| What's a Kickboxing Workout? Well, it's drilling in | | | | use hands and feet around in France and the rest |
| your Kickboxing skills and techniques, usually with | | | | of Europe as well as the Orient. Most often |
| a punching bag (rather than sparing with a | | | | though it's the South-Eastern Asian styles of |
| partner). | | | | fighting ( or Westernized forms of these ) that |
| Kickboxing is as its name suggests, a martial art | | | | are being referred to by the name kick-boxing. |
| that's based on throwing punches and kicks. It | | | | Maou Thai? |
| doesn't involve as many complicated forms of | | | | Maou Thai has been getting a lot of notice as a |
| offense and defense as a lot of other martial | | | | form of kickboxing. It's different in that it uses |
| arts, and it can be a much faster training route to | | | | knees and elbows, making 8 striking surfaces that |
| become proficient in the basics, from a | | | | can be used even if you're over on the ground |
| self-defense point of view. But I'm mainly looking | | | | with your opponent. Elbows and knees have a |
| at it from a fitness viewpoint for this article. | | | | shorter range and can be used in close quarters |
| As a workout, Kickboxing is great for cardio and | | | | on the ground or in tight confinement, where a full |
| building up muscles and increasing bone density. | | | | armed strike or leg-kick is impossible. Maou Thai is |
| While working out with weights can help with | | | | also know as Thai Boxing. Practicing Muou Thai |
| these things too, the functional exercise provided | | | | works out a bunch of other muscles as well, as |
| by training in this will also strengthen the | | | | there's a lot of repetitive knee and elbow striking. |
| supporting muscles so that there's less chance of | | | | The Workout |
| these being hurt when the larger ones are put to | | | | Although the group-training aspect of a martial art |
| use. And while running and cycling are great, they | | | | is great, treating Kickboxing from a workout |
| don't do too much for the upper body. | | | | viewpoint, it's something that can be done at |
| Cross training, as in triathlon will do a lot to give | | | | home quite easily and will really keep you in shape. |
| you an all-round physical workout, with different | | | | Fighting a punching bag is a great workout, and as |
| muscle groups being used on different days | | | | with most exercise, if you get this in on a regular |
| training legs, but drilling in your kickboxing skills can | | | | basis, it can do a lot for health and feeling good. A |
| get you a lot of the same benefits. | | | | bag can be hung from the ceiling in a garage or |
| Forms of Kickboxing | | | | somewhere out of the way. My advice is to avoid |
| There are a number of forms of kickboxing and | | | | the really heavy bags, as the repetitive striking |
| different opinions as to the source of the art and | | | | can have a detrimental effect on joints if it's too |
| where it developed. There's definitely a | | | | heavy. A lighter bag is also good to help develop |
| Westernized version of the Asian styles, but | | | | timing and coordination, because it swings back at |
| there have been separate classes of fighting that | | | | you a lot more. |