Is Kickboxing Real Strength Training or Just Cardio?

“There are many different styles of kickboxing,” explains Chris Gagliardi, CPT, CSCS, an ACE-certified personal trainer and NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist. “One style, the combat sport, is designed for fighting, while cardio kickboxing focuses on enhancing health by improving fitness without the fighting aspect.”

Whether you’re stepping into an actual ring or engaging in a metaphorical fight, kickboxing can be a fantastic addition to your fitness routine. “In a kickboxing class—whether it’s a martial arts school or a cardio kickboxing group—you’ll use your entire body to generate force, dodge strikes, and create stances for both offense and defense,” Gagliardi emphasizes. This intense engagement can significantly enhance both muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Does this imply that kickboxing combines strength training and cardio? Not so quickly. We’ll explore this question further, leveraging insights from Gagliardi along with Grace Bellman, DPT, CSCS, a doctor of physical therapy and studio manager at Hit House, a Muay Thai-inspired kickboxing studio in New York City.

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Does Kickboxing Count as Strength Training?

When considering kickboxing, it can enhance strength, but it’s not an absolute substitute for traditional strength training.

Let’s look at the advantages first. “Although kickboxing isn’t structured like typical strength training, participants experience upsurges in both upper and lower body muscular fitness—this includes both strength and endurance,” Gagliardi explains. “During the intensive workout segments, you engage in squats, lunges, rotations, punches, kicks, jumps, flexes, extensions, and more—all of which naturally enhance muscular fitness.”

This is particularly true if your class includes calisthenics, such as planks for active recovery, push-ups between combinations, or squat jumps interspersed with punches.

If your kickboxing training lacks significant strength-focused elements and mainly emphasizes technique, the potential for muscle-building may plateau upon achieving a certain level of proficiency. “Our bodies adapt to new stimuli through cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and neuromuscular adjustments to cater to the physical demands placed on them,” Bellman notes.

In simpler terms, exercising prompts the body to adapt and grow stronger. For a beginner, movements like punching and kicking can foster significant strength challenges, but they may not elicit enough demand for those more experienced. “For novices in kickboxing or physical fitness overall, improvements in strength and power may be more pronounced than for seasoned athletes or Muay Thai practitioners,” concludes Bellman.

When assessing kickboxing’s potential for building strength, it’s vital to consider which muscles are engaged. It’s generally viewed as a full-body workout; however, specific muscles, including the shoulders, upper back, and core, receive the most attention, according to Bellman. The legs and hips are activated too but to a lesser extent.

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A 2014 study¹ found that individuals participating in kickboxing thrice weekly for five weeks displayed significant gains in upper-body muscle power, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, flexibility, speed, and agility; however, lower-body power did not show improvement.

To create a comprehensive full-body strength regimen, it’s essential to incorporate exercises that sufficiently challenge the larger, stronger muscle groups in the lower body, like the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. A kickboxing class featuring lunges and squats can fulfill this requirement; however, without adding external resistance (like weights), you may reach a limit in terms of strength adaptation.

In summary, “Kickboxing does promote positive changes in musculoskeletal health, including enhancements in muscular strength; however, I wouldn’t classify it as exclusively strength training,” Bellman states.

“Ultimately, the goal of physical exercise is to improve your health and fitness while doing something you enjoy. If you enjoy kickboxing, you’re more likely to keep it up, and that’s paramount.” —Grace Bellman, DPT, CSCS

Does Kickboxing Count as Cardio?

In many instances, the answer is yes. “Kickboxing qualifies as cardio since it elevates your heart rate and increases your breathing rate,” Bellman explains.

Essentially, cardio exercise refers to any activity that accelerates your heart rate and prompts heavier breathing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC suggests adults engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio weekly—meaning you need to reach that moderate-intensity threshold to count your workout towards your cardio target. You can gauge intensity through the talk test (moderate would be exercising hard enough to converse but not sing) or by monitoring your heart rate (moderate intensity is typically considered 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate).

“During a kickboxing class, your heart rate elevates above your resting rate throughout the session, including during active recovery periods,” Gagliardi shares. Consequently, you can expect enhancements in cardiorespiratory health, which is a primary cardio benefit. In the aforementioned 2014 study, researchers observed that kickboxing sessions placed participants’ heart rates between 71% and 77% of their maximum, sufficient for achieving cardiovascular improvements.

However, the actual cardio effectiveness of a kickboxing workout can vary based on the class’s structure, style, and intensity, as noted by Bellman. Research on kickboxing’s fitness benefits is somewhat limited, but studies examining the cardiovascular effects of other martial arts like Taekwondo show mixed outcomes; some studies suggest Taekwondo has little impact² on cardiovascular fitness, while others consider it an effective method³ for cardiovascular conditioning. Disparities in workout intensity could explain these differences.

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Consider this: If you drill punches slowly, focusing solely on form with your feet firm on the ground, you’re less likely to elevate your heart rate into that moderate-intensity zone. In contrast, quicker, more complex combinations that include footwork, kicks, and defensive maneuvers, or integrating intervals of cardio activities (jump rope, fast feet, jumping jacks), can boost the intensity of a kickboxing session, ensuring your cardiovascular system is challenged.

Other Significant Benefits of Kickboxing

While kickboxing might not completely replace your cardio or strength training routine based on how you train, it brings numerous other benefits that justify incorporating it into your regimen.

Kickboxing enhances balance, coordination, mobility, and agility, Bellman states. The practice often involves learning and executing a series of punches and kicks, challenging both your mental sharpness and requiring your body to synchronize new movement patterns with intense force production. This training can also cultivate mental resilience and humility, promote camaraderie among participants, and empower you with self-defense skills, according to Gagliardi.

These advantages, although sometimes overshadowed by cardio fitness and strength-building, are equally crucial for injury prevention and long-term health. “As we age, our balance, coordination, and reaction times often diminish, increasing our susceptibility to injuries and falls. Kickboxing actively challenges these balance and coordination systems, enhancing our ability to react and manage shifts in our stability,” Bellman remarks.

Finally, one particular emotional health advantage of kickboxing, unlike many other exercise forms, is the powerful sense of empowerment it imparts. “After working at Hit House for two years, I’ve heard from many regular attendees that they experience a surge in confidence and frequently surprise themselves with their abilities during class,” Bellman explains. This enhancement in self-confidence, enjoyment, and motivation to progress is what keeps participants returning. “The ultimate purpose of exercise is to enhance your health and fitness while enjoying the process. If you love kickboxing, you’re more likely to stick with it, and that’s the priority,” she concludes.

To Wrap It Up

Kickboxing can enhance your muscular strength and endurance along with your cardiovascular fitness; however, it may not seamlessly integrate into both categories. The effectiveness will depend largely on your training approach, but typically, it’s more likely to align with cardio workout criteria than strength training.

If you attend kickboxing classes a few times weekly, consider complementing that activity with at least two days of dedicated strength training to ensure your muscles remain sharp and to meet the CDC’s exercise recommendations for adults. To ensure your class aligns with your cardio benchmarks, keep an eye on your effort during sessions using a heart-rate monitor, smartwatch, or the talk test.

Regardless of the specifics, if kickboxing resonates with you, it’s definitely worth incorporating it into your routine. “For many, kickboxing evolves into a lifestyle choice, with regular class attendance being a vital part of a healthy lifestyle,” Gagliardi confirms. Even if it doesn’t fall neatly into the definitions of strength or cardio workouts, any enjoyable exercise deserves a spot in your routine.