Any activity that gets your large muscle groups moving rhythmically for an extended period of time, causing you to break a sweat and breathe hard, counts as aerobic exercise. Cardio kickboxing, with its imitation martial-arts moves in an aerobics context, might not be the best way to learn self-defense -- but it's a great way to burn calories. If you don't want to participate in an organized class, you can incorporate cardio kickboxing moves into your own aerobic workout.
Squat Punches
Throwing punches is a staple -- and extremely satisfying -- cardio kickboxing move. Since you're focused on burning calories instead of breaking noses, you don't need to hit anything -- just keep the large muscles of your chest, back, arms and shoulders moving.
Working your legs at the same time you punch maximizes your calorie burn and cardiovascular benefit. Try combining squats with punches: Stand with your left leg and left shoulder slightly forward, legs shoulder-width apart. Squat down as if you're ducking underneath an opponent's punch. Then stand up and pop your imaginary opponent with a left-hand jab, followed by a right cross. Repeat for at least thirty seconds, moving as quickly and smoothly as possible. Then put your right leg forward and repeat for the same amount of time, throwing a right jab and left cross after every squat.
Front Kicks
High knees -- just like running in place, bringing your knees up to hip-level with every step -- are guaranteed to get your heart beating fast. You can give this calisthenics move a kickboxing flavor by turning each high knee into a front kick.
Try the kick in slow-motion first. Bring your right leg up as if for a high knee, then extend it in front of you. Imagine you're kicking an opponent in the thigh with the ball of your foot, but keep the motion under control -- don't overextend or lock your knee.
Once you feel comfortable with the basic kick, throw kicks as quickly as possible with your right leg for thirty seconds. Then throw left kicks for the next thirty seconds. Finally alternate between right and left kicks, as fast as possible, for another thirty seconds.
Shuffle
Footwork is a critical component of any martial arts workout. It helps you position yourself correctly to both deliver your own techniques and avoid your opponent's attacks, and provides the impetus for every upper-body movement. Footwork is also important in aerobics workouts because it gets the large muscles of your hips and thighs moving, burning extra calories.
Combine kickboxing footwork and cardio by practicing shuffles. Imagine that you're standing in the middle of a clock face. Stand with your left leg slightly forward and shuffle quickly straight forward -- this is 12 o'clock. Shuffle back to the center. Shuffle forward and to the left, aiming for 10:30 on the clock face. Return to the center. Shuffle straight to the left, aiming for 9 o'clock, then back to center. Switch legs so that your right leg is forward and shuffle back and to the left -- 7:30. Return to center and shuffle straight back to 6 o'clock. Return to center, put your left leg forward again and shuffle to 4:30, back to center, then out to 3 o'clock. Switch your right leg forward and shuffle to 1:30, back to center, then out to 12 o'clock on the clock. Go back around the circle in the opposite direction. Repeat for a full minute.
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