Kickboxing and self-defense

Reading a book or article on weight lifting will not make your muscles grow. Learning proper exercise mechanics from a personal trainer will not ensure life-long fitness. Sitting through a lecture on chess, understanding it's history, the name of each piece and its' pattern of movement will not make you a competent chess player. Knowledge is inert until you convert it into competence through practice.

There are no superior martial arts, only superior martial artists. Whether you consider yourself a martial artist, a kick boxer, a street-fighter or just someone who wants to "get fit and stay out of trouble. There is no best self-defense package out there. There are no quick fixes, magic techniques or secrets. People can spend a lifetime waiting to find (or blindly following) the "right" self-defense system, the best seminar, or the ultimate book. There isn't one. People often select the system of their favorite martial art celebrity or even action movie star. They are missing the point. They are good not because of what they know but what they have done with that knowledge... they got good by balancing theory with practice.

80% of the benefits of a good book, article or self-defense seminar results from what you DO with that knowledge AFTER exposure to it. Don't get me wrong, feeding your brain with valid, realistic, self-defense knowledge is crucial... essential in fact, but it's what you do with that knowledge that impacts your ability to protect yourself. "Protecting yourself" is not isolated to warding off violent attacks. The benefits of self-defense training include protecting your physical health, your mental health and your emotional well-being.

Don't defer your knowledge, opinions or skills to a guru, instructor, master or coach. YOU are solely responsible for your personal safety. YOUR knowledge and competence is all that matters. YOU must think for yourself, evaluate the merits of new information and decide how to incorporate it into your life. Seek out the best instruction you can find but realize that it's what YOU do that makes the difference

Kickboxing and interval training

Interval training is an excellent way to burn more calories, build endurance quickly and make workouts more interesting. Interval training involves alternating high intensity exercise with recovery periods and there are a variety of ways to set up interval workouts. One option is measured periods of work followed by measured periods of rest. An example of a kickboxing workout would be 1 minute of intense work such as a kick and punch pad work routine, followed by 2 minutes of low intensity exercise such as holding the pads for a training partner. You should alternate these routines several times for 15-30 minutes.

You can also do intervals that aren't measured. For example, you could work out with a fast paced pad work routine than slow down to recover and return to the original pace when you feel rested.
You are in charge of the intervals and how hard you work during the work sets. The idea is to work harder than usual in your work sets and to fully recover during the low intensity intervals. Interval training is a great way to change your routine, increase results and burn more calories.

Interval training beginners should observe a few rules before going "all out" on any given program. For each more intense work period you should be working out of your comfort zone, but not so hard that you feel dizzy or lightheaded. You should then reduce the intensity quite dramatically during your less intense training period. You should be completely recovered before the next intense work set.
As a beginner you shouldn't endure huge differences of intensity between the more intense and less intense parts of your routine. Simply work a bit harder during the work sets.

You should consult your doctor before you undergo any exercise program and, or, if you have any injuries or medical conditions.

Kickboxing for women

Kickboxing is an exciting way to get a great workout, and to learn useful martial arts techniques without having to engage in actual combat with others. It will help you to overcome the boredom of training at the gym every day.Kickboxing improves the efficiency and strength of your heart, blood vessels and lungs, which of course provides your body with greater endurance and overall health. Other benefits include better balance, muscle tone, strength, flexibility and fast reflexes. Kickboxing workouts can also help you look better by helping you burn stored body fat. Kickboxing can be a cardio based form of training, meaning it uses oxygen to burn calories and fat efficiently.
Kickboxing classes are intense and help you train at a pace that will allow you to get the most benefit from your workout. While the average aerobics class helps burn between 200 and 400 calories per hour, the typical intense kickboxing class burns from 500 to 800 calories.
There are several other benefits of trainig at a good Kickboxing club. Confidence building is partucularly important for women who have never studied a Martial Art and can confidently learn several tachniques that are most imortant in self-defense.
Kickboxing will also help you fight stress. As I normally say, nothing takes out of you more than hitting the pads!. Most peoplewill achieve a greater level of self-confidence, awareness and general well-being with consistent Kickboxing training.
Give it a try! You'll lose that extra weight, improve your muscle tone and atain an all round healthier lifestyle. In essence, spend less time in the gym and more time hitting the pads!