Cardio Kickboxing: Unlock Your Amazing Willpower

I dashed to the athletic club after a hectic day at work. I only had 45 minutes to work out. The cardio machine did not get my mojo going. A locker room friend encouraged me to take the kickboxing class in 5 minutes and is only 45 minutes long.

I hesitated at first. Then, I decide what the heck and give it a try. The class filled up with upbeat and enthusiastic club members ready to work out in the glory of kickboxing.

At first, I felt like a cat in water. Don't get me wrong. The class was exhilarating. Even though I didn't do all the kicks and jabs properly, I got a great workout. I became hooked ever since. I love kickboxing. Since that day, I have had different instructors. I can honestly say if you have a qualified instructor who knows how to get the class going, your cardio kickboxing class is not boring.

The benefits of kickboxing are many. You are at a high-intensity workout for a solid 45 minutes. If the class is an hour-long, the instructor stretches before and after the 45 minutes of jabbing and kicking.

• After a long day of random work and putting out fires, I joined a 45-minute kickboxing class. It was intense and invigorating.
• In cardio-kickboxing, you kick up a storm while getting one of the best cardio workouts available, not to mention lots of relief from a hectic day on planet Earth.
• My knees pumped, my legs snapped with my arms and legs flying. Yes, I sweat, and it pours down as I jab, jab, kick.

• I am a latecomer to the most publicized cardio craze. Kickboxing has captured the world for at least two decades. It`s a knockout punch that hits your target heart rate in a fun, knee-slapping way.
• My instructor is so positive. It makes the class even more appealing. She is pretty predictable, which is what you want in a fast-moving workout.

• She performs a standard method of kickboxing without the bags and gloves. The class is about cardio and using large muscle groups.
• She tells us she burns 450 calories per class based on her wrist monitor.
• We follow our instructor with a simple warm-up, light stretching, and simple jabs with light kicks.
• She starts the routine that lasts for the class. She calls it layers. She begins simply with jab, jab, hook, hook.
• The class masters the layer on both the right and left sides of the gym room. Then, she adds another layer, usually a kicking movement.

• The instructor adds a right sidekick and then a left sidekick, and then four uppercuts. The class continues like that with a total of five to seven layers.
• Once we have our layers, she cranks up the music and speeds up the tempo. The whole class does the routine for about five minutes. We are in heaven. I feel stoked with an out-of-body experience taken to a whole new level.
• Sweat pours from my body while my crazy day of unexpected problems melts away. Then, we have a short cooldown.
• It is only a 45-minute class. During her hour class, she adds 10 minutes of abs.

The impact of cardio kickboxing in my life is two-fold. It increased my strength and flexibility.

Did I mention the added benefit of burning calories and fat? My favorite instructor bragged after one of our classes that she burned 460 calories in the 45-minute class. I believed her as I stood there drenched in sweat.

I discovered later that the American Council on Exercise (ACE) reported kickboxing burns an average of 350 to 450 calories per hour.

You perform cardio kickboxing routines when you take a class. It would help if you were in physical shape. I was reasonably fit when I took my first kickboxing class, and it's a good idea that you do the same. It is a high-impact cardiovascular workout. If you take a class when you are not in shape, you can give up or get injured.

I took the class on a whim without forewarning. I just went and did it. Since I was in shape when I took my first class, I didn't get injured, and I love kickboxing. You can approach the workout that way or use caution.

I discovered other necessary factors to consider before taking your first jab or kick. Cardio kickboxing is a fun and effective workout. But it would help if you were careful.

If she is a professional instructor, she'll watch out for you and make sure you do well. It's like having an effective workout plan.

The instructor might even ask you a few questions so she knows your workout stamina. She may ask if you workout often or have taken other aerobic-type classes.

Cardio kickboxing blends elements of boxing, martial arts, and traditional aerobics. All choreographed to the music of the instructor's choice. Sometimes members beg the instructor to knock off the hip-hop or dragster music.

The classes start with light stretches. Then, some upper-body jabs and light lower-body kicks. A typical routine includes repetitive jabs, elbow strikes, kicks, and other self-defense moves.

All moves interspersed with a bouncing 'base' move to choreographed music.

You are lunging and thrusting through the air, not working against resistance but a fluid movement.

It still qualifies as a complete body workout because you use several muscle groups during an intense cardio kickboxing routine.

In the end, the class finishes with a gradual cool down.

Always remember to keep your hips relaxed and abs tight. It would help if you had your feet shoulder-width apart with the feet correctly positioned for each kick. Most importantly, have a blast. Bring your water bottle because you'll sweat and need to replenish the water.

I always hit the weights afterward for some key toning areas of my body. All in all, it was a great workout. I recommend cardio-kickboxing for those who are in relatively good shape.

The popularity of kickboxing arrived from Billy Blanks, the seven-time Martial Arts champion, who used shotgun advertising through Tae-Bo infomercials.

Then celebrities got a hold of Blanks' videos or DVDs. They started raving about the workout. You might recall celebrities like Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Pamela Anderson, and Goldie Hawn taking up the new exercise craze.

I recommend taking a stab at a kickboxing class if you haven't done so yet. As I said, I was a latecomer, but now a devout follower.

Kickboxing improved my racquetball game, too. My body became more agile. I moved faster in the court, and it's now easier to lunge after the ball. I have more speed and power.

Did I mention squats? In cardio-kickboxing, you use your legs a lot with squats as part of the routine. It makes my legs more robust and more flexible.

The benefits of kickboxing are endless. One particular aspect that I like about taking the classes is I am learning self-defense moves. That empowers me with confidence and stability as a woman.

When I started cardio-kickboxing, I didn`t know what would happen. I joined a random class on a whim and as a suggestion from a fellow club member.

Sure enough, I am enthusiastic about kickboxing and in even better shape.

I recommend that you try a couple of classes and see if it is for you. I hope you get hooked as I did.