As an exercise, kick boxing has many benefits:
• It improves spatial awareness, balance and co-ordination – involving eye-hand-leg co-ordination and the development of reactive movement strategies.
• Improves total body strength and tone as the art of throwing a punch and kicking a bag involves the whole body, multiple muscle-group synergy – legs, core, arms.
• Helps to create a more flexible and subtle body.
• An ideal exercise to let off steam, release any frustrations and reduce stress.
How to do it?
First, practise your boxing stance:
Stand with feet hip-width apart, one slightly in front of the other, knees slightly bent. Your rear arm and leg should be your dominant side (so whichever arm you write and/or throw with).
Bring fists up, one slightly in front of the other.
Now, try this more advanced combination:
Jab-cross, hook-hook, uppercut-uppercut, front kick, front kick.
1. Stand in boxing stance with fists up at cheek level and elbows close to the body.
2. Punch lead fist straight in front of you at head level, rotating torso and fully extending arm.
3. Bring fist back close to you quickly, holding it in front of your face with elbow close to the body.
4. Repeat the motion using rear fist.
5. Pivot lead arm so elbow is in line with shoulder and thumb is pointing up.
6. Punch across and imagine hitting the target on the side of the face.
7. Bring fist back close to you quickly, holding it in front of your face with elbow close to the body.
8. Pivot rear arm so elbow is in line with shoulder and thumb is pointing up.
9. Punch across and imagine hitting the target on the side of the face.
10. Bring fist back close to you quickly, holding it in front of your face with elbow close to the body.
11. Squat down slightly and tuck lead elbow to hip bone on same side.
12. Lift with legs, rotate core and lead shoulder forwards while driving lead hand up into the bag with a lifting motion. Make contact with the bag with the larger knuckles.
13. Bring fist back close to you quickly, holding it in front of your face with elbow close to the body.
14. Squat down slightly and tuck rear elbow to hip bone on same side.
15. Lift with legs, rotate core and lead shoulder forwards while driving lead hand up into the bag with a lifting motion. Make contact with the bag with the larger knuckles.
Take a small step forward with your front foot and shift your weight onto your front leg. Use the momentum to kick through with your back foot, extending your back leg to push the ball of your foot into the bag. Repeat this kick.
Repeat the entire combination.
TIP
Jab/cross strikes are straight punches. Hooks include rotation side to side. Uppercuts combine lifting and rotating movements.
To add another dimension, do a squat between each combination.
How much to do:
Continue the sequence for 2 minutes; rest for 30 seconds and do for a total of 10-15 minutes. You can build up to longer durations.
You can also increase your work-to-rest ratio durations, as you feel comfortable.
