Article by Christopher Terry

Are you tired of the gym, or sick of jogging every morning? You may want to check out one of the highest calorie burning workouts that are out there – boxing or kickboxing. Deciding which one to use for your health and fitness goals is where it starts.
Boxing is an extremely effective workout that is good for someone starting out. Boxing and kickboxing are the same in some ways, but since kickboxing incorporates the feet and legs, you may want to learn the basics of boxing first- particularly if you are using it to burn fat for weight loss.

Why Boxing When Starting Out?

Boxing is easier to learn than kickboxing, because you don’t use your feet. You will learn how to do a variety of kicks with your legs in kickboxing, but this may be difficult for someone that is overweight, or has not worked out in a while and has limited flexibility. Not to mention the techniques are more involved than simply boxing alone.

Does Boxing or Kickboxing Offer A Better Workout?

Kickboxing actually ends up burning more calories than boxing, because the workout is more intense. However, it does take some time to work up to the level where kickboxing is more effective. Beginners are going to have a hard time working up to an optimum calorie burning level, and so starting with boxing may be a better idea.

Space is a Factor to Consider

Another thing that you may not have considered is that kickboxing does require a fair bit of space. Although most boxers and kick boxers both use the punching bag to practice and train, a kick boxer requires nearly double the amount of space that a boxer does, and performing kickboxing maneuvers in a limited space may not be safe. This is especially true when training with a partner.

Equipment Required for Boxing and Kickboxing

Some boxing and kickboxing equipment is the same, or quite similar, but some types of equipment that you’ll need does differ.

Punch Mitts: This is one of the most common tools used in boxing. These are pads that are held up by a partner or trainer so that you can hit them, block or duck them.
Kick Shields: These are basically the kick boxer’s answer to focus pads. They are around the size of the human torso and they are used for kicking. Make sure that you work out with someone who is trained on how to use them properly so that safety doesn’t become an issue.
Thai Kick Pads: These are similar to focus mitts, but are larger. They can be used for punching or kicking. They are around the same length as a forearm, and as before, the best advice is to use a partner who is trained on how to use them

Take Kickboxing After Learning Boxing

Since boxing is easier to learn and requires less space for you and a partner to train, you will probably see results more quickly if you stick with boxing at first. Master those skills before you move onto kickboxing. Although boxing still requires certain techniques to learn, you can learn them easier as a beginner and kickboxing can result in injury faster with inexperienced or beginning kick boxers.

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