7 Kickboxing and MMA Exercises to Burn Fat and Shape Up

Try kickboxing and MMA exercises to burn more body fat, "lean out" your body and ramp up your workouts! Many of you are looking for a more challenging workout this summer. I recommend kickboxing if your body is ready for the intensity.


Its important to do a dynamic flexibility warmup prior to starting a kickboxing workout. If you don't, you will injure yourself. Kickboxing workouts are "high-risk," "high reward." A good dynamic warmup could include jumping rope, running, various jumps, kicks, bodyweight squats, hip turns and hip swings.

A good kickboxing workout definitely targets your full body and that is why it burns so many calories and body fat. Some specific benefits:

a. core strength work
b. improved dynamic balance and coordination
c. skills learned for self defense
d. strengthening of bones, joints, ligaments and tendons
e. good change up from your regular workout routine
f. more fun working out
g. convenience - do this workout anywhere, anytime

It is a high intensity workout so all you need is 20-30 minutes of work.

Here are 7 good kickboxing exercises to torch body fat and shape your body:

Warm up with the jump rope (2 minutes), medicine ball throws (2 minutes) and leg swings (2 minutes). Do each exercise for 1 minute. Rest 30 seconds between exercises. Rest 3 minutes between circuits. Do the circuit 2-3 times.

The workout order: front kicks, jabs, side kicks, hooks, roundhouse kicks, upper cuts, straight rights/lefts

Kicking exercises to work your body in all planes of motion:

1. Side kicks (pictured above). This exercise works the frontal plane of motion which includes side-to-side motions, hip abductions and adductions (think side lunge steps, standing leg side raises and side shuffles).

2. Front kicks. Sagittal plane includes up and down and front to back motions. Examples include walking, running, bicep curls, leg curls and seated back rows. Traditional training techniques (such as training with machine weights) have focused on the sagittal plane of motion. That's why its important to do more than machine weight training.

3. Roundhouse kicks. Transverse plane work. You will do many turning, twisting and rotating motions during the day so this plane of motion needs regular work.

Body bag punching drills:


Be sure to transfer power from your legs through your core to your arms to get maximum power (i.e., don't just use your arms to punch the bag).

4. Jabs

5. Hooks

6. Uppercuts

7. Straight rights and lefts punches

You will enjoy your kickboxing workouts more if you are in general condition. Try the free workout book below:

Be sure and download your Free Bodyweight 500 Metabolic Fat Burner Program and start shaping your body faster!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
My Fitness Hut


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About Mark

Hi, I'm Mark Dilworth, Nutritionist, Dietary Strategies Specialist, Nutrition for Metabolic Health Specialist and Lifestyle Weight Management Specialist. Since 2006, I have helped thousands of clients and readers make lifestyle habit changes which includes body transformation and ideal body weight.