Training martial arts is a great way to get exercise while also practicing self-defense.
The most popular martial arts are Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, and Judo.
Boxing and Kickboxing are also extremely popular and they’re a very fun way to exercise. In all of these martial arts, you get excellent health benefits.
It works out your muscles with strength training. It is great cardio for you and works your lungs very well.
Lots of people have learned that boxing and kickboxing especially are amazing workouts that get your blood flowing, heart, muscles, and lungs pumping.
This has created an entirely new genre of workout programs like 9Round. These programs are focused on fitness and self-defense.
1. Cardio Kickboxing
Besides 9Round, a lot of commercial gyms are offering cardio kickboxing classes for their members.
It’s a fun and exciting way to get your exercise and it’s gaining popularity especially in the United States.
The most common class for people at commercial gyms to do are spinning or yoga but cardio kickboxing also incorporates self-defense and it improves your punching and kicking abilities.
These classes work your cardiovascular system like no other workout. Kicking and punching a bag hard and fast will make you breathe so hard and your heart rate goes through the rough.
It also fills your muscles up with blood. You get a full-body workout and your shoulders will get a crazy workout.
The classes usually use a heavy bag but there are other bags you could use at home or at a boxing or MMA gym. Just to name a few, there are heavy bags, speed bags, free-standing, and grappling dummies.
2. Speed Bags
Speed bags are very popular in boxing and many people will never forget the image of Rocky Balboa hitting the speed bags. That motivated a lot of people including me to get one for home. A speed bag is mounted and hung from a platform and a swivel.
Using this type of bag is great for working the speed and accuracy of your punches. After working on your speed in your spare time at home you can bring your new skills next time to boxing or kickboxing cardio class.
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3. Heavy Bags
Heavy bags are exactly what they sound like. They’re big heavy bags that hang from the ceiling.
These are what are used in kickboxing cardio classes and it’s what fighters of all combat sports use to practice their striking power.
You can practice the power of your punches, kicks, knees, and elbows on a heavy bag. Since these bags are heavier they can absorb more impact so the bag will last long.
4. Free Standing
A free-standing bag is the most common type of punching bag people have at home. They’re especially the most common type of punching bag that kids have.
They’re easy to set up and fun to use. Not everyone has somewhere to hang a punching bag so a free-standing bag is a great alternative.
The most popular free standing punching bag is BOB. Everyone knows BOB. It’s the bag that’s shaped as a man with abs and no shoulders or arms. Other popular brands of freestanding bags are Century, Everlast, and Ringside.
| See also: Easy Cardio Workouts That Are Proven To Burn Fat |
5. Grappling Dummy
Another fun piece of equipment to train striking and get really good exercise is using a grappling dummy.
There are different types of grappling dummies. There are some that are specific to Jiu-Jitsu that has limbs and can be set up in Jiu-Jitsu positions.
There are dummies for practicing wrestling and judo takedowns and there are dummies that are used for practicing striking on the ground or also known as ground and pound.
Last Thoughts
A great way to get excellent exercise and work on your combat skills or self-defense is to get into martial arts. Cardio kickboxing classes have become extremely popular recently.
In these classes your striking punching bags and it’s a grueling workout. It works your entire body and helps you improve your ability to defend yourself.
A great resource to find punching bags is https://www.themmathrone.com/best-punching-bags/.
Punching bags come in a range of prices from affordable to higher end. Depending on how often you train then the higher end bag you would want.
If you’re a beginner then you’re best off getting something that’s affordable so you can try it out and see how you like it.
The best option is to start taking boxing or kickboxing classes and see how you like the workout.
If you start getting into it then you can buy one for your house and you can train all you want on your own. You can keep going to classes and supplement that and speed up your skills by working on it at home.
About The Author:
Edward Collins is a fitness enthusiast from Denver, Colorado. He trains mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He also mountain bikes and hikes as hobbies.
