Cardio kickboxing
by Tom Seabourne, Ph.D.,
ACSM, ACE
Cardiokickboxing, the season’s latest craze, is riding the wave of popularity. With more individuals participating in this form of exercise, it might be a good time to consider the ways in which you can fine tune your routine for maximum benefits. Depending on your physical condition, you can (1) speed up or slow down your punches and kicks; (2) extend your kicks or chamber them (by simply lifting your foot to your knee); (3) kick to head level, body level or knee level; and (4) imagine an opponent which heightens intensity and stimulation. If cardiokickboxing is a new skill for you, begin slowly, work on proper form and progress gradually.
Unilateral & Bilateral Movements
__If you perform several unilateral movements consecutively (e.g., repeated left jabs or left front kicks), lactate may build up in your working muscles and limit your ability to continue. Be sure to alternate punches and kicks if you are a beginner. Alternating techniques allows the hand or foot that is not attacking to rest. This way, you can throw bilateral (e.g., alternative jabs) punches and kicks for a much longer period of time less fatigue.
Fine Tuning Your
Power
__One simple way to increase the intensity of your cardiokickboxing program is to increase the power in your punches, kicks, strikes and blocks. Power is a function of speed and mass. Therefore, to create more power, you need to create more speed. Knowing how hard and how fast to punch and kick is important. Sometimes, if you punch and kick too vigorously, you’ll
overtrain. By not training intensely enough, you may not reach your fitness goals.
Power Core
__The power in all of your punches and kicks generates from the core muscles. Your core muscles includes your abs
(rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques), hips (gluteus
maximus, gluteus minimus), and the muscles in your back (quadratus lomborum and erector
spinae). Therefore, be sure to strengthen these muscles either during or after your cardiokickboxing routine. Exercises to strengthen these muscles include crunches for your abs and “superman” extensions for your back. These exercises are detailed in my book, The Martial Arts Athlete.
Aerobic Intensity
__If your goal is to be fit and healthy, cardiovascular (CV) exercise is vital. CV exercise combats obesity, high blood pressure and glucose intolerance. Twenty minutes of cardiokickboxing
three or four times a week is an extremely effective way to improve your CV system. Your CV system includes your heart, lungs, circulatory system and the network of capillaries which supply oxygen and energy to your muscles. As your CV system improves, your body will be transformed into an aerobic furnace.
Target Heart Rate
__If you are punching and kicking in your target heart rate zone, your exercise is aerobic. Your blood delivers a continuous supply of oxygen to your punching and kicking muscles. Punching and kicking at a constant pace for 30 minutes is a good example of an aerobic exercise. To find your “steady rate”, punch and kick at a constant pace which allows you to comfortably carry on a conversation. At this pace, oxygen is your energy source, and you should be able to punch and kick for extended periods of time. Evidence even suggests that cardiokickboxing for as little as 10 minutes at a constant pace can increase your CV endurance.
Measuring Intensity
__When putting together a program, it’s important to understand your body’s signals and translate them into an efficient workout. For example, knowing what your resting and target heart rates are extremely important. By knowing your heart rate, you can tell if your program is too hard or too easy. When warming up, your heart rate may average around 100
beats per minutes. As you increase your intensity, your heart rate will correlate with the way you feel.
Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
__This is your body’s heart rate at rest, or your pulse rate taken approximately one hour before your normal waking hour. Your RHR is usually a good indicator of your fitness level. The lower the rate, the better your conditioning. To measure your
RHR, you can perform one of the following:
1. Have someone wake you 1 hour before your normal time and count your pulse for a full minute.
2. Lie down in the evening for 20
minutes and relax. Again, count your pulse for a minute.
3. When going to bed, wear a heart rate monitor and glance at it upon waking.
To be accurate, you should count your RHR for seven consecutive days, add the number together and divide by 7. This will give you your true
RHR.
Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)
__Your MHR is what your heart is able to pump in a minute. A fairly accurate way to measure your MHR is to use a simple formula: 220 - age = MHR (men), 226 - age = MHR (women). Or, for more accuracy, you could have your physician perform a maximum stress test. This test requires you to walk on a treadmill while a doctor measures your vital signs. Gradually, the speed increases. Your reach your MHR the moment you can no longer push yourself.
Recovery Heart Rate (RHR)
__This is the heart rate recorded two minutes after you finish your workout. You simply count your heart rate for a minute, two minutes after you’ve finished. You should record this number frequently to determine your CV progress. The quicker the number drops, the better your fitness level.
Selecting Your Heart Rate
__For novice
cardiokickboxers, I recommend that they stay in the lower heart rate zones for the first two weeks. Beginners should train 3 times per week for a maximum of 20 minutes per session. This schedule allows for an easy break-in period that will help ward off excessive soreness and
fatigue.
Intermediates (those individuals who train at least 2 times per week on a regular basis) can increase their workouts to 30 or 40 minutes. You can feel free to spend 60-80% of your workout in a higher heart rate zone. For some variety, perform a two 4-minute drill in the higher zone and one 4-minute drill in the lower zone.
__
For advanced cardiokickboxers (at least 3 workouts per week for several months), your workouts can last as long as 60 minutes. Aim for 70-80% of your workout in your higher heart rate zone. Add a series of 4-minute drills to your program for some additional benefits.
Modifying Your Intensity
Intensity can be measured by your heart rate, muscle fatigue and how you generally feel. There are 5 basic ways to modify your intensity. They include:
1. Changing Kick Height
Higher kicks require more energy and burn more
calories.
2. Slowing Down Or Speeding Up
Increasing speed naturally increases intensity.
3. Bi-Lateral vs. Uni-Lateral Drills
Throwing consecutive jabs (uni-lateral) is more
difficult than alternating jabs (bi-lateral). Bi-lateral drills gives each limb a chance to rest.
4. Focus Or Breathing
Focusing, or visualizing an opponent, can increase your tempo and state of arousal. To help relax, take long exhalations through the mouth and quick inhalations through the nose. This kind of breathing calms your body and delivers more oxygen to your working muscles.
5. Larger vs. Smaller Muscle Groups
Throwing a kick requires more energy than executing a jab.
With proper preparation and consistency, you should be able to increase your cardiovascular health and shed some unwanted pounds. Whether you kickbox in a studio, gym or at home, keep with the program and reach your fitness goals. Good luck!
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