5 Life-Changing Benefits Of Training Kickboxing
You might think that training kickboxing is only for those who want to test their mettle in ONE Super Series. But truth be told, the discipline can provide any type of person with a number of life-changing benefits.
From improved mobility to toned muscles, you’ll transform your physical and mental well-being after just months of regular training.
With that said, here are five great reasons to pick up kickboxing.
#1 Improved Mobility
If you sit at a desk all day without taking frequent stretching breaks or the occasional stroll through the office, you’re probably having a tough time touching your toes.
Continue to sit for long periods, and by the time you retire, you’ll most likely be calcified into the “S” shape you often see in elderly people who did so throughout their careers.
But when you practice kickboxing, the dynamic and static stretches – along with the kicking and punching motions – will vastly improve your range of motion.
It might take a while to achieve the dexterity that “The Kicking Machine” Superlek Kiatmoo9 possesses, but give it time, and eventually, you’ll be as flexible as the man who will challenge ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Elias Ennahachi at ONE: FISTS OF FURY.
#2 Increased Coordination
You might be wondering why coordination is on our list of kickboxing benefits, especially since you probably learned to walk sometime between the age of 1 and 2.
However, improving your coordination – even as an adult – has plenty of benefits. If you work in manual labor, for instance, muscle coordination helps your body work together to move heavy objects without getting hurt.
You can even benefit from improved coordination if you work in an office. Something as simple as twisting your body to open a file cabinet from your chair takes more core stability than you realize, and if your core is weak, you could pull a muscle.
When you train kickboxing, you’re teaching your muscles how to work together so they can help and protect each other from potential injury.
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#3 Lower Stress
COVID-19 has changed the world – and for many people, their stress levels.
If you don’t handle stress properly, it’ll eventually wear down your health and could lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and more.
Kickboxing, however, can lower your stress levels because when you train, you’re releasing all the pent-up frustrations and pressures that life has hit you with.
Don’t believe it? Just look at ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon, who will make his kickboxing debut against Alejandro “El Puma” Rivas on 26 February.
Rodtang may be an intense character inside the ring, but outside of it, he’s one of the most happy-go-lucky men in ONE. There’s no doubt that kickboxing helps keep his stress levels down.
#4 Raised Energy Levels
If you’ve been living off of energy drinks, that’s a strong sign that your body is lacking natural energy.
Continue to dump those unnatural uppers into your system, and eventually, you’re going to have problems sleeping, gain weight, and maybe even experience tooth decay from all the sugar.
Instead of slugging down those drinks to keep your energy levels up throughout the day, take a kickboxing class when you need it most – before or after work.
#5 Toned Muscles
If you live a sedentary lifestyle, it’s going to show in the shape of your body. In many cases, people who don’t exercise have flabby muscles that cause their skin to sag.
Spend decades not exerting your muscles, and your body will begin to look like someone draped a sheet over a skeleton.
Regularly train kickboxing, however, and you’ll tone your muscles and keep them tight – even into the later stages of your life.
It may take some time to look like ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Champion Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan – who will face promotional newcomer Davit Kiria at ONE: FISTS OF FURY – but after a few months, you’ll definitely notice the difference.
Read more: How To Return To The Gym After COVID-19
