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The forms differ in
the techniques used and the amount of physical contact that is allowed
between the competitors. Currently, one popular form of kickboxing is known
as aerobic or cardiovascular (cardio) kickboxing, which combines elements of
boxing, martial arts, and aerobics to provide overall physical conditioning
and toning. Unlike other types of kickboxing, cardio kickboxing does not
involve physical contact between competitors — it's a cardiovascular workout
that's done because of its many benefits to the body.
Cardio kickboxing classes usually start with 10-15 minutes of warm-ups,
which may include stretching and traditional exercises such as jumping jacks
and push-ups, followed by a 30-minute kickboxing session that includes
movements such as knee strikes, kicks, and punches. Some instructors may use
equipment like punching bags or jump ropes.
After this, at least 5 minutes should be devoted to cooling down, followed
by about 10 minutes of stretching and muscle conditioning. Stretching is
really important because beginners can strain ("pull") their muscles, and
slow, proper stretching helps relax muscles and prevent injury
Know your current
fitness level. Kickboxing is a high-intensity, high-impact form of exercise,
so it's probably not a good idea to plunge in after a long stint as a couch
potato. You might try preparing yourself by first taking a low-impact
aerobics course or less physical form of exercise and working up to a higher
level of endurance. When you do begin kickboxing, allow yourself to be a
beginner by working at your own pace and not overexerting yourself to the
point of exhaustion.
Kickboxing is often
practiced for self-defense, general fitness, or as a full-contact sport. In
the full-contact sport the male boxers are bare-chested wearing shorts and
protective gear including: mouth-guard, hand-wraps, 10-oz. boxing gloves,
groin-guard, shin-pads, kick-boots, and optional protective helmet (usually
for those under 16). The female boxers will wear a tank top and chest
protection in addition to the male clothing/protective gear. In European
kickboxing, where kicks to the thigh are allowed using special low-kick
rules, use of boxing shorts instead of long trousers is possible.
In addition, amateur rules often allow less experienced competitors to use
light or semi-contact rules, where the intention is to score points by
executing successful strikes past the opponent's guard, and use of force is
regulated. The equipment for semi-contact is similar to full-contact
matches, usually with addition of head gear. Competitors usually dress in a
t-shirt for semi-contact matches, to separate them from the bare-chested
full-contact participants.
Kickboxing is often confused with Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing. The
two sports are similar; however, in Thai Boxing, kicks below the belt are
allowed, as are strikes with knees and elbows.
The term kickboxing (キックボクシング) was created by the Japanese boxing promoter
Osamu Noguchi for a variant of Muay Thai and Karate that he created in the
1950s. The term was later used by the American variant. When used by the
practitioners of those two styles, it usually refers to those styles
specifically.
Arts labelled as kickboxing include:
Adithada (Indian kickboxing) – A form of kickboxing that uses knee, elbow
and forehead strikes.
Lethwei (Burmese kickboxing) – Traditional Burmese martial arts of which has
now grown into a popular kickboxing event with strong emphasis on knee,
elbow strikes and headbutt. Any part of the body may be used to strike and
be struck. It is also known as Bando kickboxing.
Pradal Serey (Khmer "Cambodian" kickboxing) – Possible predecessor of Muay
Thai with an emphasis on elbow techniques.
Gwon-Gyokdo (Korean kickboxing) that is a mix between Muay Thai and Tae Kwon
Do.
Muay Thai (Thai boxing) – Traditional Thai martial art of which has now
grown into a popular kickboxing event with strong emphasis on knee and elbow
strikes.
Muay Boran (Ancient Boxing) – Predecessor of Muay Thai, allows the use of
headbutts.
Japanese kickboxing – Similar to Muay Thai, but different point system is
taken. The first fighting style to adopt the name of "Kickboxing".
American kickboxing – Not allowed to kick below the waist.
Savate (French kickboxing) – Allows the use of shoes.
San Shou/Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) – The applicable component of wushu/kung
fu of which takedowns and throws are legal in competition as well as all
other sorts of striking (use of arms and legs).
