Pity the fool that tries to jump me in a dark alley- I’ve been taking uKick classes with Debbie!
First some history: Kickboxing originated in Japan in the 1960s as a self defense martial art. The fundamentals of kickboxing are derived from jujitsu and professional wrestling mixed with boxing. Since there is no single style of kickboxing, each international body promotes their own style of kickboxing. Over the period of years kickboxing has evolved and you can find unique kickboxing styles and fighting techniques in different parts of the world.
More people are now taking up kickboxing classes to keep themselves fit. Some of the new variations are cardio or fitness kickboxing. The focus is to keep the body moving and agile and to learn some basic kickboxing moves and combinations in synch to upbeat music. This is the class I took at Uforia. No opponent, punching bag, or boxing gloves required.
uKick is not just about kicking and punching. Instead, it’s a complete body workout where individuals perform exercises that involve the entire body. You don’t just move your fist in a jab, we learn to initiate moves with the upper body and to move the shoulder to face the imaginary opponent. Your foot also pivots to add your quad muscle into it. Your entire body moves at one given point of time and I found myself out of breath during the workout!
Fitness kickboxing is also about agility and quick reflexes. You are constantly moving in a rhythmic motion in the class, so it’s definitely an aerobic high calorie burner. I love the music and I like that Debbie gives both a low impact and high impact option for all the moves and combinations. She’s a new teacher so there are occasional glitches, but she’s good about giving cues for the next move.
I find the class is all about how much concentration you bring to it. I would focus on making each move precise and powerful, rather than on the defense part of the sport. However, it’s also fun to imagine kicking your worst enemy in the face with your foot! Upper cut, upper cut, right, left, side kick!
Learn to kick like me by signing up for Debbie’s free uKick class Tuesday at 11 am.
-Sharon