Kick Boxing and Health

The Benefits of a Regular Kickboxing Program on Health

Boxers and kickboxers have great physiques. The sport is demanding, and an extremely high level of fitness is required for top performance. Although a kickboxing training regime may be intense, the benefits are long lasting and extend beyond an improvement in physical appearance.

A regular exercise or training program is a vital indegredient in a healthy lifestyle. Exercise promotes physical benefits such as greater heart and lung capacity, improved immune system function, greater strength and ability to perform everyday tasks, assistance in maintaining a healthy weight, and maintenance of normal blood pressure levels. Long-term exercise programs can reduce the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, some cancers and diabetes.

Kickboxing has been shown to provide a highly intense calorie burning workout, and is one og the top-ranked sports for this purpose. A 60kg female, for example, can expect to burn 317 calories per half hour workout. This high energy expenditure is due to the repetitious, fast-paced gross-motor movements of both the arms and the legs.

A kickboxing routine will tax both the aerobic and anaerobic systems of the body. The aerobic system is used during exercise of longer durations, and uses oxygen in the energy production process. Exercise that uses the aerobic system can carry on for as long as fuel is available. You may think this is a bit optimistic, but recall walking: most people are able to walk for extended periods of time, unless they are injured or unwell in some way. As aerobic fitness increases, so does the capacity to exercise at higher intensities for long periods.

The anaerobic system does not use oxygen in the energy production process, but produces lactic acid as a by-product. Lactic acid can be felt as a burning, heavy sensation in the exercising muscles, and it ultimately limits the amount of exercise that can be performed at high intensity to around 3 minutes. Sports such as middle to long distance swimming or running use the aerobic system predominantly, sprinting and weightlifting use primarily the anaerobic systems, while others, including kickboxing, rubgy and basketball, use combinations of the aerobic and anaerobic systems.

Overall, participants in a kickboxing exercise program can expect to achieve improvements in cardiovascular indurance, muscle strength and tone, flexibililty, bone mineral density, joint strength and metabolic rate. Combined with healthy eating, it is possible to lose weight with such a program. Regular training is likely to decrease stress and anxiety levels and promote good sleep at the end of the day.

You may be thinking that this sounds great, but a sweating boxing gym is not really the place for you. There are plenty of fitness clubs and gyms offering boxing/kickboxing sessions to members, and these have similar benefits. Further, you could purchase a kickboxing training video and exercise in your own home or wherever you are travelling, without the need for expensive equipment.