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Move It Mountain View: Kickboxing at Cuesta Park (Part Two)
Learn some basic lower body cardio kickboxing moves to tighten and tone the gluts, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and abdominal muscles.
, I demonstrated some basic cardio kickboxing punches for a great upper body workout. This week, I turned our focus to some of my favorite lower body moves common in cardio kickboxing.
(For simplicity’s sake, I have once again described how to perform each move on the right side only. Be sure to switch the position of the feet and also complete these moves on the left side.)
Front Kick: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bring your elbows in at your ribs and keep your fists tight, just below your chin. Extend your right foot back behind you so you're in a split stance, heel off the ground. Lift your right knee up to hip height and then extend the foot forward in a quick motion. Keep the toes pointed throughout the kick, and then tap the foot back behind you in your split stance before repeating the kick again.
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Side Kick: Stand with your feet together. Bring your elbows in at your ribs and keep your fists tight and just below your chin. Hinge the upper body just slightly over to the left. Lift the right leg out to the side to hip height with a bend at the knee (chambering the leg). Extend the right foot out so that the leg is straight, keeping the foot flexed throughout the kick. Drop the foot back down to the starting position and repeat the kick quickly.
Knee Pull: Extend your right foot back behind you so you are in a split stance, heel off the ground. Bring your hands over your head and hinge slightly forward from the hips. Pull the right knee into the chest as you lower the hands down to meet the knees. Return both hands and feet to the starting position, then repeat the move as quickly as possible.
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Slip: Stand with the feet wider than shoulder width apart and body turned sideways from your target. Shift your weight from front to back as you hold the elbows in at the ribs and fists tight under the chin. Add a squat in between the shift from the front to the back, creating the effect of ducking under a punch or slipping back.
I recommend starting out with 20 repetitions or 30 seconds of each move on each side. After you have the form and technique down, mix and match these lower body moves with last week’s punches to create an entire kickboxing routine of your own. One of my favorite combinations is a jab, cross, hook, upper cut, knee pull, side kick, front kick and slip, alternating between the right and left side at each new move. Have fun with it!
Several local facilities, such as , , , and the , offer kickboxing classes for beginner through advanced exercisers. Check ‘em out and let us know what you think!
