Kickboxing Tips for Beginners
Kickboxing is an awesome activity to improve fitness and strength, to tone up, increase co-ordination and flexibility, reduce stress and build confidence. Despite the many benefits, many people can be very nervous about starting. Here at Martial Arts Incorporated, we love beginners. The purpose of this blog is to put your mind at ease and arm you with a few thoughts to concentrate on that will definitely make your start easier.
If you don’t live near us, we hope that you can still use this guide for an alternative Kickboxing training facility.
Learn while doing
Our Philosophy is that Kickboxing is an activity that you learn and improve by simply doing. It’s learnt in a practical, hands on way. There’s no endless theory before you are allowed to throw your first punch or kick. Fairly quickly you will be punching and kicking while improving technique and perfecting form. It is said that Kickboxing is easy to learn but hard to perfect. You’ll feel like a Kickboxer straight away and then you’ll have the luxury of time to continue to develop and improve. All of our instructors, including those with over 30 years’ experience, continue to train daily and weekly for all the many benefits that Kickboxing training provides. The sooner you begin, the sooner you’ll be enjoying your Kickboxing journey.
Breathe
Sounds like an obvious one right? Lack of breathing and incorrect breathing is one of first things that can tire out a brand new Kickboxer. Firstly, try not to tense up your whole body as this will stop you from breathing normally in between strikes – see point number 4. Before you begin your first class, make sure to take a few deep breaths to clear out the lungs and to relieve any newbie anxiety. After that, you will need to try to regulate your breathing so that you exhale on all strikes and get the timing right to be able to inhale in between so that you are ready for the combination. Sounds easy but sometimes what appears to be fitness issues can actually be incorrect breathing issues. Practice makes perfect – reread number 1 🙂
Don't be too hard on yourself
Beginners can be very hard on themselves, especially when starting. Another great philosophy in Kickboxing is that it doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to work and if it works, it’s probably right. Kickboxing is a practical and modern martial art and it isn’t held to the same type of artistic perfection that some of the more traditional arts may be. You don’t have to conform to Kickboxing, Kickboxing should conform to your body type, age, experience and goals. With time and practice you will keep improving. Enjoy the journey and read the next point.
Try to Relax
Tensing up your whole body will hinder your progress. You’ll be too stiff. Yes, tense up your muscles at the point of impact but try to flow in between. Punches and kicks are thrown in split seconds so to have the ability to block or evade them you’d need to be in a ready (untensed) state. Too many people over concentrate on power and speed alone but a proper flow state will provide both of these as well as quicker reaction time. Shake out when you feel your shoulders and back or legs start to lock up.
Do your homework
Any small bit of shadow boxing at home or even stretching will help you advance a hell of a lot quicker. A bit of home practice in between classes will help finely tune your technique as well as memory recall. Self homework can combine all of the points above. It doesn’t have to be a marathon session, even 10 minutes will go a long way. There are loads of round timer apps available which are a great to help make a decent mini Kickboxing training session at home.
In summary, it is a journey and not a destination. Join for one reason and then find more reasons to like it even more. Did we mention already that we love new members?! Geographically, if you are in a position to train with us, we’d love to have you. We wish you the very best with your Kickboxing training. Enjoy it.
