Christine Posted January 16, 2003 Posted January 16, 2003 hi. i'm new here, so i'm really sorry if this is asked a million times already- i didn't see it in my breif look. i have wanted to kickbox for years and years. But i never had the opportunity. now i actually have the chance to go for it and take it seriously. Anyway- what can you all tell me to give me a heads up? any tips at all would be great- as far as what to expect, or any tips you've picked up along the way. also, i'd like to know what to look for in a quality school. i want to steer clear from nonsense classes. i want to learn, and learn well...so how will i know? ah- sorry all these questions- i also thought about taking a cardio kick boxing class at my college- not for the training, but i thought it'd be good for endurance and just basic working out- will this in any way help me out? or is Cardio kick boxing a waste of time? by the way- yes i am female, and i know this will be intense training. i'm not just looking for excercize- i want to learn to fight and fight hard. And i know i can handle it. (i hate when guys tell me it's "hard" and "i might get "hurt"- whatever.) so with that said- please give me your knowlege. thank you- thank you- thank you in advance.
Tombstone Posted January 16, 2003 Posted January 16, 2003 look for a school that spars. i've seen many schools that claim to NOT be teaching cardio kickboxing but all they do is bag work. bag work is awesome but without sparring it serves no purpose.
Freestyler Posted January 16, 2003 Posted January 16, 2003 The students are generally a reflection of the teacher. Look at the students, especially the higher ranked students to see what they're like. If they're sloppy, with poor technique and have no respect for the teacher (although I find that's unlikely if they've been with him/her for a while) it's probably a poorly ran dojang. If there are no higher belts/advanced kickboxers there, there's most likely something up as well. Make a check list of the things you want: High intensity training - a good indication is if the students are dripping with sweat at the end of their workout. Realistic sparring (if they do point sparring, or 'non contact' sparring, get the hell away!) - medium to full contact sparring, but in a controlled environment. By the same token, if they spar like a full on street brawl, you won't learn how to fight either. An instructor you feel comfortable with and get along with Lots of students or few students? I find with few students, you get much more personal attention from the instructor. However, with lots of students, you get to fight all different types of people and there's usually a student who can help you. Good luck! The first few months will be the hardest, but after that it becomes much more enjoyable. I think your flexibility and fitness will be greatly helped if you can work on them at home as well. For flexibility, you will want to look into 'dynamic' stretches, as this is the kind of flexbility your kicks will require. Doing the splits doesn't logically mean you can kick head height. Post anymore questions you have and make sure you let us know how you get on!
KickChick Posted January 16, 2003 Posted January 16, 2003 i also thought about taking a cardio kick boxing class at my college- not for the training, but i thought it'd be good for endurance and just basic working out- will this in any way help me out? or is Cardio kick boxing a waste of time? by the way- yes i am female, and i know this will be intense training. i'm not just looking for excercize- i want to learn to fight and fight hard. And i know i can handle it. (i hate when guys tell me it's "hard" and "i might get "hurt"- whatever.) so with that said- please give me your knowlege Well, can't give you my knowledge of "kickboxing" but as a female martial artist, there are many of us out there that train hard, and fight hard .... and yes you can handle it! As a cardio kickbox instructor, taking a class at your college is fine in fact I recommend that you do. It will definitely help with your endurance and if it is a class that utilizes the heavy bag and gloves, then you'll get an even better workout out as far as developing your kick/punch techniques. (There are some "kitchy" aerobic-style cardio kb classes out there .... just a word up ) Freestyler offered some real good advice as far as finding the right school. You seem to know what you want ... now it is ust a matter of finding the school that is going to give it to ya! Good Luck!
Christine Posted January 16, 2003 Author Posted January 16, 2003 You are alla big help. i'm taking a beginner Akido class right now- andwith all due respect, i'm learning alot- but it's just not "hard-core" enough for me. And truthfully the only reason i'm taking it was because i was under the impression we'd learn to attack as well as defend. However i do plan to stick with it for awhile to get a decent foundation of another art. (my college offers this) i'm currently looking in to a class at a MA school near by. i've heard that they have a REALLY good reputation- a black belt in one of my classes said that the kickboxing classes there "kicked his ass". sounds good. they are also endorsed by the "international Kickboxing Federation." (or something like that? you'd know better than me. haha) i'm going to stop by there next week and hopefully even watch a class. Also, there classes are a minimum of 2x a week- which is cool because i really want to train, and once a week just doesn't seem like enough. if you don't mind, i'll try and get some info and run it by you.
BlackBeauty Posted January 17, 2003 Posted January 17, 2003 good luck with whatever you choose christine! i have also just started MT training about 6 weeks ago and now train 3x a week, for 1 1/2 - 2 hours each time in between classes i keep fit by doing lots of skipping, roadwork and weight training as well as yoga and aerobics anyway, you should check out a muay thai class if you get the chance. all the best! ==================http://come.to/BlackBeauty==================
omnifinite Posted January 17, 2003 Posted January 17, 2003 Self-defense is a tricky matter... short-changing yourself could have dire consequences and there are plenty of instructors out there who will short-change you as well without caring or realizing. I wouldn't take cardio kickboxing for self-defense... not when you can do so much better and learn so much more with muay thai. But it sounds like you're way beyond that point in your decision-making already so... good luck . 1st Dan HapkidoColored belts in Kempo and Jujitsu
Freestyler Posted January 17, 2003 Posted January 17, 2003 I don't know much about aikido, from my limited exposure to it (probably from an unqualified teacher as well), but it does seem to take a long time to grasp and be able to apply effectively. You should talk to Kensai and yoriki816, they both seem quite knowledeable on the subject. Aikido is almost as far away from 'hardcore' as you get. It doesn't tie in with my personality, or aggression, which is why I've never considered it. However, I think it would be an excellent art to help you with your every day life, giving you a sense of tranquility and harmony.. Yet, I have become much less aggressive through my training in BJJ as a person in general, but that'd aggression would kick in, in a real fight.
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