It’s hard to find a better workout than fitness kickboxing to cure boredom, torch calories, and work every muscle group. That’s why kickboxing is becoming such a popular go-to workout for adults who want to get into shape without succumbing to the boredom of the treadmill or stationary bike.

Best of all, fitness kickboxing is really accessible! Adults of every age, athletic ability and experience level can step into one of these classes for the first time and feel comfortable, welcomed and challenged. From fitness newbies to elite athletes looking for a new way to boost their performance, fitness kickboxing has a wide range of benefits that can help you reach your personal health, wellness and performance goals.

In this article, we explore seven key ways that fitness kickboxing can enrich your life, health and happiness.

7 Reasons to Try Fitness Kickboxing

While fitness kickboxing can kickstart your fitness journey and help relieve stress after a long day, we realize that it can still feel really intimidating to try something new, especially if you’re not used to working out in front of people or throwing punches. Here are seven reasons adults who want to try a new fitness routine to boost their mental and physical strength should consider fitness kickboxing.

1. Get a total body workout

Fitness kickboxing is a mash-up of strength and endurance exercises that utilize nearly every muscle group in your body. You’ll never need to book time for separate cardio and strength training sessions. Instead, you’ll get a total body workout in just one hour.

Fitness kickboxing works muscles from head to toe, including some that people may not even know exist. As you punch, twist, and kick your way through aerobic and strength-building exercises in a fast-paced, thrilling environment that changes from class-to-class with enormous variety, you’ll build lean muscle and melt unwanted fat.

2. It cures workout boredom

Recent Center for Disease Control findings found that only 23.2 percent of adults in the U.S. meet the national physical activity guidelines for muscle-strengthening and aerobic activity. Why is that the case? Well, boredom for one, which is among the top reasons adults choose to skip the gym. A recent study found that repeating the same activity over and over and over again can suck the excitement out of it, leading many people to give up on exercising altogether.

Fitness kickboxing cures boredom by giving participants new benchmarks and incorporating different moves during every session. No two classes are ever the same, ensuring that participants never become bored by repeating the same routine repeatedly.

This constant variety has another amazing benefit: it will help you stay clear of the dreaded fitness plateau. We’ve all been there. Sometimes no matter how much  cardio we do or how often we get to the gym, our progress flatlines. By taking a fitness kickboxing class, you’ll keep your mind and muscles fresh and surprised, which can help to accelerate your progress once again.

3. Burn serious calories

Everyone knows that burning calories is essential for weight loss and overall fitness. But not everyone knows that the average fitness kickboxing session can burn 700 – 900 calories in just one class! This is exceptional for anyone looking to lose weight and rev their metabolism.

Fitness kickboxing is a form of high intensity interval training, which means that the class is full of stop-and-go bursts of maximum output in between brief periods of rest. This tactic, known as HIIT, is highly effective at torching calories because it requires your body to dig into its fat stores to accumulate enough energy to power through the next set.

You’ll be dripping sweat in class. But the benefits don’t stop with your cooldown. That’s because HIIT workouts raise your metabolic heart rate and keep your metabolism elevated for hours, which means your body will keep working to burn calories for hours after the end of class. This is why we say kickboxing is one of the best ways to lose weight. Plus, it’s fun!

4. Get results fast

Thanks to the calorie-burning effectiveness of fitness kickboxing, it’s relatively easy to see results. Many participants lose 10 – 15 pounds during their first month when they combine their fitness kickboxing classes with a nutritious diet. The result is rapid fat loss, leading to weight loss and greater lean muscle mass.

Please know that you’ll most likely be sore after class, especially if you aren’t working out regularly, but also if you’re in pretty good shape. You’ll be asked to push beyond your comfort zone and use muscles that may have been neglected. Think of this as welcome proof that the results you are looking for are already on their way to you.

5. Build muscle to increase strength

Strength training isn’t just for bodybuilders. Toning and building muscle can help people in all areas of their lives, including being able to perform daily tasks easier and with less risk of injury. Strength training can also improve athletic performance by increasing mobility and flexibility. Building muscle can help people look leaner since muscle takes up less space than fat and is generally tighter in the body. Even people who do not notice a change on the scale will enjoy a leaner appearance over time.

In your fitness kickboxing class, you can expect to practice martial arts moves, such as kicking and punching, alongside more traditional strength and conditioning exercises, such as jumping jacks, burpees and pushups. You’ll be having so much fun doing all of this to great music that you won’t even realize you’re strength training!

6. Increase confidence

Fitness kickboxing is as much a mental workout as a physical one. Participants must focus on learning new moves and conquering new challenges during every class. This leads to increased confidence that carries over into other areas of life. As you start feeling better in your body and more capable at this new activity, you’ll feel more capable and confident in your day-to-day life.

While it’s not the main goal, fitness kickboxing also teaches self-defense foundations, which can make you more aware and keep you feeling confident in your ability to handle yourself in less-ideal situations, such as walking around by yourself at night.

7. Relieve stress

All exercise can relieve stress by releasing endorphins. Fitness kickboxing adds an extra dose of stress relief by its very nature. Participants will punch, jump, and kick their anxiety away and leave class feeling happier and more energized than when they walked in the door. It is so gratifying to punch a heavy sandbag and to relieve your stress in a healthy, safe and physical way. You’ll be able to blow off all that steam as you strike your inanimate opponent and leave the gym feeling lighter, happier and ready to tackle all the challenges of life that come your way.

Get These Benefits and More with X3 Sports Fitness Kickboxing

Ready to try fitness kickboxing and get all of these benefits and more? X3 Sports Fitness Kickboxing offers a supportive environment for men and women of every fitness level. With over 500 class offerings a month and five locations spread across Atlanta, Athens and Marietta, there is something for everyone. Classes are led by experienced fitness trainers who offer support, encouragement, and tips to ensure everyone enjoys class safely.

There’s never been a better time to try fitness kickboxing. Sign up for a free class to see what X3 Sports is all about.