Shootfighting – A Japanese form of kickboxing which allows throwing and
submission while standing, similar to Sanshou.
Yaw-Yan (Filipino kickboxing) – Sayaw ng Kamatayan (Dance of Death) is the
proper name for Yaw-Yan, a Filipino martial art developed by Napoleon
Fernandez. The art resembles Muay Thai in a sense, but differs in the hip
torquing motion as well as downward-cutting of its kicks.
Draka (Russian kickboxing) similar to shootboxing, using kickboxing
techniques with sambo throws and takedowns.
There are many additional derivatives of these forms, as well as combined
styles which have been used in specific competitions
Rules
Japanese/International
These rules are almost same as Muay Thai rules:
Similarities
Time: three minutes × five rounds
Allowed to kick the lower half of the body except crotch
Allowed to do neck-wrestling (folding opponent's head with arms and elbows
to attack the opponent's body or head with knee-strikes, but only depending
on the rules of clinch and knees)
Head butts and throws were banned in 1966 for boxers' safety.
Differences
No elbow strikes allowed
No ram muay before match
No Thai music during the match
Interval takes one minute only as same as boxing
Point system:
In Muay Thai, kicking to mid-body and head are scored highly generating a
large number of points on judges' scorecards. Moreover, kicking is still
judged highly even if the kick was blocked. In contrast, punching is worth
fewer points. In kickboxing punches and kicks are held in closer esteem.
American
These are the rules used in American and Australian Full Contact Karate.
Opponents are allowed to hit each other with fists and feet, striking above
the hip
Using elbows or knees is forbidden and the use of the shins is seldom
allowed.
Bouts are usually 3 to 12 rounds (lasting 2 - 3 minutes each) for amateur
and professional contests with a 1-minute rest in between rounds.
This is in contrast to Muay Thai, where the use of elbows and knees are
allowed. In fact, some Muay Thai practitioners consider kickboxing a
"watered down" version of Muay Thai. Fighters and promoters can agree to
various rules including kicks only above the waist, kicks anywhere, no knee
strikes, knees only to the body, and so on. American Kickboxing is
essentially much a mixture of Western Boxing and Karate.
The round durations and the number of rounds can vary depending on the
stipulations agreed to before hand by each fighter or manager. A winner is
declared during the bout if there is a submission (fighter quits or
fighter's corner throws in the towel), knockout (KO), or referee stoppage
(Technical Knock Out, or TKO). If all of the rounds expire with no knockout
then the fight is scored by a team of 3 judges. The judges determine a
winner based on their scoring of each round. A split decision indicates a
disagreement between the judges, while a unanimous decision indicates that
all judges saw the fight the same way and all have declared the same winner.
Techniques
Punching
Jab - straight punch from the front hand, to either the head or the body,
often used in conjunction with the cross
Cross (Straight punch) - The straight punching whirl by feeling it
out-without using target
Hook - rounded punch to either the head or body in an arching motion,
usually not scored in points scoring
Uppercut - rising punch striking to the chin.
Special
Short straight-punch usually striking to the chin
Backfist usually from the front hand, reverse-back fist and spinning
back-fist both usually from the back hand - are strikes to the head, raising
the arm and bending the arm at the elbow and then straightening the arm
quickly to strike to the side of the head with the rear of the knuckles,
common in “light contact”. That's perfectly the right way to do it.
Flying-punch.
Other
Cross-counter – a cross-counter is a counterpunch begun immediately after an
opponent throws a jab, exploiting the opening in the opponent's position
Overhand (overcut or drop) - a semi-circular and vertical punch thrown with
the rear hand. It is usually when the opponent bobbing or slipping. The
strategic utility of the drop relying on body weight can deliver a great
deal of power
Bolo punch - a combination of a wide uppercut/right cross/swing that was
delivered seemingly from the floor.
