[Editor's note: I am very happy this morning to introduce a new regular health and fitness feature here at Midwest Sports Fans: Blogging Fitness, written by our newest contributor, fitness instructor and enthusiast Kimberly Westphall.
Learn more about Kimberly in the About the Author section at the bottom of this post.]
We all have our own motives for fitness — whether we are trying to trim down or tone up. Fitness gurus can argue for hours about the best fitness regime for your body. I have tried many of these regimes, ranging from Pilates and Yoga to rock climbing.
The common denominator I must have in all of these workouts is breaking a sweat.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Pilates and Yoga and have seen visible results in my body after a couple months dedicated to the classes. However, most of us can relate to busy schedules with work and family. When we are limited to one hour a day to crank out at a workout at the gym, we want to break a sweat and get those endorphins flowing.
After a stressful day, whether it’s making deadlines or keeping up with family, a little workout reprieve is mandatory to remain sane.
Maybe you already have your favorite workout routine and have no interest in changing it. Or maybe you just need a little shove getting you into the healthy habit of a daily workout. Perhaps you have been pounding the pavement with the same routine for months and have reached a fitness plateau.
Well it’s time to shake up the norm and try something new.
Let me open your minds to the realm of kickboxing. (And for those of you who are already kickbox junkies, perhaps you could back me up on my passion/borderline obsession.)
My Kickboxing Story
I was quite satisfied with my workout routine. I considered myself a gym junkie, making it a regular pit stop every day. However, at a certain point I became frustrated and was not seeing any new results in my physique or stamina. If anything, I was simply maintaining.
Always seeking the next step or challenge, I was hoping to “kick it in gear” and boost my fitness routine to the next level.
I had dabbled in kickbox before but was not incredibly taken with it. I enjoyed it but never thought it was something I could become better at doing. I never felt that I was executing the moves correctly and my technique made me look like a spastic human.
But, I did remember the natural high I got from a kickbox session. My muscles felt tight and I had that much-loved soreness you crave after a killer workout.
So, I decided to try a Turbokick® class to capture that natural high and perhaps boost my metabolism.
I was intimidated when I walked into a room full of strangers. I assumed they were all pros (which now I know the majority of them were fairly new, just like me). I almost left, mentally psyching myself out. Then I thought, screw it. This is my body, my class, and I don’t care if anyone looks at me and judges.
The music started pounding through the speaker and I felt a surge of adrenaline race through my body. The movements were incredibly speedy and it was hard to keep up at first.
I soon realized no one was looking at me at all. The front row divas and “divos” were checking themselves out in the mirror. You could tell who the fully developed kickbox junkies were in this crowd.
Feeling the wall of intimidation tumbling down, I felt myself punching harder, kicking higher ,and I didn’t want the hour to end. I was officially in love. It was like I couldn’t imagine what I did before this new found love.
I soon became a self-proclaimed front row diva.
I made friends with the regulars and was thrilled when there was new blood in the class. I just wanted to share this excitement with as many people as possible. I dragged my friends to the class, promising it would be the highlight of their day. I encourage you to give it a whirl as well.
No one will be watching and judging if you mess up. And even if they do, isn’t that kind of sad? Get a life and focus on yourself, right?
Because of this first-time kickboxing experience, I am more active than I have ever been physically. I later took it to the next level and became a fitness instructor. Being both a student and instructor, I hope I can help you you discover the countless benefits of engaging in a kickboxing workout.
The Benefits and Fun of Kickboxing
Let me paint you a picture.
Imagine a room bursting with bass. The music is pumping through your veins. You don’t even realize you are working out because you are caught up in the action.
Endorphins are escaping, the sweat is pouring off you, and you have arrived in the zone. You know you are in the zone when you are punching and hooking left and right, feeling as if nothing could ever slow you down.
Now, I realize I may be being a bit dramatic about an hour-long cardio fest, but it’s so much more than burning calories. It’s all about health and friendships with your number one fans. That’s the great thing about group fitness — you gain the biggest support system. You share common fitness goals with your fellow classmates and develop your very own cheering section.
Is Kickboxing for You?
Perhaps you are thinking kickboxing sounds a bit too intense, that it should only be used for street fighters and Martial Arts movies.
