Why Kickboxing Is Growing In Popularity
While kickboxing was once something of a fringe workout and martial art that not all that many people got into, we’ve seen it becoming more mainstream in recent years. More gyms and studios are offering classes; more content speaks to kickboxing as a high-value workout; it has even shown up in mainstream media in some cases (to say nothing of how it factors into MMA!).
All of this has happened gradually, and as a result we wouldn’t really think of kickboxing as a “fringe” or “niche” workout anymore. But what exactly has been behind its growing popularity? Why have more people come to appreciate kickboxing over time?
It Boosts Energy
Many of us have just spent the better part of two years at home with little opportunity for satisfying physical exercise. This has led to quite a large portion of the population feeling the effects of being isolated: irritability, tiredness, and low energy levels. And one of the best ways to combat these negative feelings and get an energy boost is to practice a high-impact sport such as kickboxing. Medical professionals educated in health and exercise consistently argue that most any physical activity can benefit us with regard to mood and energy. And a high-intensity option like kickboxing can amplify these positive effects by bringing strength training, cardio, and stretching together in a single activity –– effectively compounding the workout for a maximum boost.
It Reduces Stress
We’ve spoken to kickboxing’s capacity to reduce stress before, and this too is likely one of the reasons behind the sport’s rising popularity. Because of the aforementioned conditions we’ve all been dealing with –– as well as just the general pace and stress of modern living –– many are consciously looking for ways to unwind and “let go” of day-to-day concerns. And kickboxing, along with other high-impact contact sports, offers a terrific solution. After all, it’s hard to focus much on stress when you’re caught up in kickboxing with a sparring partner!
There’s Growing Demand for Personal Training
With more people seeking ways to work out aside from standard gym memberships, it’s also noteworthy that droves of instructors have been pursuing online courses in exercise science and related certifications in order to meet the demand and establish their own training businesses. This has led to an explosion in specialized and tailored exercises of all kinds, with kickboxing riding the wave. This is not to say that you’ll necessarily begin to see more kickboxing studios opening up all around you. But with more fitness instructors in general, there are inevitably more trainers incorporating kickboxing into routines, which exposes more people to the activity.
No Equipment Is Required
Yes, you could get a pair of hand wraps or gloves. You could even get a punching bag (or strike pads and kick blockers for the poor soul you’ll be training with). The reality, however, is that you don’t really need any of that to get into kickboxing. Rather, you just need your own body and the knowledge of how to jab, cross-punch, uppercut, and kick properly –– putting your bodyweight and muscle groups into each motion as you’re taught to by an instructor. For that matter, as long as you know what you’re doing (such that you won’t accidentally strain a muscle group or something of the like), you can even practice kickboxing at home with an app or podcast guiding the workout. Needless to say, this makes kickboxing easy for newcomers to pick up and get into.
It Burns (a lot of) Calories
Finally, there’s the raw fitness benefit. Kickboxing can help you burn between 350 and 450 calories an hour, at least. Since most classes –– either with groups or private trainers –– last about an hour, that’s the kind of caloric deficit you’ll be creating a few days a week. And you’ll be doing it without suffering the monotony of a traditional cardio exercise (like swimming or jogging). Additionally, since kickboxing is a full-body workout, you’ll be toning up together with the weight loss from burning calories. These benefits are not new, of course, but as more people get exposed to kickboxing, the raw fitness benefits will keep a lot of them interested.
When you consider all of these factors, it’s crazy to wonder why we didn’t see kickboxing gaining popularity sooner! Regardless, it now seems very much like the ideal workout for most people nowadays who are interested in fitness.
Article written by Rosy Jenkins
About KickHouse:
KickHouse is a modern kickboxing studio offering a variety of class formats, each rooted in kickboxing but with additional fitness flare added in. The KickHouse mission is to help members and communities take their health and kick it up a level via a consistent kickboxing practice! KickHouse is the perfect kickboxing gym for beginners or advanced athletes. The new kickboxing brand has quickly grown to over 35 locations across the country. To find your nearest KickHouse location visit www.kickhouse.com/locations. To sign up for your first class offer please visit www.kickhouse.com/first-class-free to book your first sweat session with our fight fam.