If you’re anything like me, you don’t want to waste your time doing things that aren’t going to make a really positive difference in your life. If you’re going to sacrifice an hour of your time everyday, working up a major sweat until your muscles feel like wet noodles, it needs to be worth your while. So if you’re thinking about taking up kickboxing, you’re probably wondering what you’re really going get out of it. What does kickboxing really teach you?
You can learn many valuable life-skills from doing kickboxing. Not only will you learn self defense and correct punching and kicking techniques, kickboxing will also teach you self discipline, quick decision making, mental strength, coordination, balance, confidence, assertiveness, and social skills.
There are many different styles of kickboxing, each having it’s own set of skills and benefits. Read this article I wrote to learn more about the different styles of kickboxing, what each style will teach you, and which style might be best for you.
All of the variations of kickboxing can have amazing pay offs for you. Read on to discover nine skills you can learn kickboxing that will genuinely improve your life.
1. Basic Kickboxing Moves
If you want to know the correct form for a jab, cross, or hook, or how to land a roundhouse kick, take a few kickboxing classes and you’ll be on your way. Being able to get super fit while learning how to throw down some fighting skills is truly my favorite thing about kickboxing. To me, it doesn’t even feel like a workout because I get so involved and focused on learning and perfecting my technique.
So what are the kickboxing moves you will learn? Before anything else, you will need to learn the basic kickboxing stance which is: feet shoulder distance apart, knees slightly bent, one foot forward with most of your weight centered on that forward foot, rear leg relaxed, rear foot turned out slightly, arms bent, elbows in, hands up protecting your head.
Punches and Strikes
Let’s look at the punches and strikes you will learn in kickboxing:
- Jab – When in kickboxing stance, the lead hand extends straight out to strike the opponent’s head or upper body.
- Cross – This punch usually comes from the dominant hand, rear hip rotates forward as the hand extends out and palm rotates down.
- Hook – Arm bent at a 90 degree angle, hand swings out and around from the side to connect with the side of the opponents head or body. Hips pivot with the punch to access maximum power.
- Uppercut – Hand rotates so that palm faces up. Punch comes from below in an upward motion as you pivot your feet and push off the left calf for a left uppercut and off the right calf for a right uppercut.
You will learn two types of strikes:
- Elbow Strike– Here the point of the elbow is used instead of the hand, with the motions being similar to the hook and the uppercut.
- Knee Strike– The knee is used to strike the opponent in an upward motion. The straight knee or (forward knee) thrusts forward from the front and a roundhouse or curved knee comes at an angle from a rotated hip.
The Kicks
There are several different kicks found in kickboxing. These are the most common:
- Front (Jab) Kick- Rear knee lifts up, then the foot extends while leaning back slightly. In this kick you are aiming to strike the target with the ball of your foot.
- Side Kick– Here you lift the knee toward the chest and extend the foot out sideways as if you were stomping on your opponent. Body leans away as knee comes up and foot extends.
- Spinning Back Kick– stepping and turning the body away from the target, lift the knee and fully extend the foot back while rotating the foot parallel to the ground and looking back at the target.
- Roundhouse Kick– Step and turn your planted inner foot parallel to the target, lean back, lift knee of kicking leg up and then snap lower leg out, rotating from the hip.
Defensive Moves
We most often think of kicks and punches when we picture kickboxing, but the moves you learn to defend yourself are just as, if not more important. These are the moves that will help you avoid being kicked or punched in the head! Here are some of the defensive moves you will learn:
- Slip – Moving your back foot slightly to bring your head off center in order to dodge a kick or a punch.
- Parry– To parry a punch you use your hands to deflect and redirect the punch, forcing the opponent off balance.
Besides the technical stuff we just covered, you will also learn some skills that will be useful in more than just kickboxing.
2. Self Discipline
If you want to move up the ranks or just get really good at kickboxing, you’re going to have to put in some time and hard work. Consistency is the key to improving your technique. In order to stay consistent with your training you will have to build self discipline.
There have been countless times when I wanted to go out to dinner or just sit on the couch and watch TV rather than going to a training. But pushing myself to go even when I didn’t feel like it has helped me to build the self discipline to make huge improvements in kickboxing, in my fitness, and in my productivity.
This is more than just exercise- this is an exercise in will power. The more you practice and exercise your will power “muscle”, the better you will get at self discipline in all other aspects of your life.
