Cardio kickboxing provides a fun alternative to your daily workout routine. If you enjoy group workouts, most fitness clubs offer cardio kickboxing classes and are a great place to start. If you don’t belong to a club, you can do cardio kickboxing just about anywhere. You can use a heavy bag or shadow box. The point is to keep your feet and arms moving so that you increase your heart rate and break a sweat.

First, let’s discuss some basic moves to get you started and then I will explain how to combine these moves to create your own workout routine.

Punches

Jab Punch
The jab is a “straight in your face” punch. Let’s first discuss your stance. If you are punching with your right fist, your right foot should be forward. You should be facing the target with your body turned diagonally so that the shoulder of your punching arm is pointing to the right side of the target. Lift both fists up to your face, with the palms of your fists towards you. Now you are in the starting position. Thrust your right arm straight out toward the target. The palm of your fist should pivot so that it is pointing toward the ground when you strike the target. For a left jab, just do the opposite.

Hook Punch
The stance you use for a hook punch is basically the same as that which you used for the jab. From the starting position, lift your elbow out and up and swing your punching arm in an outward arc toward the target. Your torso should pivot slightly so that your punching shoulder is closer to the target and your opposite shoulder is further when you strike the target. This will put some weight behind your punch. When you connect during a right hook, it will be to the front, right side of the target. To do a left hook, just do the opposite. If you are using a heavy bag, be very careful when doing a hook punch because you can easily injure your wrist. Keep your wrist straight and stiff, making sure it doesn’t move. When you strike the target, you should hit it squarely with the flat portion of you fist.

Uppercut Punch
Your stance for the uppercut punch is much like those for the hook and jab except that you are punching with the arm that is furthest from the target. When thrusting forward with an uppercut punch, your punching arm should make a downward and then upward “scooping” motion. As you punch, lift your rear heel and pivot your torso and hips toward the target. You should strike the target with your punching arm moving in an upward motion. Keep your wrist straight and stiff when delivering your punch.

Cross Punch
The cross punch is your “power” punch. Like the upper cut, your punching arm is the one furthest from the target. However, with the cross punch your punch should come straight across you chest and thrust toward the target. As you punch, lift your rear heel and pivot your hips and torso toward the target. This movement provides the power for the cross punch. You will strike the target straight on.

Kicks

Front Kick
The front kick is a very basic kick. First, raise your leg with a partially bent knee. As your upper leg gets close to being parallel to the ground, kick out your lower leg and foot. Keep your toes pointed upward. If you are using a heavy bag, you will be striking the bag with the ball of your foot.

Snap Kick
The front snap kick is similar to the basic front kick. First, raise your leg with a partially bent knee. As your upper leg gets close to being parallel to the ground, “snap” your lower leg and foot forward. Keep your toes pointed outward. If you are using a heavy bag, you will be striking the bottom of the bag with the top part of your foot. You can hurt your foot if you try to kick the bag hard, so be careful.

Side Kick
Stand with one of your shoulders pointing toward your target. Turning your head in the direction of that shoulder, look at your target. With your kicking knee partially bent, start lifting your leg that is closest to the target outwards from your body, in the direction of the target. While doing so, you should begin leaning your body away from the target. Once you have raised your upper leg so that it is parallel to the ground or slightly higher, thrust your leg outwards, toward the target. While kicking, you should have your torso lowered to the point that it is almost parallel to the ground. Also, your ground foot should pivot on the ball, turning the heel toward the target. Keep your kicking foot bent at the heel with your toes pointed toward your knee. If you are using a heavy bag, you will strike it directly in front of you with the heel of your foot.

Roundhouse Kick
The roundhouse is sort of a cross between the front snap kick and the side kick. The positioning of your body and legs, as well as your overall motion, will be very similar to the side kick. However, when you extend your leg while thrusting your kick forward, you will keep your foot straight at the heel with your toes pointed outward. You will strike the target on the side with the top of your foot. You can hurt your foot if you try to kick the bag hard, so be careful.

Creating Your Routines

Combining kicks and punches into a routine is pretty easy. The main thing to remember is what moves flow easily from a given stance. For instance, if you are doing a right side kick, your right leg is forward. When your right leg is forward, you can easily move into a right jab, right hook, left uppercut, or left cross. From any of the previously mentioned punches, you can easily move to a right snap kick or right roundhouse. At anytime, you can flip to a stance with the left leg forward and then do a left roundhouse, left side kick, left snap kick, left hook, left jab, right uppercut, or right cross. You should alternate kicks, punches, and stances to get maximum movement. Remember to keep your feet moving and a spring in your step.

In addition to kicking and punching, you can mix in some other exercises as well. For instance, you can do kickboxing routine and then stop to do some push-ups. Then do another kickboxing routine and then stop to do some curls. Toss in more routines, speed rope, and sit-ups. Before you know it, you will be wiped out.

Author: Kelli Hairston, RD, LD

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