10-Minute High-Intensity Kickboxing Workout (Kicks Only)

In 10 minutes, this kickboxing workout is going to condition your legs like you wouldn’t believe. This will be a short two round kicking workout, but the kicking strikes will slowly increase as the workout continues.

Your leg muscles are larger than your arm muscles, and a progression workout like this one will allow you to work your muscles synergistically. There are three (3) levels for the kicks in this 10 minute workout: leg height, rib height, and head height. Push yourself to kick as high as you can while retaining your form, but work where you’re comfortable.

Warm Up (2 minutes)

Light Jump (10 seconds):

• Jump up and down slightly as if you were jumping rope

Side to Side Jump (10 seconds):

• Bring your feet together and jump slightly from side to side

Forward to Back Jump (10 seconds):

• Keeping your feet together, jump forwards and backward

Lateral Lunges (30 seconds):

• Stand tall with your feet double shoulder-width apart
• Bend down towards your left side with your right leg extended on its heel
• Raise up and repeat on the opposite leg

High Plank and Downward Dog (30 seconds):

• Drop into a high plank position with your arms extended and hands firmly on the ground
• Breathe in and push your hips up and back to come into a full downward dog position, keeping your knees slightly bent
• Hold for 10 seconds and release back into a high plank before repeating once more

Side Leg Swings (30 seconds):

• Face your punching bag and put your hands on top of the bag
• Swing your right leg laterally side to side as far as you can for 15 seconds
• Switch to your left leg and continue for another 15 seconds

Questions such as how do I make my roundhouse kick stronger? and what muscles do roundhouse kicks work? are partially answered with dynamic stretching. These leg exercises help engage your muscles and can make kicking to head height possible with enough practice.

All of the stretches in this warm-up are dynamic stretches, which means they actively engage your muscles and prepare them for a workout. It’s best to perform dynamic stretches in a warm-up and save static stretches (non-active movements) for your cool down. Rest for 30 seconds before starting.

Round 1 (3 minutes)

The first round will be only a round kick in a progression style. Here is the technique for a rear roundhouse:

• Come into your fighting stance with a slight bend in your knees
• Pivot on the base of your front foot and lift your rear leg off the ground
• Continue to pivot your foot while twisting your hips towards the heavy bag
• Once your rear leg is in line with the bag, fully extend your rear leg and make contact with the bag
• Retract your rear leg from the bag and pivot back into a fighting stance, returning your leg to the ground

A front roundhouse is performed the same way, but you pivot on your rear leg and kick with your front leg instead.

For this round, focus on striking the punching bag with as much power as possible, rather than placing an emphasis on speed. The movements are performed per leg before moving on to the next set. Try to get all the kicks completed in three (3) minutes.

Round Kick x1

Round Kick x2

Round Kick x3

Round Kick x4

Round Kick x5

Round Kick x6

Round Kick x7

Round Kick x8

At the end of your set of eight kicks per leg, take a minute to rest. Stand up tall and breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Control your breathing and get ready for round 2.

Round 2 (3 minutes)

For this round, speed is the priority instead of pure power. While the technique for the kick remains the same, the execution differs slightly with a speed kick:

• Rather than returning to a full fighting stance after throwing your roundhouse, quickly bring your foot to the ground just far enough to maintain balance
• The second your foot touches the ground, launch into another kick with the same leg
• With enough kicks, this movement seems almost like a “bounce”

The strikes will be exactly the same, but with more kicks added on. Remember to complete each set per leg:

Round Kick x1

Round Kick x2

Round Kick x3

Round Kick x4

Round Kick x5

Round Kick x6

Round Kick x7

Round Kick x8

Round Kick x9

Round Kick x10

Push yourself to complete all of the sets in three (3) minutes. Focus on speed and avoid letting your kicking foot remain on the ground for more than a second.

Cool Down

• Breathe in and out deeply, while standing tall
• Slowly spread your legs out double shoulder-width apart and bend at the waist to plant your hands on the ground
• Gently sway back and forth in this position to stretch your leg muscles
• Focus on thinking about lowering your heart rate the entire time

The answer to how do you practice a roundhouse kick? and how do you properly kick? is simple. It takes 10,000 reps to refine this roundhouse kick. Aim to complete this drill once a week and answer the question of does kicking build muscle? for yourself.

Only with practice will you refine your technique, so practice your form and this drill as often as you can. For more workouts, visit the FightCamp YouTube channel or blog to see more.

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The Author: Aaron Swenson, aka ‘Speedy,’ began his Martial Arts journey under his father’s guidance in the family’s dojo in Chicago. By 2013, Aaron was an accomplished fighter with two National Kickboxing titles and a USA National Kickboxing Team spot and fought for the prestigious GLORY Kickboxing organization. Since then, Aaron has become a sought after trainer in LA known for his technical approach to teaching, fancy pad-work, and utilizing music to make the workout fun and engaging. Aaron is a Founding Coach at FightCamp, where he leads boxing and kickboxing workouts and plans to make his return to the ring. Aaron is also USA Boxing Coach certified.