Half-hook - a combination of a wide jab/hook or cross/hook
Half-swing - a combination of a wide hook/swing
Kicking
Common
Front Kick or push Kick - Striking face on with the heel of the foot
Side Kick - Striking with the side or heel of the foot with leg parallel to
the ground, can be performed to either the head or body
Semi-circular Kick or forty five degree roundhouse kick
Roundhouse Kick or circle kick - Striking with the front of the foot or the
lower shin to the head or the body in a chopping motion
Spinning and flying kick
Spinning hook-kick
Spinning side-kick
Spinning back-kick
Jumping front-kick
Jumping roundhouse-kick
Jumping side-kick
Jumping back-kick
Other
Hook Kick (heel kick) - Extending the leg out to the side of the body, and
hooking the leg back to strike the head with eiher the heel or sole
Crescent Kick and forward crescent kick
Axe Kick – is a stomp kick or hammer kick. The stomp kick normally travel
downward, striking with the side or base heel.
Back Kick – is delivered with the base heel of the foot.
Sweeping – One foot or both feet of an opponent may be swept depending upon
their position, balance and strength.
Kneeing
Basic
Straight Knee Thrust (Long-range knee kick or front heel kick). This knee
strike is delivered with the back or reverse foot against an opponent’s
stomach, groin, hip or spine an opponent forward by the neck, shoulder or
arm
Rising Knee Strike – can be delivered with the front or back foot. It makes
an explosive snap upwards to strike an opponent’s face, chin, throat or
chest.
Hooking Knee Strike – can be delivered with the front or back foot. It makes
a half circle spin and strikes the sides of an opponent
Side Knee Snap Strike – is a highly-deceptive knee technique used in
close-range fighting. The knee is lifted o the toes or lifted up, and is
snapped to left and right, striking an opponent’s sensitive knee joints,
insides of thighs, groin
Other
Jumping Knee Kick or flying knee kick
Double Knee Kick...
Defense
Slip - Slipping rotates the body slightly so that an incoming punch passes
harmlessly next to the head. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer
sharply rotates the hips and shoulders. This turns the chin sideways and
allows the punch to "slip" past. Muhammed Ali was famous for extremely fast
and close slips.
Bob and weave - bobbing moves the head laterally and beneath an incoming
punch. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer bends the legs quickly and
simultaneously shifts the body either slightly right or left. Once the punch
has been evaded, the boxer "weaves" back to an upright position, emerging on
either the outside or inside of the opponent's still-extended arm. To move
outside the opponent's extended arm is called "bobbing to the outside". To
move inside the opponent's extended arm is called "bobbing to the inside".
Parry/Block - Parrying or blocking uses the boxer's hands as defensive tools
to deflect incoming attacks. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer
delivers a sharp, lateral, open-handed blow to the opponent's wrist or
forearm, redirecting the punch.
The Cover-Up - Covering up is the last opportunity to avoid an incoming
strike to an unprotected face or body. Generally speaking, the hands are
held high to protect the head and chin and the forearms are tucked against
the torso to impede body shots. When protecting the body, the boxer rotates
the hips and lets incoming punches "roll" off the guard. To protect the
head, the boxer presses both fists against the front of the face with the
forearms parallel and facing outwards. This type of guard is weak against
attacks from below.
The Clinch - Clinching is a rough form of grappling and occurs when the
distance between both fighters has closed and straight punches cannot be
employed. In this situation, the boxer attempts to hold or "tie up" the
opponent's hands so he is unable to throw hooks or uppercuts. To perform a
clinch, the boxer loops both hands around the outside of the opponent's
shoulders, scooping back under the forearms to grasp the opponent's arms
tightly against his own body. In this position, the opponent's arms are
pinned and cannot be used to attack. Clinching is a temporary match state
and is quickly dissipated by the referee.
Guards
There are three main defensive positions (guards or styles) used in boxing.
Within each style, there is considerable variation among fighters, as some
fighters may have their guard higher for more head protection while others
have their guard lower to provide better protection against body punches.
Many fighters vary their defensive style throughout a bout in order to adapt
to the situation of the moment, choosing the position best suited to protect
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