Starting any new sport can be intimidating, but kickboxing holds the additional factor of potentially being punched in the face. For some people, this is a total deal-breaker, but for others, the thrill of the fight draws them closer.
As a beginner kickboxer, you might want to dive straight in and go for it. While this is a great attitude to have, it’s important that you approach this journey in the right way. Here are a few tips to take into consideration.
Get Motivated
If you’re feeling a little intimidated at the start, this is completely normal. Psych yourself up for your kickboxing journey and motivate yourself by considering the skills you’ll learn and the benefits you’ll reap from the sport.
Find professional kickboxers to look up to and inspire you on your journey. Do some research and find encouraging stories and information, like Buakaw Banchamek’s weight and kickboxing journey. Having someone to inspire you can make the tough times easier to push through.
Set Your Own Goals
While you’ll obviously be progressing through your kickboxing classes, it’s always beneficial to set personal goals. These will keep you motivated and push you to exceed even your own expectations and develop your strength and skills.
You can use the inspiration mentioned in the previous section to help you set kickboxing goals for yourself and advance quicker. Your goals can involve perfecting certain moves or techniques, or increasing your focus. Ask your coach where they believe you need to be placing your focus.
Be Confident, Not Arrogant
Confidence, especially when sparring, is a crucial trait to have in this sport. However, don’t let your confidence mutate into arrogance. In any contact sport, you’re going to hit and be hit – don’t let this affect your ego positively or negatively.
Take every victory and failure as an opportunity to learn and improve, but always remain humble.
Practice As Often As Possible
If you’re serious about your kickboxing journey, want to improve quickly or even go professional, you’ll want to dedicate as much time as you can to the sport. Practice your techniques and spar with partners whenever you can.
You can also train for endurance and strength in other ways (such as running or lifting weights at the gym) in order to improve your fitness and performance when you’re kickboxing.
Stay Calm and Believe in Yourself
Though you might feel overwhelmed and even discouraged in the beginning, failure and struggles are normal for any beginner. It’s important that you believe in yourself and your ability to improve and not let setbacks influence your attitude.
Even when you’re exhausted and being beaten down, try to remain calm. Panicking will cause you to forget the techniques you’ve learned, so breathing through each moment and staying focused and alert at all times is a key tip to remember.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to get started with kickboxing, take these tips to heart and start your journey feeling motivated and inspired. Putting in the work will get you exactly where you want to be, but don’t forget that it will take time and constant practice.