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The sport that we know and see today that is known as kickboxing has been around since the 1970s but the roots go back as far as 2,000 years. Through these two millennia, the sport has evolved and has numerous health benefits.
Kickboxing is fun and can be used by adults and kids alike for cardio health, endurance, self defense and also for competition, which studies have found is valuable for mental health and self esteem amongst children and even some adults.
Competitive kickboxing sometimes looks brutal and hard to do, but if you take a class at your local gym or fitness center you will find that it is used more for fitness than competition. As part of your exercise routine it is as good as a full session of aerobics, in fact there is a special form of it called aerobic kickboxing that focuses on the cardio side of the popular sport.
Using a punching bag, you can do this exercise at the gym or even at home without the need for a partner or spotter. Jump ropes may even be used in the aerobic version. But the great news is that some cardio experts have established forms of the popular exercise that need no equipment at all, meaning it can be an inexpensive way to get into great shape, tone your muscles and provide heart-friendly health benefits.
Most sessions are intense and last about 30 minutes, with a 10 minute stretch and warm-up before and a 5-10 minute cooling down session at the end that usually includes more stretching and bringing your heart rate down.
Beginners should start with 15 minutes and slowly increase until you are able to get the most out of this fun and beneficial workout.
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