What Is The Difference Between Cardio Kickboxing & Kickboxing?

Kickboxing has existed since the 1970s, when American karate practitioners realized that they needed more variety in their sparring training. There are now many different forms of kickboxing widely practiced in the United States, from Thai boxing, a ring sport known for elbow and knee strikes, to freestyle kickboxing, where only hands and feet are allowed and you are not permitted to kick to the legs. Recently, a new variation known as cardio kickboxing has become more prevalent.

History

American kickboxing was introduced to fulfil the love of competition and sparring of men such as Joe Lewis and Chuck Norris. They combined the kicks from tradtional karate with the punching techniques of boxing, adopting the protective gloves as well as wearing padding for the feet. Like older, pre-existing forms of kickboxing such as Thai boxing or French savate, the emphasis in training was on combat applications, practicing power and accuracy in strikes and live sparring with contact.

Kickboxing

Kickboxing is typically less formal than a riutalized karate class, so it is often more accessible for beginners. Similarities remain, such as the emphasis on drilling techniques by performing them as a class en masse, standing and striking into thin air in unison. In kickboxing, this would then be followed by practicing the strikes against a pad or a bag to get used to contact, before attempting the technique in live drills or sparring.

Cardio Kickboxing

In cardio kickboxing, such as tae bo, the emphasis is not on fighting. In fact, a tae bo or cardio kickboxing class has no practical benefit whatsoever on your ability to fight or to defend yourself. The classes are essentially aerobics classes that use kickboxing influenced movements that add fun and variety. Participants usually line up as they would for an aerobics class before performing a series of stylized kicks and punches into the air along with a series of calisthenics and other aerobics moves. There is no physical contact in these classes, nor are strikes practiced against pads or bags.

Kickboxing for Fitness

While kickboxing training is geared towards sparring and competition in a ring, the majority of practitioners do not fight competitively and often do not spar either. Even so, they practice the same techniques and movements, learning to strike with full power against a bag or a pad held by a partner. The difference between training in this manner and cardio kickboxing is that there remains an emphasis on learning proper technique and striking at full power. Cardio kickboxing usually features no technical instruction at all, instead focusing on a fun and friendly, low impact workout.

Differences

Both kickboxing and cardio kickboxing can help you lose weight and reach your exercise requirements. However, the two types of classes feel very different due to the different aims of those teaching and participating. If you want a martial arts workout with practical applications, look to a kickboxing class. Even if you are just looking for a workout, consider the kickboxing class, because you are generally pushed harder with greater emphasis on resistance training. Cardio kickboxing classes might be more suited to you if you are looking for a friendly and fun theme that is different from your normal aerobics routine or cardiovascular training.