What You Learn After 150 Kickboxing Classes
Another step along my kickboxing journey.
I was someone who never stepped foot inside a gym. In early May, I completed class #150 at ILoveKickboxing. Here are some lessons and tips that I have learned after a year and a half of kickboxing.
Keep your focus on one hand. One of my favorite tips that I have picked up along the way is this — as you are working through the bag rounds, keep your focus on one hand. Say it’s round one and you are throwing the basic jab cross combo. Make sure that you have perfect form on your jabs and sort of forget about your cross for the moment. Really turn your shoulder into the jab, make sure you land the punch with your palm down, and make sure your hand returns to your guard (your face) after each and every single punch. If you do this, your right hand will naturally do what it is supposed to, which is why this tip works.
Good form is so important! Not only does it make you looks super badass, it also prevents injury. Always keep your elbow up during hooks, turn your shoulders when you jab-cross, squat down in fighting stance for body punches (don’t lean over), use your hips to pivot, and keep your hands UP!
Move around the bag…or to another bag. You do not have to be stuck in one spot all class. In fact, it is much more fun to move around. Try this, with each combo, move a little bit to one side. Then do it again. After a few, try moving in the opposite direction. Not only will this be more fun, it will also help greatly improve your agility and balance because you are slowly and easily forcing your body to be more agile and balance.
If your moving through the combos but the bag keeps moving or if your neighbors are starting to crowd you, know that it is okay to move to another bag. I tend to prefer a certain spot in class, but sometimes that space gets crowded. On those days, I move to another bag and keep going.
Between classes 100 and 150, I have finally started to “dance” more. My coordination and balance have improved so much that I feel as if I am dancing around the bag instead of awkwardly transitioning to the next move. I finally understand what boxers mean when they “float” like a butterfly.
You can do it. Giving yourself permission to move if you are uncomfortable is also important to remember during the 15 minute warm up. ILoveKickboxing (ILKB) is one of the least judgmental places I have found. The instructors really want you to be comfortable and get the most out of your workout and to not hurt yourself. That means if you have to modify every single exercise, it’s 100% okay to do so. All they ask is that you give it your best try. That means try doing a push-up on your toes instead of assuming you can’t.
Try it. You never know when you will be able to do something until you try. In a past post, I talked about how burpees improved over the first 100 classes. While I still can’t do that many push-ups on my toes, I can do more than I used to. But, I would not have figured out that I can unless I tried them once in a while.
During class 150, I tried to do tuck jumps without stopping for the full ten seconds. Since we are in the middle of a 30 day squat challenge and the workout so far had been intense on my legs, I didn’t have much hope. To my surprise, I did 20 good tuck jumps… both times through! Those are the little accomplishments that let me know this is working!
Stay consistent and keep learning. I look at kickboxing as a practice. It is something I can work at everyday and keep improving. This is a big reason that I have settled into kickboxing instead of going to the regular gym everyday. ILoveKickboxing has a wonderful way of keeping things fresh and allowing me to learn something new with each class.
Staying consistent is difficult with our busy scheduled these days, but make it a priority and set small goals to help keep you on track. Join the challenges that are offered almost every month now, and participate in the Facebook group. I can’t tell you how many times I have almost talked myself out of going to class after work, but then I read some of the posts and watch the videos in our group and change my mind.
Please note: I am a full paying member of ILKB. The opinions in this post are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the company. I have not received any money or other compensation for writing this post.
This is the fifth post on my ILKB journey. Read the others here…
