, crescent kicks, roundhouse kicks, etc. 

2. Upper Cut

Simply put, this refers to punching the opponent in the chin using your rear hand in a vertical upwards motion.

3. Jab

Jab refers to the move when a fighter uses their front hand to hit the opponent’s head or body. It uses the front hand in a straight motion.

4. Hook

The secret behind landing a powerful hook is to generate power from the legs and torso instead of the arms. It is a punch in the horizontal direction with arms bent at a 90-degree angle.

5. Cross

The cross starts from the feet, goes through the entire body, and ends with the fist. Make sure to engage the whole body to land a power cross, which is a straight punch using the rear hand.

6. Hammer Punch

Combining semi-circular & vertical movements, hammer punch utilizes your whole body weight to power through and strike the blow.

7. Knee Strikes

The fighter strikes their knee powerfully from below up into the opponent. You can also strike them from an angle.

8. Elbow

A straightforward move that uses the elbow powerfully to knock out the opponent.

9. Defensive Stance

Though it varies depending on kickboxing styles, the crux is to keep your left foot slightly behind your right foot (for right-handed people, and vice versa for left-handed people). Position your hands in the “ready” stance. Your knees should be soft and ready for movement just like your core.

10. Parrying

Parrying refers to when a kickboxer meets their opponent’s punches halfway to deflect and redirect the blow.

Quick Kickboxing Drills for Beginners 

It is important to warm up adequately before starting a workout. For kickboxing training, make sure to do push-ups, leg swings, side swings, and rope jumping before starting your private kickboxing lessons.

Here are some quick moves combo and training drills you can do in under 15 minutes.

Drill 1:

• Jab-Rear Kick
• Lead Kick
• Jab-Lead Kick
• Rear Kick

Drill 2:

• Jab-Cross-Lead Kick
• Jab-Cross-Rear kick
• Squat
• Lead Hook-Rear Hook

Drill 3:

• Jab-Cross-Lead Hook-Rear Hook
• Cross-Lead Hook-Cross-Lead Kick
• Pushup-Jab-Cross

Drill 4:

• Jab-Cross-Lead Kick-Cross
• Jab-Cross
• Jab-Cross-Hook-Upper Cut
• Jab-Cross-Lead Kick-Cross-Lead Kick-Rear Kick

Ideally, you should do all these combo moves for at least 30 seconds each.

Conclusion

Kickboxing is a powerful sport that improves your physical health, makes you fit, enhances your agility, and teaches you self-defence skills. By using this quick beginner’s guide, you can get the most out of your private kickboxing lessons and become the best version of yourself!