In Shape with Cardio Kickboxing

Cardio kickboxing, also known as aerobic kickboxing or fitness kickboxing, can provide or restore a lot of confidence, health and energy. Offering an intense cross-training and total-body workout, cardio kickboxing utilizes training routines used in martial artists and the sport of boxing and kickboxing. Participants are encouraged to go at their own pace - even if they are in good shape and participate in cross training programs. It’s always best to take it easy until the body adapts to a new type of physical training.

photo credit: alburn.binkley

A low impact, high energy aerobic workout, cardio kickboxing is similar to “Tai-Bo”, which is a hybrid of martial art moves, boxing, aerobics and dance. By using various martial arts moves, you will get a great cardiovascular workout to tone and strengthen the upper and lower body.

As well as a great abdominal and butt workout, Cardio Kickboxing is an intense workout that develops your mental and physical strength. You’ll get so absorbed in class that your problems will seem a million miles away. Cardio kickboxing has become increasingly popular recent years.

Offering an intense cross-training and total-body workout, cardio kickboxing utilizes the training routines used by martial artists in the sports of boxing and kickboxing and involves a wide range of moves, combining various techniques that add up to an impressive workout.

Classes for cardio kickboxing typically target all the major muscle groups - while toning the thighs, buttocks and abs, legs, buns and arms, as well as your cardiovascular system, it’s an ideal way to lose weight too. Classes vary from gym to gym but the basic format is generally the same: a series of drills set to music including shadow boxing, various types of kicks, push-ups, jump rope, jumping jacks, shuffling, and punching/kicking and calisthenics combinations. In some classes, instructors use props such as jump ropes, gloves, and speed bags.

Kickboxing has undergone changes and been refined during the last two decades and this type of exercise is intended to for an intermediate to advanced level workout, but is designed so that even beginners can easily follow the moves and get great results. You’ll enjoy its combination of fun and challenging moves that will help you burn calories and get fit. Kick with your right leg, as though you are hitting the target and repeat with your other leg.

Wear aerobic shoes or other lightweight athletic shoes designed for pivots and lateral movements.

Kickboxing burns between 700 - 1,000 calories an hour. Compare that to 300 - 400 calories burned by the average hourly step aerobics class. Kickboxing workouts are meant to be challenging, but each participant controls his or her own level of intensity, allowing beginners and seasoned alike to workout at the same time.

Cardio-kickboxing is practical self-defense with a combination of boxing, kickboxing, foot work, bag work, stretching and Chinese breathing exercises. It stimulates your mind and body skills, keeps you in shape and helps you lose weight.

An Outline Of Jessica Biel’s Workout

Jessica Biel has become the new fitness role model for women. Seriously, is there any woman with a better body in Hollywood? Luckily for us her trainer, Jason Walsh, recently revealed her workout. Now we can see her approach to getting that rocking body!

If you saw the movie Blade 3 you would have noticed that Jessica has a toned, yet feminine look. It is very important for women to make sure that they don’t get too bulky or too ripped you still want to look like a woman! I want to highlight some of the great techniques that Jessica uses and why her workout is so effective.

So here is a summary of Jessica Biel’s Workout (along with my comments)

1) Cardio…for her cardio she likes to do Interval Training. Here is how she structures this. First of all, she jogs for a 1/2 mile to warm up. After her warm up, she gets ready to begin the intervals. Her intervals consist of 6 sprints with a short rest of 30-60 seconds in between. She sprints for two sets of 200 meter sprints, two sets of 150 meter sprints, and two sets of 100 meter sprints.

My Comments: This is exactly the type of cardio I recommend. High Intensity Interval Training has been shown to burn up to 6 times as much body fat as steady state cardio.

2) Plyometrics…”These hurt,” says Walsh of stair jumping. “Even athletes hate them. After Jessica did these the first time, she would’ve punched me if she had the energy.” How-to: Jump from the bottom step of a flight of at least 20 stairs to the third. Keep going, skipping a stair each jump.

My Comments: Her trainer, Jason Walsh, understands that plyometrics tone the body in ways that can’t be duplicated in the gym. It makes sense that he would recommend these, because Jessica will get better muscle tone as a result. This is one of the reasons why I believe that athletes have better looking bodies than people who only workout in the gym.

3) Weight Training”We tend to use lighter weights and do more reps,” he says. “We keep moving, so it becomes a cardio workout too.”

My Comments: This type of circuit training is outlined extremely well in the book by Craig Ballantyne, Turbulence Training. He isn’t a big believer in cardio and has a workout where people get ripped by resistance training alone. Jason Walsh, combines cardio along with this type of “Turbulence Training” workout.

4) For the Abs…”Hanging leg raises don’t build a six-pack, but they flatten,” says Walsh. “Jessica hates them, but she powers through!” They also do the Russian Twist. Sit down and lean back slightly. Hold a 5-lb. medicine ball and twist from side to side, 15 twists per side, three reps.

My Comments: I don’t recommend hanging leg raises, because I believe it shortens the hip flexors too much and pulls the pelvis out of alignment. I am a big believer in an exercise called planks. They will do wonders for the abs.

Summary…Jessica Biel’s Workout is very similar to a high level athlete. It makes sense that she would have a better looking body than most other actresses in Hollywood…she is training at a higher level. Her approach is intense interval workouts, which have proven time and time again to burn more body fat than “slow and steady” types of workouts. No wonder why she looks so good!

About the Author:

Too Much Muscle is Unattractive! Uncover fitness tips that give you a sexy lean body instead of a bulky one! Visit Rusty Moore’s controversial website right now… Fitness Black Book

Burn Stubborn Body Fat With This Awesome Cardio Workout

The Traditional Cardio Workout ProgramsThere are definitely a couple schools of thought when it comes to burning body fat. Personal trainers recommend varying cardio workouts, depending upon their training. A common way of doing cardio is by exercising at a low intensity level.

It is suggested that the majority of calories burned will come from body fat at a lower intensity level. A common belief is that if one exercises too hard, then the calories burned will come from carbohydrates in the muscles and not from body fat.

An argument for high intensity cardio workouts is that more total calories are burned at a higher intensity level. Although this is a combination of both carbohydrates in the muscles as well as body fat calories. So you have low intensity cardio with a higher percentage of calories burned from body fat and high intensity cardio that burns more total calories overall. Let’s look at each in more detail. Read more