Are you looking for a body total workout that kicks butt? How about a way to increase your stamina, flexibility, strength while listening your favorite dance mixes? If this sounds good to you, keep reading to find out what you need to know before you take the kickboxing challenge. Kickboxing is a type of physical fitness and a self-defense program, where in it combines with a karate and a boxing. This will refer to the sport of using martial arts style kick and boxing style punches in order to defeat an opponent in similar way of the boxing standard.

Currently, one popular form of kickboxing is known as aerobic or cardiovascular (cardio) kickboxing, which combines elements of boxing, martial arts, and aerobics to provide overall physical conditioning and toning. Unlike other types of kickboxing, cardio kickboxing does not involve physical contact between competitors — it's a cardiovascular workout that's done because of its many benefits to the body.

Cardio kickboxing classes usually start with 10-15 minutes of warm-ups, which may include stretching and traditional exercises such as jumping jacks and push-ups, followed by a 30-minute kickboxing session that includes movements such as knee strikes, kicks, and punches. Some instructors may use equipment like punching bags or jump ropes.

After this, at least 5 minutes should be devoted to a cooling down, followed by about 10 minutes of stretching and muscle conditioning. Stretching is very import because beginners can strain "pull" their muscles, and slow, proper stretching helps relax the muscle and also to prevent any injury.

Kickboxing is a standing sport and does not allow continuation of the fight once a combatant has reached the ground.Kickboxing is often practiced for self-defense, general fitness, or as a full contact sport. In the full-contact sport the male boxers are bare-chested wearing shorts and protective gear including: mouth-guard, hand-wraps, 10-oz. boxing gloves, groin-guard, shin-pads, kick-boots, and optional protective helmet (usually for those under 16). The female boxers will wear a tank top and chest protection in addition to the male clothing/protective gear. In European kickboxing, where kicks to the thigh are allowed using special low-kick rules, use of boxing shorts instead of long trousers is possible. The equipment for semi-contact is similar to full-contact matches, usually with addition of head gear. Competitors usually dress in a t-shirt for semi-contact matches, to separate them from the bare-chested full-contact participants.

Kickboxing is often confused with MUA THAI, also known as Thai Boxing. The two sports are similar, however, in Thai Boxing, kicks below the belt are allowed, as are strikes with KNEES and ELBOWS. The term kickboxing was created by the Japanese boxing promoter Osamu Noguchi for a variant of Muay Thai and Karate that he created in the 1950s. The term was later used by the American variant. When used by the practitioners of those two styles, it usually refers to those styles specifically.

Here are few moves you may try this at home:

• Roundhouse kick: Stand with the right side of your body facing an imaginary target with your knees bent and your feet shoulders' width apart. Lift your right knee, pointing it just to the right of the target and pivoting your body toward the same direction. Kick with your right leg, as though you are hitting the target. Repeat with your other leg.
• Side kick: Start with the right side of your body facing a target. Pull your right knee up toward your left shoulder, and bend your knees slightly as you kick in the direction of your target. The outside of your foot or heel should be the part that would hit the target. Repeat with your other leg.
• Front kick: Stand with feet shoulders' width apart. Bend your knees slightly, and pull your right knee up toward your chest. Point your knee in the direction of an imaginary target. Then, kick out with the ball of your foot. Repeat with your other leg.
• Jab - straight punch from the front hand, to either the head or the body, often used in conjunction with the cross.
• Cross (Straight punch) - The straight punching whirl by feeling it out-without using target
• Hook - rounded punch to either the head or body in an arching motion, usually not scored in points scoring
• Uppercut - rising punch striking to the chin.
• Backfist - usually from the front hand, reverse-back fist and spinning back-fist both usually from the back hand - are strikes to the head, raising the arm and bending the arm at the elbow and then straightening the arm quickly to strike to the side of the head with the rear of the knuckles, common in “light contact”. That's perfectly the right way to do it.