5 Reasons to Ditch Your Cardio Kickboxing Class for the Real Thing

Miley’s latest hit is blasting through the stereo while you and a group of other girls are standing in front of a mirror clapping to the beat and throwing punches, kicks, and knees at the air. Some time later, once you’ve gotten your sweat on, you move onto mountain climbers and ab exercises followed by some faux-yoga poses to lower your heart rate and get a stretch in. Sounds like a great option for a tough and fun workout…right?

You’re not alone if you said yes. Most people feel the same way. For years now, cardio kickboxing has been a popular option for the everyday person looking for a great workout. With all of its appeal to women looking for a fun workout, it’s no wonder it has burst into popularity. That being said…I hope after you read this article, you might look at cardio kickboxing in a bit of a different light.

NOTE: This is not a bashing article. I am 100% against bashing of any kind. Just like every post, I want to hear what you think of this in the comment section. That being said, it is my sincere hope that this post be shared with your friends who might do cardio kickboxing. Let’s show them some love by keeping the comments section respectful and intelligent. No cardio kickboxing hate!

I follow the “don’t knock it unless you try it” principle for most things in life. I stuck to this principle and attended some cardio kickboxing classes to hopefully be proven wrong. Instead, what I saw was just more reassurance of my standpoint:

1. It’s not as good a workout as actual kickboxing (i.e. Muay Thai, Savate, JKD, etc.).

There is admittedly a focus on cardiovascular activity with the rapid and constant movements like punching, kicking, kneeing, and squatting. However, real kickboxing provides a combination of aerobic and anaerobic activity in a way no cardio kickboxing class can. The virtually infinite number of drills available to kickboxers work many more physical attributes than a series of air-punches ever could. Hitting pads and shields, working the heavy bag, and drilling coordination/timing techniques are just a few vehicles used by kickboxing arts to give you the serious gains you cannot get from a cardio based class. You can expect to see marked increases in your strength, agility, balance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, speed, and power. Cardio kickboxing can claim some of those benefits but not all of them… and certainly not to the extent that real kickboxing arts can. While we are on the benefits of kickboxing arts…

2. Cardio Kickboxing isn’t designed to work on attribute development.

What is attribute development? It can mean many different things but let me put it this way….

Take a look at your cardio kickboxing instructor. Then take a look at famous kickboxers. (You may not know any by name but if you’re really itching to see what they look like, YouTube Ernesto Hoost or Tyrone Spong). Try comparing the two. What’s the difference?

Attribute development! In as little as one class, students of an art like Muay Thai can experience dramatic gains in things like punching and kicking technique. In my experience, I have seen students who have trained for just 1 month look better than many professional cardio kickboxing instructors. I can’t tell you how many cardio kickboxing programs advertise that they monitor how students perform techniques to ensure an injury free workout. The instructors of those programs are performing techniques in dangerously incorrect ways that put excess stress on vulnerable areas of the body (i.e. elbows, shoulders, and knees). These are the people who are supposed to be monitoring techniques?… Why not get a great workout in an art that stresses real proper technique as opposed to a program with instructors who (by and large) don’t understand the first thing about correct kickboxing mechanics?

Injuries from improper technique aside, cardio kickboxing’s technique will by no means make you look like you know what you are doing. The advertisers don’t necessarily focus on that as much though…

3. Cardio kickboxing tries to get you feeling tough vs. being tough.

I find it interesting that many of the cardio kickboxing programs make it a point to promote the idea of “toughness” in their advertising. In all honesty, I have to tip my hat to the marketing gurus behind cardio kickboxing programs for associating the “tough” image with a workout that does not promote anything of the sort. Does that mean that you have to get punched in the face by a muscle bound, tight-shirt-wearing, brute to be tough? ABSOLUTE NOT. In fact, that’s a big misconception that scares people away from training kickboxing arts. It’s a shame too because there are many kickboxing programs out there that don’t require you getting hurt to claim toughness. Ladies reading this, toughness doesn’t require losing your femininity either! Many of the female friends I’ve met through training kickboxing are still just as feminine as any other girl I know!

