While kickboxing as a sport has numerous physical and mental benefits, there are still a lot of people who are hesitant to sign up for classes for fear of injuring their hands or feet while doing it. That’s because kickboxing incorporates a lot of martial arts techniques that can be challenging to execute as a beginner.
The good news though is that with the right trainer, and with regular practice and dedication you can master the exercises in no time and avoid any injuries. Here are 5 common form mistakes you should avoid as you’re taking up kickboxing.
1. Failing to Grip Your Hands Tight Enough
Not gripping the hands tight enough before striking the bag can cause the energy exerted during the strike to damage the hands instead of transferring to the bag. One simple way to avoid such injuries is by doing wrist exercises before a kickboxing session.
Some common wrist strengthening exercises include wrist rotations, wrist curls, and knuckle push-ups. You can also try gripping and squeezing a tennis ball repeatedly with each hand.
2. Failing to Warm Up Properly
Unlike other sports, kickboxing is a robust high-energy activity and thus requires sufficient stretching and cardio to execute the moves properly. Diving into the drills, techniques, and boxing combinations when your heart rate is low and your muscles are not fully stimulated will cause unnecessary stress to your body which can result in an injury.
3. Not Using Your Core
Randomly kicking into the air is a common mistake that beginners often make that causes the leg to hyper-extend and injure the knee. The correct way to execute kicks is by using your core to draw power from and then pushing off your leg. Not just for the kicks but every other motion in kickboxing as well. Learning how to develop a strong and stable core and then harnessing that power will help you avoid injuries and become great at kickboxing.
4. You’re Not Consistent
Most beginners don’t have a regular schedule of working out, and if they do their attendance is usually dismal. Because of this the body usually has a hard time adapting to the various exercises and muscle memory becomes weak. This makes the workouts feel strenuous and unenjoyable. It also raises the risk of injury. You can improve your kickboxing form by simply showing up and sticking to a workout routine prescribed by your trainer.
5. You’re not Investing in a Good Trainer
Sometimes your poor form may not be your fault but that of your trainer. A trainer is supposed to provide you with proper teachings and show you the right way to execute the different combinations. If you’re not seeing the results you want you may consider researching other trainers before investing more time and money in the activity.