by Lane Maguire

Stepping into my first kickboxing class, I’m not sure what I was expecting. But, I certainly wasn’t prepared for what seemed like one of the hardest workouts of my life. I survived but left the class drenched in sweat with bruised knuckles and aching arms. I definitely slept soundly that night. The next morning, I could hardly get out of my bed, considering how sore my abs were. And try dressing when just lifting your arms above your head is painful.

This isn’t the first time that I’ve been fooled by a sport’s difficulty. I also underestimated the difficulty of swimming when I tried out for the STA team for the first time my sophomore year. By the end of my three months or so on swim team, I thought my arms were going to fall off. I think many runners have this preconceived notion that because running, specifically cross country, is considered such a grueling sport, other sports are comparatively easy. By now I know this is wrong. Let’s just say that my first kickboxing class makes a cross country practice feel like a stroll in the park.

Kickboxing has existed since the 1970s, combing kicks from traditional karate with the punching techniques from boxing. Kickboxing today has become the most popular of all fitness classes offered, according to livestrong.com. Among STA girls, I have noticed this increase in popularity among kickboxing, especially with the new Title Boxing Club locations.

I just began taking kickboxing + boxing classes at TMA Fitness Center after my cross country season ended. Since I otherwise run year-round, I like to give my legs a break during the winter season and work other muscle groups that running doesn’t otherwise work. I tried basketball my freshman year. That didn’t go too well. I tried swimming my sophomore and junior years. That didn’t go too well either. So I think I finally found a winter sport that that gives me the exercise benefits I’m looking, without being something that I dread going to everyday, like I did swimming and basketball.

My brother has been taking karate classes at TMA Fitness for the past year or so and my family just recently bought a family pass to the fitness center. The same 5th degree Black Belt that teaches my brother’s karate class also teaches my kickboxing class. According to the TMA Fitness website, kickboxing + boxing “provides the heart-healthy benefit of cardio exercise while offering the gains in agility, strength, balance and coordination.” A typical class includes bag work, kicking and punching drills, weight lifting and conditioning. According to the website, participants can expect to burn about 700-1000 calories in one hour-long session.

(When the workout became really hard, I imagined myself as Rocky Balboa training for his infamous ring match. After I had finished class, I pictured the classic scene of Rocky running up steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art throwing punches at the top).

Besides the obvious health benefits, kickboxing is a fun way to learn basic self-defense. In one class, I learned a number of punching techniques including the jab, cross, undercut, hook and back-fist, as well as the front and side kicks that I could possibly apply in a real-life situation if needed.

So, if you are looking for a fun and applicable way to stay in shape this winter, try a kickboxing class. Just be prepared for the challenge and aching muscles that accompany it.