Be a Better Kickboxer in 10 Minutes a Day

To really excel at a sport, you can't just turn up to training once a week and forget about it for the rest of the time. To truely become a master of it, rather than someone that 'goes kickboxing' you need to dedicate yourself to it. That doesn't mean hours of training every single day, and it doesn't mean that it needs to be in your thoughts constantly - you need to rest, and you need to do other things! However, a small amount of daily exercise can help you push yourself further in your training sessions and help you progress faster - whether that's getting your kicks higher, moving faster when sparring or being able to train harder right through to the last minutes of the lesson.

Stretching (2 mins a day)

Kickboxers aren't just strong and fast - you need to be flexible too, otherwise you'll never get your kicks up above the belt. Stretching before bed or during an ad break on tv won't make a huge difference after a day or two, but in a month or two you'll notice that your kicks are getting higher and your body is more supple.


Tabata (4 mins a day)

You've probably read the last post in December on how tabata training can help lose weight and stay in shape. It's quick, but by no means easy. Choose an exercise you need to improve on (such as push ups) and just work on that for a few minutes a day. You'll be amazed at the results.

That Extra Bit (4 mins a day)

This is the easiest part since you don't need to 'set aside' any time to do it. Take the stairs instead of the lift, walk to the next bus or tube stop, walk to the corner shop instead of hopping in the car - basically, take advantage of the daily opportunities to get a bit more exercise.

Stay in shape over the holidays, in 4 minutes a day!

Even the most dedicated athletes can lapse over the holidays - plenty of food and drink, coupled with the cold weather and celebrations tend to put work outs on a back burner. which means we gain weight and it's harder to get back into a good routine.

Even if you don't head to the gym or train over the holiday period, you can still keep your fitness levels up and avoid piling on the pounds by exercising frequently. The work out detailed in this blog is favoured by a lot of athletes and martial artists, and will only take 4 minutes out of your day to do (you can do it in an ad break, while you're making a cup of tea, just before you go to bed...). You don't even need any equipment.

Tabata training is 4 minutes of interval training/cardio - you don't need to run or jump, you can do any exercise, as long as it involves as many muscle groups as possible.

A tabata workout is simple: you exercise for 20 seconds and rest for 10, and do 8 rounds. Sounds easy ;)

If you don't have a timer at home, there are plenty on the internet. 

Ideas for exercises to do for the 20 seconds:
- press ups
- squat jogs
- lunges
- tuck jumps
- v-sits
- leg raises
- tricep dips
- sit ups
...it can be adapted to any exercise. If you have a cross trainer at home, or like to go jogging, try it on those.

Remember that you do need to work for 8 rounds - it's a good idea to pace yourself a little on the first go to make sure that you keep going through all 8, and push yourself a little harder each time. 


At Southgate Kickboxing Academy, we always strive to improve the fitness, stength and flexibility of our students. Interval training is a fantastic way to push your fitness levels further and build strength quickly. For information on classes, visit http://www.ultimatekickboxing.co.uk/