Fight The Fat With Kickboxing!
Six Ways To Get The Most Out of Your Kickboxing Workout
by John Nottingham, K3 Kickboxing Instructor USA Martial Arts & Kickboxing Phoenix AZ
Kick, punch, knee and elbowing your way to fitness and weight loss is catching on around the country and especially here in Phoenix. Inspired by MMA events and lean toned bodies, such as seen in the UFC, more and more people are choosing Kickboxing for their workout. Here are 6 tips to get the most out of your kickboxing workout.
Studies show a real Kickboxing workout can burn 800-1000 calories per kickboxing session!
1. Clearly define what you want and communicate that to your coach. If you are looking for something different than the gym, kickboxing skill, weight loss, to gain speed, strength or just get toned and have fun then kickboxing could be for you. Your purpose drives your planning and therefore how you train and communicate with your kickboxing coach. Coaches can't read minds so be prepared to keep him or her informed.
2. Eat to win. The adage, "You can't out train a bad diet." is true in my experience. I recommend making little changes over time to accommodate a nutritional lifestyle change. Your choices in nutrition must support your goals and fuel your body for best performance. If you're guzzling down booze and eating donuts, you're sabotaging your body and kickboxing success. Think of food as fuel and plan to win.
I recommend integrating lots of greens into your diet. I start each day with a super shake that includes kale, spinach, mixed berries and protein. Later I have a yogurt or oatmeal. I do my best to go organic to avoid unnecessary chemicals and attempt to get the highest nutritional bang for my buck. Of course, you should choose nutritional options that work for you and your lifestyle.
Another significant boost is to drink a protein shake immediately after your workout. You might discover that it cuts snack cravings, helps you recover faster, feeds your muscle and helps you feel better.
"Abs are earned in the kitchen."
3. Listen to your coach. You hired him or her so listen. Often we lie to ourselves when we just want to defend a bad habit or are holding onto a lazy way of doing something. Your coach can help you avoid the common pitfalls as well as train smart and safe. Listen with the intent to hear and apply the techniques they share.
4. Warm up and cool down properly. This is an area most of us could really improve upon. It's easy to make emotional decisions based on how we feel at the beginning or end of a workout. Instead, keep telling yourself the importance of warm up and cool down for preventing injury, recovering faster and being respectful to your body. Just do it and develop the discipline to take a few minutes and tune into the body, breath and mind. It will pay dividends if you do.
5. Rest is as important as the workout. Your periodization should be based on your goals, lifestyle, body and age. Learn to listen to your body and allow for ample rest. Fatigue and pain are clear signals from your body that you need to adjust your routine. Avoid the common pitfall of being a "pain chaser". Instead, ride the edge and challenge your body for growth but do not push so hard that it becomes abusive. Train smart.
6. Rotation and variation. Remember also that the body is an adaptation machine. Your workout routine needs to change when you plateau in order to achieve progress. A good kickboxing gym or kickboxing program will be designed to help you take advantage of this rotation.
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