Kickboxing: how it compares with boxing, and what a first class is like

Kickboxing is a combat sport and workout that mixes boxing punches with kicks. Boxing uses only the fists, and Muay Thai adds elbows, knees and clinching. As a fitness class, all three are hard rounds of pad and bag work with rest in between, so they build fitness while you learn a skill. Here is how they compare, what a first class is like, and how to choose.

Boxing vs kickboxing vs Muay Thai

	Boxing	Kickboxing	Muay Thai
What you strike with	Fists only	Fists and legs (kicks)	Fists, elbows, knees, shins
Clinch (holding and striking up close)	Broken up by the referee	Limited, depends on the rules	A big part of the sport
What you learn first	Stance, footwork, jab, cross, hook, uppercut	The boxing basics plus front and round kicks	Stance, kicks, knees, then punches and clinch
Main fitness demand	Shoulders, core, footwork, cardio	Whole body, hips and legs	Whole body, plus neck and core in the clinch
Shoes	Boxing shoes or flat trainers	Usually barefoot on mats	Barefoot on mats
Best first pick if	You want a simple skill to get good at fast	You want to kick as well as punch	You want the full stand-up toolkit and don’t mind more contact

“Kickboxing” covers several rule sets. Some allow knees, some do not, and some fitness classes leave out all contact. Ask a gym what their class actually includes.

What happens in your first class

1. Warm-up: skipping, shadowboxing.
2. Stance and guard: hands by your cheeks, chin down.
3. Basic strikes: jab, cross, then a simple kick, shown slowly.
4. Pad or bag rounds: hard rounds with short rests.
5. Conditioning: push-ups, squats, core.
6. Cool-down: stretch the hips and hamstrings.

Expect your shoulders to burn from holding your hands up, and your calves to ache the next day. Nobody expects a beginner to kick high. A kick to the thigh or the bag’s middle is correct.

The fitness you get

A class like this is interval training in disguise: hard rounds, short rests, repeated. It is similar to the HIIT idea, with a skill on top.

A 2017 review found that kickboxers have moderate to high aerobic fitness and high anaerobic power, the ability to produce hard efforts over short periods (Slimani et al., 2017). That review looked at competitive athletes, not people in a fitness class, but it shows what the training builds.

WHO advises adults to do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening work on 2 or more days (WHO 2020 guidelines). Hard pad rounds count as vigorous. Two classes a week and two strength training sessions cover a lot of that.

For fat loss, classes help, but food decides most of it. Use the calorie calculator to see roughly what you burn in a day.

Basic techniques you will learn

Technique	What it is
Jab	A quick straight punch with the front hand
Cross	A straight punch with the back hand, turning the hips
Hook	A short, bent-arm punch from the side
Front kick (teep)	A push with the sole of the front or back foot
Round kick	A swinging kick with the shin, turning the standing foot
Knee	A strike with the knee, used in Muay Thai and some rule sets

Most classes drill two or three of these at a time, then join them into short combinations such as jab, cross, round kick.

Is it safe?

Fitness classes with pads and bags are low-contact. Sparring and competition are not.

• Head impacts. The same 2017 review links competition to repeated head trauma and traumatic brain injury (Slimani et al., 2017). If you never want to be hit in the head, say so, and stick to pad and bag work.
• Children and teenagers. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Paediatric Society oppose boxing as a sport for children and adolescents, and name concussion as one of the most common boxing injuries (AAP and CPS, 2011). Parents: ask whether a youth class includes any head contact.
• Wrists and hands. Wrap your hands and keep your wrist straight when you punch.
• Knees and hips. Turn the standing foot when you throw a round kick. Kicking with a locked foot twists the knee.
• See a doctor first if you have had a concussion, have a heart condition or high blood pressure, or have a joint injury that is still healing.

Gear you need

• Hand wraps. Your own, because they get sweaty. Ask the coach to show you how to wrap.
• Gloves. Many gyms lend them at first. Before you buy, ask the coach which weight suits your size and the class.
• Clothes. Shorts or track pants you can lift your knee in, and a T-shirt.
• Shin guards and a mouthguard. Only needed once partner drills or sparring start.
• Water and a towel. Kathmandu summers before the monsoon make a gym very warm.

How to choose a class

Before you pay anywhere in Kathmandu, ask:

1. What does the class actually include? Pad work only, or partner drills and sparring?
2. Is sparring optional? It should be.
3. Who coaches it, and how many people are in a class? A coach watching too many people cannot correct your technique.
4. Can I watch or try one class first?
5. What gear do I need to buy, and when?

Pick boxing if you want fewer techniques and faster progress. Pick a kicking style if you want to kick, and you are happy with more to learn. If you want a lighter, music-led workout with no contact at all, a Zumba class may suit you better.

Kickboxing near me in New Baneshwor

We teach boxing at Vajra Athletic Club. If you are looking for kickboxing or Muay Thai, ask at the desk whether any sessions are running. Class details and how to start are on the boxing classes page.