Doing either an aerobics workout, i.e. running, stairmaster, stationary bike, etc. or an anaerobic workout such as lifting weights, Nautilus, calisthenics, etc. will not give you the best or quickest overall fitness results. You need to do both.

If you are a runner, for example, you can choose to do a little bit less running if you add some strength training several times per week. You will also find that you will feel stronger on your runs. Conversely, if you like to focus on lifting, your muscles will be more pronounced and you will get more definition if you add some cardio. Personally, I find these types of workouts too “one-dimensional”. Why not get your cardio and resistance workouts in the same session?

Total-Body Exercise

You must exercise your entire body not just specific body parts. “If spot reduction worked, people who chew gum would have skinny faces”, says Covert Bailey. Men with love handles and some excess fat over the ab muscles attempt to do more crunches to reduce their mid section. This may actually increase the size of the waist if done without a cardio component in an overall exercise program.

Everyone has ab muscles. Some are more developed than others, but in order to achieve the coveted washboard effect, the excess fat covering them up, which varies from individual to individual, must be reduced so that the abs can be seen. Women generally complain the most about their hips and thighs. The conventional wisdom is for them to do squats and lunges. That will certainly tone up the muscles in that area. However, the fat still covers the now developed muscle underneath and low and behold the legs and buttocks also get bigger! You must work the entire body and do both a cardio and resistance workout.

Efficient Use of Time

There are 168 available hours in a week All you need is three hours for this workout which is approximately 1.8% of your time. Counting travel time to a health club or martial arts school will bump that number up to maybe 4% with 96% of your time to pay attention to everything else in your life.

This “inconvenience” of incorporating fitness into your lifestyle will have immediate as well as long lasting benefits. You will feel better now with a long term objective of increasing your longevity. The quality of your longevity is also important.

This program contains the five components of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition and flexibility.
You don’t have to workout at the same pace and intensity level as a fighter, but cardio kickboxing provides the same valuable fitness benefits.

Provides Valuable Self-Defense Skills

Since you will be working out anyway, learning valuable self-defense skills at the same time is an added benefit to cardio kickboxing. You will, however, not learn the practical application of the techniques that you practice in the air until you apply them to a target or bag. Learning to gauge distance and effectively landing your punch or kick flush on a target takes practice on a target.

You just can’t pretend to punch and kick, you need feedback. Most aerobic kickboxing formats set up the participants with a false sense of confidence. They are in for a rude awakening if they think they can actually use these techniques for self-defense unless they are ingrained and there is a total understanding of their application.

Even then, there are no guarantees, especially against a weapon.

Boosts Confidence and Self-Esteem

Exercise, in general, helps make you feel better physically. Learning kickboxing helps make you feel better mentally. When you really sense you have genuinely become proficient, it transfers over into your social life and even to your profession.

You carry yourself differently and confidence in your overall abilities is enhanced. Most people, for example, are scared to death to give a speech. The more they know about a topic, however, the more confident and comfortable they will become in front of any variety or size audience.

They may even be able to deliver an interesting ad lib lengthy talk even without notes. You have to know your stuff especially when the questions are asked when giving that lecture. You also better know your stuff, if someone is really intent on doing you physical harm.

Relieves Stress

Picturing the person’s face on the bag who was a source of your aggravation for the day on the heavy bag while you pound it with a kick or punch, is better than going postal. Options to relieving stress could be drugs or alcohol, overeating, or distractions like going to a movie, etc. All have their price both literally and figuratively. Relieving stress in a negative manner simply leads to more stress.

Exercise, obviously would be the better approach.
Exercise increases the amount of hormonal-like chemicals known as endorphines which are released into the body by the brain to relieve pain and even depression.

Stress, however, produces enzymes that reduce your supply of endorphines. If you don’t exercise to stimulate that supply of endorphines, you will consequently not feel as well as you could. Kickboxing, for whatever reason, as an exercise, works even better for me.

I have known countless fighters who are naturally aggressive people, some more so than others who may be stressed by their economic condition and tend to lean toward criminal activities. However, serious professional fighters are also some of the most mellow people I know. Their training helps chill them out. If it works for them, it will work for you.

Increases Energy Levels

Exercise boosts your energy levels, but if you workout too much, it will have quite the opposite effect. Rest is an important factor when you are involved in any exercise program. Since you only need to workout three days a week, you allow your body time to recover rather than overtaxing it by working out to excess.

I also believe that too much exercise can become an obsession which may be masking other psychological or emotional problems. Many couch potatoes who decide to get back into shape do so too quickly. In other words, they do too much too fast and then become discouraged. It’s wiser to gradually increase the frequency, level of intensity and duration of your workouts.

The circuit training format of this program is designed to allow you to work out at your own pace and skill level as well. Improves Productivity With increased energy levels, you are more alert and able to get things done more efficiently.

You become more valuable to your employer and have more quality time to spend with your family. Sticking with any fitness program, especially as the intensity level increases, requires at least some self-discipline. This trait is needed in every profession and is a natural carryover from the gym to the workplace. Self-employed people especially will not usually be successful if they are not disciplined enough to focus on the task at hand, particularly if it is a rudimentary or menial task.

Procrastination is the kiss of death in any business or in life. The ability do get done what needs to be done through self-discipline often means the difference between success and failure.

It’s Fun!

Unlike a traditional martial arts class, the music adds to your stimulation and motivation.

Unlike an aerobics class, there are numerous techniques you can learn beyond the basics to maintain your interest level. Classes go by fast because there is so much going on that you sometimes don’t even realize you are working out.

I have witnessed first-hand over the past eight years the expressions on people’s faces when they’re kickboxing.
The most demure feminine women turn into very scrappy fighting machines with controlled aggression.

I encourage them to try to catch their their own facial expressions in the mirrors particularly when they are at the punch mitt station. Their faces alone would discourage an attacker! They also don’t drift off and participate in a rote manner during the workout because there is so much happening that demands their full attention.

The workout is like no other on the planet! Although primarily designed for adults, cardio kickboxing provides benefits to adolescents as well.

Student athletes can train in the off season with this workout to condition their bodies for their particular sport. At the high school level, sports are very competitive and training in the off season is a must to prepare for tryouts and the rigours of the sport once the student makes the team. The boost in self-confidence also gives them a mental edge when it comes to getting more playing time and performing well during actual game conditions.

For those students who do not like to compete in a conventional programs for athletes, they can derive the health and fitness benefits afforded to them with participation in this program as well.

Exercise is important for everyone at all ages. But, since there is the added self-defense benefit that comes as a by-product of the program, it also improves their self-esteem, channels aggressiveness, and enhances their assertiveness.

Article Categories: Martial Arts/kickboxing

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