To get better balance, power and agility, Kickboxing is king among workouts. Experts who have studied the sport say nearly everyone; even older people who might shy away from such things, can benefit from throwing a punch.

Unlike most other types of exercise, kickboxing emphasizes powerful movements. Power is different from strength, and for older adults, it’s an even better predictor of mobility and their risk for falls. Pure strength is what a weightlifter uses, but producing power is about both force, speed, and coordination.

Kickboxing training tends to involve shorts bouts, two to three minutes long, of intense, repetitive movement—like hitting a punching bag over and over again and kicking and kneeing a pad someone else is holding. Some research shows that even very brief stretches—just 60 seconds—of high intensity interval training (HIIT) can offer the same gains in heart and lung health as 45 minutes of less-intense exercise.

Kickboxing improves both types of balance that the body requires—anticipatory and reactive—and better balance reduces risk of falls or muscle weakness. Reactive balance is the type of mind-muscle coordination you need to catch your balance when you trip, or when life throws some unexpected object your way. So why not try a class today?

Kickboxing – Changing your body and your life