Kickboxing has a long history as a martial art and as a competitive combat sport. In the early 1990s, a fitness trainer and martial artist saw its potential as a form of aerobic exercise. Since then, Cardio Kickboxing has grown in popularity and spawned legions of similar programs that have become fixtures in fitness centers across the country.
Identification
Historical information on Cardio Kickboxing, such as that contained on the Yang Martial Arts Association website, credits Maine fitness trainer and martial artist Frank Thiboutot as being the creator of Cardio Kickboxing. Thiboutot began studying martial arts in 1969, earning black belts in Shotokan Karate and Tae Kwon Do in the 1970s. He later trained and managed amateur and professional kickboxers. In 1992, Thiboutot opened the first Cardio Kickboxing studio, offering kickboxing routines to the public as a form of cardio exercise.
Function
With Cardio Kickboxing, Thiboutot hoped to provide an alternative to conventional aerobic exercise classes and promote the sport of kickboxing. He believed a high-intensity form of exercise would find broad acceptance among the public and fuel the popularity of kickboxing as a sport.
History
In his book "Cardio Kickboxing Elite: For Sport, for Fitness, for Self Defense," Thiboutot writes that aerobic kickboxing programs grew in popularity as many gyms and fitness centers began offering classes. These programs provided a way for fitness centers to generate more revenue, which enabled gyms to upgrade their facilities and increase the popularity of aerobic kickboxing programs.
Features
The Cardio Kickboxing program features one-hour workout sessions that include the various kicking, punching and combination techniques used by competitive kickboxers and martial artists. The program also features workouts that use heavy punching bags and speed bags. The Cardio Kickboxing website states that this form of fitness burns calories at an average of 1,000 per hour.
Misconceptions
Cardio Kickboxing is a registered trademark and is the proper name of the cardiovascular exercise program developed by Frank Thiboutot. Similar forms of exercise, such as aerobic kickboxing, cardio boxing and Tae Bo, exist but are not the same as Cardio Kickboxing. According to the Cardio Kickboxing website, Cardio Kickboxing has the registration number Reg. No. 1890451, 1995. In addition, the website states that the International Kickboxing Federation endorses the Cardio Kickboxing fitness program.
Member Comments