3. Quick Decision Making
When you spar with an opponent, you will have to make a lot of quick decisions to avoid getting your noggin knocked. You will have punches and kicks coming at you, sometimes in rapid fire, so you’ll need to constantly be on your toes thinking ahead.
Being able to do this in the ring can also spill over into your regular life. If something or somebody comes at you that you weren’t expecting, you will be better prepared to handle it and quickly react.
4. Mental Strength
I used to tell myself lies like “I can’t do that, I’m too weak, I’m just a wimpy girl, I can’t handle that.” Those lies that I told myself held me back from doing some really amazing things.
Since I started kickboxing, I have come to realize that I am as tough as I think I am. If I believe I can handle it, then I can. Having to go up against an opponent in front of other people, or push myself to work harder than I thought I ever could has given me the mental toughness to do really hard things both in and out of the gym.
You are who you think you are. Kickboxing can teach you to realize that when you get knocked down, you can and will get back up again and keep fighting.
5. Coordination
Did you know that coordination is something you can learn? Kickboxing requires a ton of coordination in executing punches, kicks, and combinations. When you first start, you will feel like an idiot. Nothing will feel natural. You’ll throw a jab when you are supposed to throw a cross, you’ll try a roundhouse kick and miss the bag.
But as you train and practice, your coordination will improve and you will start to feel like you know what you’re doing. As your coordination improves at the gym, so will your coordination improve in your daily activities.
This is why I believe kickboxing is a great sport for people over forty. (It’s a great sport for ANYbody!) As we age, our coordination decreases. Kickboxing can help combat the loss of coordination we experience in our over the hill years.
Kickboxing can also help you to improve your coordination in other sports you are involved with. Athletes that play sports such as soccer, baseball, and basketball can all benefit from some kickboxing training.
6. Better Balance
Balance goes hand in hand with coordination. You can’t have good balance without coordination and you can’t have good coordination without having good balance.
Kickboxing constantly puts your balance to the test. Every time that you strike an object, the force pushing back from the object throws your body out of balance and requires you to regain that balance so that you don’t fall flat on your face!
Every time you kick, you are having to balance on one leg while at the same time focusing on landing that kick correctly. The need to perpetually maintain your footing when kickboxing will develop your balance like no other sport.
7. Confidence
If you have ever suffered from low self esteem, kickboxing is a great way to help you fall in love with yourself! (or at least like yourself a lot more) The increased self discipline, improved coordination, balance and mental toughness that you learn from kickboxing can add up to a huge upgrade in your self confidence.
Being able to hold your own in a match…or at least get out of it alive…can make you feel empowered and will give you a sense of fortitude that you may not have had before starting kickboxing.
8. Assertiveness
If you are not one to step up and speak your mind or take action, I feel you! I was once very timid and afraid to step out of line or be noticed. Having to fight for yourself in the ring, can teach you to fight for yourself in other areas of your life. Practicing that assertiveness in the gym can give you the courage and the confidence to be more assertive in any situation.
9. Social Skills
When you spar with other kickboxers, you will have to learn how to be polite, respectful of others, and to be a good listener. These are all social skills that we would want anyone to have. This is why kickboxing can be an especially good sport for kids to learn. Having to listen and pay attention to the instructor and show respect to that instructor will build those social skills in other situations as well.
Learning how to work with other kickboxers when sparing is a great way to practice manners. You must be respectful and polite towards your opponents in the gym in order to learn and improve in your kickboxing skills. Most kickboxing schools will require good manners and respect towards others in order to train there.
Can You Learn the Same Things From Cardio Kickboxing?
Cardio kickboxing is normally taught in a group class with punching and kicking routines set to music. It’s fun and faced paced, and can help you get into great shape.
If you have a good instructor, you will usually learn basic punching and kicking techniques. You can also improve self discipline, coordination, and balance from group cardio kickboxing classes.
But since you won’t be sparing or competing, you probably won’t see a lot of improvement in things like decision making, mental strength, and assertiveness. And you won’t really learn self defense in cardio kickboxing because you won’t be in situations where another person is attacking you.
But cardio kickboxing can be a really great introduction to skilled kickboxing. Getting the basic moves down and getting a taste of the sport in a group class might be just the thing that inspires you to move on to the next level of kickboxing!
Can I Learn Kickboxing from Home?
You can learn kickboxing through watching kickboxing videos and doing online classes at home, but you’ll learn correct form and technique much faster if you start by taking some classes in person. Getting feedback from a coach or teacher that is an expert in kickboxing can help ensure that you learn each move correctly and avoid injury.