I have this slight nagging need for some cross-training at the moment. I say slight because 99.9% of my being just wants to run outside every single morning but the other 0.1% of me knows that I cannot do that without running myself straight into the ground.
I decided to do something different so I tagged along with my fitness pal (and I don’t mean the app) the other day to try out a kickboxing class at a studio I had never been to before last week.
To be fair here, kickboxing is not a completely new-to-me activity. I have dabbled in and out of group fitness kickboxing classes since the age of 18 but haven’t taken a class on the regular in almost two years.
ILoveKickBoxing is a kickboxing studio with lots of locations throughout the country. The class I attended was at the Oyster Bay, NY location but you can click here to find a location near you.
I was extra excited because the purchase of a three-pack of classes came with my very own pair of boxing gloves!
I felt legit…and happy that I didn’t have to stick my hands in someone else’s sweaty gloves. Ick.
Before the class began, the very nice instructor sat with me for a few minutes to go over my current fitness routine and to discuss what to expect during the 60 minute class.
I made sure to inform her that I am a runner who just ran the Long Island Half two days earlier which was my way of saying, I will go at my own pace during the class and only do what I am comfortable doing as my muscles are sore and I don’t want to overkick or jab my way to an injury.
The truth is though, race recovery or not, I typically go at my own pace with any new (or even old) workout, only doing the parts I am comfortable with and modifying poses as I see fit.
Class Structure:
Taken from their website…
Our class is not a “follow the leader/punch the air” cardio class. It is a well-balanced workout consisting of cardio training and resistance training to help you burn fat and tone muscle in a short amount of time.
The first 30 minutes of class consisted of a brief warm up with cardio bursts like running (I can do that!), burpees (I don’t care to do that!) and lots of other quick little sets of stuff like push ups and core work which, I am so super proud to say, I handled like some old pro.
The second half of the class was spent with my hands inside of my fancy boxing gloves doing the jab – cross – hook thing and kicking the big bag.
If you are wondering about my pretty pink tank top, it’s the Lululemon Power Y Tank (luon) and I am in love with it! It might be designed for yoga but I wore it for kickboxing and love it for running. I want one in every color, it’s like second skin comfy and fits really nice too.
Overall Kickboxing Thoughts:
I loved this class! I always enjoyed kickboxing through the years and really liked returning to it right now for a change of pace.
I was really happy to see that I still recalled all of the jab sequences I have learned and that I maintained good form <- the instructor told me so 🙂
I appreciated that this class involved more true kickboxing technique rather than be just another cardio kickbox group fitness class found at any local gym.
It was great comfort to have an instructor by my side since it was my first class to assist me with the second half of class to ensure I was able to follow the punching sequences being directed by the lead instructor.
I noticed a HUGE difference in my strength, balance and ability since the last boxing-style class I took almost two years ago at Lifetime.
Flashback photo from July 2013! Read the post from that kickboxing class here!
Even I had to go back to reread that post because I recalled that I wanted to die within the first two minutes of that class at Lifetime not to mention I was left beyond sore and unable to move for a day or so after that.
This time however, I didn’t need to die. I felt so much stronger which I attribute 100% to Pure Barre.
Seriously. You can run mile upon mile but will only get stronger when you cross-train on a regular basis to strengthen and balance those muscles, especially when you incorporate the ever-important core work.
I immediately felt my strength during this kickboxing class (especially in my core) and noticed how able I was to keep up with so many parts of this class which made me beam from the inside out because I just knew it had everything to do with the my three (and sometimes four) day a week Pure Barre habit.
What a difference Pure Barre has made in my strength, balance and overall muscle tone in just under a year!
Will I continue to take more kickboxing classes? Yes! I have two left right now and will probably add a few more from time to time in my attempt to cross-train on a more regular basis.
Also on my cross-training list:
*Get back to spinning and try a SoulCycle class
*Hit the gym at least once a week for the elliptical machine in place of an easy run.
Be sure to check out the rest of the Tried It Tuesday posts!
[bctt tweet=”I tried an ILoveKickingBoxing class and loved it! #triedittuesday @scranberry33 #kickboxing #crosstrain #purebarre @pure_barre #likboysterbay”]
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Are you a kickboxing class fan?
Do you make sure to cross-train every week instead of running for every workout?
How often do you do core work?
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