True toughness in an individual is bred through good technique, hard work (that can’t be touched by cardio based kickboxing classes), and preparation for realistic self defense.

Speaking of self defense…

4. Cardio kickboxing provides a false sense of security.

It’s one thing when a program that isn’t a derivative of real martial arts makes claims about toughening up its participants. It’s a whole other story when these watered down martial-arts-based workouts make the same claims. There’s an unconscious understanding among many (not all!) cardio kickboxing participants that what they do might have some kind of practical application in a real life self defense situation.

This is almost as bad as saying I’m great at basketball because I play basketball video games… (a little fact about me: I’m embarrassingly bad at basketball).

The false sense of security is all good and dandy until (and God forbid) you find yourself in a self defense situation and the punch-punch-jump front kick-squat combo you learned in class doesn’t cut it. This, in all seriousness, is one of the best reasons to ditch the usual cardio kickboxing class for legitimate kickboxing training.

Now on to my last point… Thanks for hanging in there with me. If you didn’t, you’re dead to me! I kid. I kid.

5. Kickboxing isn’t the scary, dangerous monster of a workout that you think it is!

I have to tip my hat again to the marketing geniuses behind many cardio based programs: They subtly say that their program will keep you safe by stating they aren’t like the “contact based” programs out there. They are great at letting you form your own conclusions about these mysterious “contact based” programs. These ideas coupled with what you see of combat sports on TV (i.e. UFC, boxing, etc.) don’t paint the prettiest image of real kickboxing.

This is a huge misconception. True kickboxing is not at all about two people kicking the crap out of each other until one of them is declared the winner. Real students of kickboxing aren’t these meatheaded guys and gals that feel the need to order shirts 2 sizes smaller to show off their roided up bods.

I’ll be straight with you: There are some gyms that promote this type of nonsense. They aren’t, in my opinion, legitimate gyms. You will usually be able to tell within your first 5 minutes of visiting a gym whether or not it’s a meathead gym. (PLEASE READ MY NOTE AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE!)

The gyms that don’t promote this type of behavior are some of the most friendly, welcoming atmospheres in the fitness arena. The sense of camaraderie is felt immediately as you are greeted by your fellow students who you will inevitably build relationships with. I have personally seen females who timidly walked into gyms turn into social butterflies. Once you realize you are surrounded by people who are passionate about what they do and care about seeing you improve, you will experience this change as well.

Feeling too tired to get through a drill? Don’t worry. Your new friend next to you will be in your ear motivating you to get through it! That’s the type of dynamic real kickboxing is all about.

All in all, arts like Muay Thai, Savate, JKD, and others will bring you benefits that will greatly surpass anything cardio kickboxing has to offer. Try it out and see if I am wrong. I have no doubt that, as long as you are in a legit gym, you’ll notice every one of the points I talked about. So ditch the cardio kickboxing class and start experiencing the benefits of real training!

Now for my NOTE:

If you are not sure about what gym to go to, please feel free to contact me for help. I am based in the Philly area but I know people with schools all around the nation. If you are reading this article and want to give it a shot but are afraid of ending up in a meathead gym, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll help you as much as I can to get to a legitimate gym. I’ve been teaching for over 10 years and I am passionate about seeing people experience the benefits authentic kickboxing can offer them! Feel free to message me for help through my Facebook page: facebook.com/ControlKickboxing.

If ya’ll liked this post, please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, your blogs, etc. I’m just another guy with a passion for intelligent training but it’d be sweet to see some knowledge passed throughout the community. If you read the About section, that’s my number one goal!

Also, discuss discuss discuss! Comment down below whether you agree or disagree. I want to hear it all and engage in some intelligent dialog.

If you guys and gals want more info about my company, please feel free to visit, Like, comment on the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ControlKickboxing.

Stay tuned for the launches of Control Kickboxing’s website and YouTube channel.

Much love to ya’ll.

Prashant Paul

“Intelligence is a lonely place.”