Kickboxing is a great form of cardio exercise, which gives people a full-body workout and improves strength, balance and mobility. Plus — it's fun!
The contact sport has origins that are centuries old, hailing back to southeast Asian warriors who needed effective combat techniques without weaponry during battle. Kickboxing became recognised as a sport for fitness and competition in Japan during the 1950s and 60s, and has gained in popularity in the western world since then.
Technically not a martial art, like karate or judo, kickboxing is more of an umbrella term, encompassing a range of weapon-free, body contact sports, and including mixed martial arts (MMA), Muay Thai and savate (French boxing or footfighting) and is often paired with Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ). These days, however, kickboxing is a sport in its own right.
People can learn kickboxing for fitness, with classes at many gyms and fitness centres. Alternatively, for the more serious students, or people who just want to focus on kickboxing techniques, a kickboxing gym or martial arts academy may be the preferred option.
The great thing about kickboxing is that there are classes throughout Australia for all levels, and these days you can also learn and train online with a private coach or personal trainers. There's really no excuse not to have fun, get fit and achieve your goals.
If you want to try out some kickboxing classes in Adelaide, you are really spoilt for choice. However, the sheer number of options may seem overwhelming at first. For example, the gym timetable may have MMA classes, BJJ workout sessions and 'strength and conditioning' slots. A martial arts gym may offer Muay Thai kickboxing but not just 'kickboxing'. And if a gym offers boxing classes — does that include kickboxing?
Let's start with the last question first.
What's the Difference Between Kickboxing and Boxing Classes?
Chances are you know what boxing is, and you either love it or hate it — even if you have no actual experience with it in a gym class.
Boxing classes, in the form of 'cardio boxing' and 'fitbox', have been on gym timetables for years. Generally, these classes involve the cardio and stamina aspect of boxing, without body contact. Essentially, students aren't in class as fighters — and the only things you actually punch are bags or pads.
When kickboxing started to make its way onto gym timetables a few years ago, a number of articles were published in lifestyle and business magazines keen to explore this new 'fitness craze' and see how it stacked up against the already popular boxing.
A 2018 article published in Australian Business Insider explained the key differences between kickboxing lessons and boxing classes, in terms of health benefits and achieving fitness goals.
Health benefits of boxing and kickboxing
Essentially, with both sports, you are going to achieve the same health benefits during a focused workout as both kickboxing and boxing involve upper body and lower body techniques.
These benefits include:
- cardio conditioning
- full body aerobic workout
- strength building
- potential for weight loss.
Upper body vs lower body workout
In a nutshell, the basic difference between boxing and kickboxing is the type of contact made.
Boxing involves punching but is combined with footwork in order to move around the ring, dodge and duck under your opponent's swing.
In contrast, kickboxing allows punching as well as kicking, and both are combined with footwork.
This table shows the main similarities and differences at a glance:
| Kickboxing | Boxing | |
|---|---|---|
| Punching | yes | yes |
| Kicking | yes | no |
| Footwork | yes | yes |
| Elbow/knee strikes | yes | no |
| Main engagement | lower body | upper body |
The element to take note of here is the body engagement area. Your trainers will be able to explain this in more detail, however, it is known that a lower body workout, focusing on your legs, will attain more health benefits in terms of weight loss and strength development. Why? The legs contain a larger mass of muscle.
Boxing, particularly for elite fighters, has the same cardio benefits as kickboxing because of the footwork required. However, as beginners, students are more focused on their hand-eye coordination and often forget about the serious squatting and speed of movement required when you are fighting against a person, rather than a bag.
Is the only difference between the two classes the 'kicking'?
Basically, yes.
Both focus on weight training, strength work and cardio fitness. Then, boxing focuses on the upper body punching techniques, while kickboxing concentrates on the lower body kicking techniques (along with some punching).
The great beauty is that both sports, along with other martial arts, like Muay Thai, MMA and jiu jitsu or BJJ, are one of the best forms of stress release. The other wonderful thing is that there are classes near you in Canberra, martial arts studios in Brisbane and kickboxing gyms in Sydney. It doesn't matter where you live.
Find the Best Kickboxing Gym for You in Adelaide
By all means, do an internet search for 'kickboxing classes in Adelaide' now that you've decided to have a bit of fun kicking your way out of stress and towards fitness. You will get a lot of hits on the internet. Let us help you, instead, narrow down your search a little as we identify a few of the best kickboxing classes in Adelaide and tell you a little about what they offer.
Adelaide Kickboxing and Fitness Academy
Located in the heart of Adelaide, this kickboxing academy is proud of its standing as the only kickboxing focused centre in Adelaide and protects its reputation with a collective 90 years of experience through its instructors. Furthermore, all trainers at the gym have a minimum of 20 years of personal experience in their sport, along with over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry.
Classes range from group kickboxing training, fitness, strength work, kickboxing lessons for kids and personal training.
Kick N' Box Adelaide
The focus of this gym is very much on cardio. Kick 'N Box Adelaide is the closest thing members will get to a 'regular' gym, except the focus is on kicking and punching (rather than aerobics and spinning). All staff are accredited fitness instructors with extensive experience in their chosen form. Training lessons include:
- kickboxing (speed, strength and skill)
- cross core (functional body strength and cardio class)
- kids kickboxing (for ages 6 to 15)
- 8-week challenge (set your personal goals and train in a group or individually to achieve them)
- techniques (for anybody at any level, focus on techniques and form).
Females Fighting Forward
This unique gym was established in 2013 by Carly Gangnell, a martial arts expert who saw the need to provide a service to empower women by improving their self-defence abilities and self-confidence. Females Fighting Forward specialises in two key areas: self-defence and Muay Thai kickboxing.
The self-defence sessions are highly practical and are conducted both at the gym and also for kids through their school program. Muay Thai classes are run by female trainers and are only for female students. Training in Muay Thai lessons is based on traditional Thai techniques and is suitable for weight loss, general strengthening and enhancing self-confidence.
Gym To You
Not everyone has a work schedule that matches with a gym timetable, but Gym To You does because it's a mobile personal training service that just happens to specialise in boxing and kickboxing classes in the Adelaide region. Whether you're looking to lose weight, build strength, get fit for a special occasion or just learn to box or develop your kickboxing techniques, personal trainers who bring everything to you at a time that suits you are like a dream come true.
Online training with Superprof
Online lessons are not only for academic subjects. More and more fitness classes or specialised training, even in boxing and kickboxing are being offered online — and Superprof is certainly leading the field when it comes to providing quality lessons for a great price. Browse the Superprof platform to find a kickboxing trainer who meets your needs and send an enquiry. The first lesson is usually free so you can be sure the trainer's style meets your needs.
The best thing about online training is the flexibility. If you can't find a suitable match in Adelaide, there's nothing to stop you from working with a trainer who lives in Melbourne ... or even taking kickboxing lessons from a coach in Perth!
Really, there's nothing to stop you from making a start today.
Find your perfect boxing trainer on Superprof!
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