BEST At-Home Kickboxing Workout For Beginners
If you’re new to kickboxing, this beginner’s at-home kickboxing workout is perfect for you. You can do it right in your own home, whether you have boxing equipment or not. To really reap the benefits and feel the power of your kicks and strikes, we recommend that you have a heavy boxing bag to hit, but it’s not required if you’re just starting out. The FightCamp heavy bag is easy to assemble and is designed to withstand the force of any kick or punch. Plus, unlike other boxing bags, it is also fully padded so that you won’t harm or injure yourself punching high and kicking low.
As a beginner to kickboxing, keep in mind that learning proper techniques will help you get the most of your workout and eliminate the possibility of injury. With that said, let’s get started with this basic kickboxing workout.
30 Minute At-Home Kickboxing Workout
These exercises can be performed whether you have a bag to strike or not. This 3-round workout includes both a 5-minute warm-up and a 5-minute cool down.
Perform each exercise for 30 seconds before transitioning to the next. Rest for 1 minute in between each round. After you’ve completed the 3 rounds, repeat twice more for a 30 minute exercise routine complete with warm-up and cool down.
Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Jump Rope (30 seconds)
Standing Quad Pull
- From a standing position, lift and bend one leg
- Using your hand, grab the leg and pull it back to slowly to a comfortable stretching point
- Hold for 15 seconds and switch legs
Knee To Chest Pull
- Lift one leg upward toward your chest
- Grab your leg and pull leg so that it’s as close to your chest as possible
- Hold for 15 seconds and switch legs
Standing Open Hip Stretch
For beginners, use the wall or a bag for stability
- From a standing position, lift one leg up and bend the knee
- Grab your leg along your shin and lift it so that it is perpendicular to your body
- Slowly and gently pull your shin toward you and feel the stretch along your hip
- Hold for 15 seconds and switch legs
Jump Rope (30 seconds)
Shoulder Pull
- Take your arm and pull it perpendicular across your chest
- Using your opposite hand, grab the arm and hold it across the body
- Hold for 15 seconds and switch arms
Tricep Pull
- Take one arm and hold it behind your body so that your elbow is pointed to the sky
- Keep your arm in place with the opposite hand
- Hold it for 15 seconds and switch arms
Jumping Jacks (30 seconds)
Rest (1 minute)
Round 1 (30 seconds each)
Jab - Cross (1 - 2)
- Start in your fighting stance
- Push off your back leg and extend your lead fist quickly to punch
- Snap your hand back to your guard
- Follow up quickly with a cross using your other fist and rotating your body
- Snap back to guard
Jump Rope
Lead Kick - Lead Hook (LK - 3)
- From your fighting stance take your front leg and bend it at the knee
- Shift your weight over your back leg while kicking your front leg 90 degrees toward your target
- Aim your strike at the mid-”torso” area if you had an opponent
- Return your leg down and follow up with a lead hook
Knee Kick - Lead Uppercut
- Start in your fighting stance
- Bend your front leg at the knee and drive your knee upward to your target while shifting your weight from your back leg to your striking leg
- Return your leg down and follow with a quick lead uppercut, punching with your lead arm upwards at your target
Rest (1 minute)
Round 2 (30 seconds each)
Jump Rope
Jab - Cross (1 - 2)
- Start in your fighting stance
- Push off your back leg and extend your lead fist quickly to punch
- Snap your hand back to your guard
- Follow up quickly with a cross using your other fist and rotating your body
- Snap back to guard
Lead Hook - Lead Uppercut (3 - 4)
- Start in your fighting stance
- Shift your weight toward your lead leg
- Swing your rear fist in a horizontal motion with your elbow in line with your fist
- Cross over your body in a swinging motion to connect
- Recover to a fighting stance then return to a guard position
- Shift your weight toward your front foot
- Swing your fist in an upper motion with your elbow directly below your fist to throw the lead uppercut
Rest (1 minute)
Round 3 (30 seconds each)
Lead Kick - Cross (LK - 2)
- Start in your fighting stance
- Bend your leg at the knee
- Shift your weight over the back leg
- Kick your leg at 90 degrees from the body
Knee Kick - Lead Uppercut
- Start in your fighting stance
- Bend your front leg at the knee and drive your knee upward to your target while shifting your weight from your back leg to your striking leg
- Return your leg down and follow with a quick lead uppercut, punching with your lead arm upwards at your target
Flutter Kick
- Lay on your back
- Place your hands under your butt, at your sides, or behind your head
- Lift your chest and extend your legs out with your belly button pulled in
- Alternate kicking your legs up/down in a "flutter"
Lead Kick - Lead Hook (LK - 3)
- From your fighting stance take your front leg and bend it at the knee
- Shift your weight over your back leg while kicking your front leg 90 degrees toward your target
- Aim your strike at the mid-”torso” area if you had an opponent
- Return your leg down and follow up with a lead hook
Knee Kick - Lead Uppercut
- Start in your fighting stance
- Bend your front leg at the knee and drive your knee upward to your target while shifting your weight from your back leg to your striking leg
- Return your leg down and follow with a quick lead uppercut, punching with your lead arm upwards at your target
Repeat ALL 3 Rounds
Cool Down (5 minutes)
The key to a cool down period is to bring your heart rate down and stretch any muscles that may seem tight. Your cool down should focus on stretching the areas of your body that you used in the training routine.
Static stretching is a great idea for a cool down. Static stretching is defined as extending a muscle to its fullest point of comfort, holding it against it’s normal motion for a short duration of time (5-20 seconds), and then releasing the muscle.
- Extend the muscle to the maximum point of comfort
- Hold for up to 20 seconds
- Release
For a video demonstrating a good sequence of static stretches, check out Shanie “Smash” Rusth’s stretching video on our YouTube channel.
Whether you’re a beginner or advanced kickboxer, this at-home kickboxing workout will keep you training with proper technique and teach you the fundamentals. Be sure to check out our blog for more kickboxing workouts and kickboxing training.
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The Author: David Throop is an avid fitness aficionado and fitness writer who practices a number of disciplines and activities from amateur kickboxing, yoga, swimming, and biking. He lives in Southern California.