Not true at all.
Virtually anyone can kickbox. It doesn’t require as much coordination and rhythm as your stereotypical aerobics.
The class formats will vary, some being simpler than others. It really depends on the instructor. He or she may prefer to have simple choreographed combinations that will get your heart rate up, focusing on toning as well as lengthening of the muscles. Others may have you break down the basic moves of punches and kicks. It is fun to try out different instructors and get a feel for their flavor.
You will discover what class format you naturally gravitate toward. Personally, I am all about the high intensity, bouncing from floor to ceiling. The more I can jump, the better I feel after my workout. However, there are always ways to modify the moves and work low impact while still working at a high intensity level.
Just because you are hopping does not mean you are fully engaging the muscle. I have worked an entire class low impact and was pleasantly surprised that I still sweat a lot and felt my muscles engaged.
Kickboxing Tips and Suggestions
Now that you know there is nothing to fear with a kickboxing class, let’s go over some key points to make your kickbox experience a success.
Focus on the Core
When participating in any physical activity, it is important to keep your abdominal muscles in. This will help to prevent back injuries. Your core is your anchor and will help you from falling over when you are alternating between kicks. Plus, keeping your abs in and contracted for an entire hour will tone that core area.
That is one of the many benefits I have enjoyed from kickboxing. Who wouldn’t want a little less jiggle? There is the obvious desire to stay healthy, but we are interested in getting it tight too, right?
Stay Hydrated
Now, a mistake I commonly make is not getting enough water. The instructors are always yelling out, “Get water whenever you need to.” Whenever an instructor says that I think, “I’m not taking a water break until you tell me to. I don’t want to look weak.” Go ahead and take that break and hydrate the body.
When first partaking in intense cardio bouts, I had headaches. I soon realized I was dehydrated so now I make it a point to drink plenty of water throughout the day and take water breaks when I need to during class.
It’s important to keep the feet moving and not let that heart rate drop though when taking that little water break. March in place. Be sure to drink plenty of water after your sweat session as well to replenish.
Make Your Workout Your Own
Another tip is to choose your level. Don’t follow your neighbor. Maybe there is a guy next to you with roundhouse kicks as high as the ceiling. Just because his kicks are high does not mean he is necessarily executing the movement properly.
Do what feels right for you.
As you progress in your kickboxing “journey” your flexibility will increase as well as your stamina. With muscle memory, you will improve your technique as well. Listen to your body. If you are gasping for air and can’t talk, take it down a notch.
Now I’m not saying you should be able to belt out the entire chorus of the song. If that’s the case, I’d say you aren’t working hard enough. But you should be able to respond to the instructor when he/she asks how you’re working.
Letting out a “woo” or “hmph” is actually a great way to get a full helping of air. Sound effects also help you increase your intensity. You can’t tell me that you aren’t motivated when your instructor adds their own soundtrack to the mix.
Get Started with Kickboxing!
What’s the next step?
Go forth and kickbox.
Almost every local gym has a kicbox format of some sort. If not, there are countless videos you can purchase to perfect your kickboxing moves.
Remember, the key is keeping that core nice and tight. As you are extending your legs front, back, and to the side, your waistline will naturally shrink. Think of it as whitling it away. Your legs and arms will also become more toned as you are flexing your muscles with each kick and punch.
There are cardiovascular advantages as well, which is a large benefit. Plus, you will have a break from your hectic schedule and alleviate some stress.
So really it’s a win-win situation that you simply cannot pass up. I would love to hear about your experience with kickboxing and how it’s impacting your fitness routine.
Kimberly Westphall is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas where she majored in Journalism.
While at KU, she was an anchor and online web producer for Jayhawk Sports Talk. Kimberly recently made her MSF debut discussing the fight between Kansas’ basketball and football teams.
She has a passion for fitness and is on the lookout for emerging fitness trends and workouts. Her favorite group exercise format is kickboxing, which she discusses in her first Blogging Fitness post today.
When she’s not hitting up the aerobics studio both as a participant and instructor, Kimberly is training for the 2010 Washington D.C. Marathon with her best friend Jackie.
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* – Turbokick photo credit: screenshot from Turbokick.com
