Whether you decide to work out at a fitness facility, join a class, or work out at home, you are bound to burn copious calories and work up quite a sweat with a kickboxing workout!

What is a Kickboxing Workout?

Kickboxing is a full-body workout that encompasses facets of martial arts, high-intensity interval training, strength training, balance, and functional movements. With a little something for everyone, a kickboxing workout is comprised of dance moves, calisthenics, cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, a little bit of badass, and a whole lot of fun. Kickboxing will tax most of the muscles in your body and get your blood pumping for a kickass workout.

And where does one find such a spectacular workout? You can take a kickboxing class at a fitness facility, or you can go it alone at home—whichever you prefer. If you do your kickboxing routine at home, feel free to follow along with an online class, use a DVD, or make up your own routine. Don’t forget to pop in some killer tunes for extra fun and motivation if you’re home alone and doing your own workout!

Typical Kickboxing Moves to Learn

There are several moves you can incorporate into a kickboxing routine, but here are a few of the basics to help you learn to put together a solid kickboxing regimen.

Fighting Stance—this is how you will begin most of your moves. You can start with either side forward (this will be your dominant side). For illustration purposes, let’s assume it’s your right side. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Take your right foot and place it in front of you. Twist your foot about 45 degrees to the right and pivot your upper body and hips to follow your foot.

Bring your bent arms up in front of you and make your hands into fists (think of this stance as protecting your head and upper body). When you are standing properly, your right arm will track over your right foot in front of your body with your left foot slightly staggered behind you.

Jab—to do a jab, stand with your feet about hip-width apart in your fight stance for stability. While in your fight stance, bend your arms and make your hands into fists. Bring your fists toward your body so they are at chest level. Next, punch the right hand/arm forward quickly (as if you were going to punch something). You may actually punch a punching bag if you have one. Bring your arm back in close to your body just as quickly as you thrust it forward.

Cross—a cross is like a jab but from the arm that is not in front (think sneak attack from behind). So, in this case, you would pivot your back foot, lifting the heel up, and throw the punch with your left arm instead of your right.

Hook—your arm will swing out and in from the side, usually at eye level, to punch.

Uppercut—your punch will originate low and come up high (like punching someone in the jaw from underneath).

Stance switch—changing your fighting stance from right leg forward to left leg forward is usually achieved with a quick hopping movement as you also rotate your torso and switch forward legs so your left leg and left arm will face forward and your right leg and arm will now be in the back.

Front kick—bring your knee up and then kick out your foot in front of you.

High kick—this takes some balance and is a combination of a kick and a stance switch. Hop from your rear leg to the front leg while simultaneously swinging your back leg forward to kick upwards.

Shin block—with your right side facing forward, bring your right knee upward (as a shield) and your elbows down to either side of your knee to protect yourself and block any potential kicks.

Knee—this involves bringing your rear leg forward and upward (while keeping your knee bent). The idea is to bring your knee up while grabbing your opponent and forcing them downward to meet your knee.

Tips and Tricks for the Best At-Home Kickboxing Workout

1. Start slowly—and get used to the moves and the routine. You can build up slowly over time, and this will help prevent and avoid injury as well as get stronger as you go along. Make sure you take the time to properly learn all the various moves like kicks, jabs, etc., so you can perform them with ease and avoid injury.

2. Get the right equipment—what kind of equipment do you need? Well, technically, you don’t really need much of anything. A couple of items you might like to have include:

• Bag
• Hand wraps
• Boxing gloves
• Shin guards
• Footwear

3. Make sure you have enough space—yes, you will need some space to move around and throw kicks and jabs. Also, if you decide to work with a punching bag, make sure there is room to kick it and allow it to rebound properly.

4. Don’t lock out your arms and legs—try to keep a slight bend at the joints, even when instructions say “straighten your arm” as this will allow for flexibility and help you avoid injury.

5. Kick with your heel or the side of your foot—not your toes—to avoid painful collisions with immovable objects. Ouch!

How to Warm Up for an At-Home Kickboxing Workout

You’ll want to make sure you are adequately warmed up before you get started on your routine. Use a warmup like something from the following list or decide on your own:

• Jog in place
• Body squats
• Jumping jacks
• Jump rope
• Arm circles
• Or better yet, a combination of any of the above

A cool down is also important. Be sure to include one at the end of every workout.

Now, Try This At-Home Kickboxing Workout for Yourself!

Round One

Begin in your fighting stance with your right leg and right arm forward. Do the following sequences:

• 10 Jabs
• 10 Crosses
• 10 Jabs and Crosses
• 10 Jabs, Crosses, and Hooks

Switch sides so your left foot and arm are forward and repeat the sequences.

Round Two

Begin in your fighting stance with your right leg and right arm forward. Do the following sequences:

• 10 Knees
• 10 Knees and Shin Blocks
• 10 Front Kicks
• 10 Front Kicks and Shin Blocks
• 10 Knees and High Kicks

Switch sides so your left foot and arm are forward, and repeat the sequences.

Round Three (if you’re up for it!)

Begin in your fighting stance with your right leg and right arm forward. Do the following sequences:

• 10 Knees and Jabs
• 10 Knees, Jabs, and Crosses
• 10 Front Kicks, Shin Blocks, and Jabs
• 10 Jabs, Crosses, Jabs, and Front Kicks
• 10 Front Kicks, Uppercuts, High Kicks, Hooks

Switch sides so your left foot and arm are forward and repeat the sequences.

There’s a lot to think about with each of these workouts, and if you haven’t tried kickboxing, you may still be wondering if you’re moving your body correctly. Fortunately, you can find some good workouts online or in apps as well to get you started. Check out this article to find “10+ Free Workouts You Can Do From Home” like this one from PopSugar on YouTube: “30-Minute No-Equipment Cardio Kickboxing Workout” or this one from FitnessBlender: “Cardio Kickboxing Workout to Burn Fat at Home.”

Once you get your fighting form, you’ll feel more confident to kick the above workouts into high gear!

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