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Here’s a Kickboxing solo training guide so you can practice at home. Although training with a partner is absolutely the best, here’s a list of exercises that you can do on your own with zero equipment to help you perfect your form.
Clearly, the most immediate way you can train Kickboxing at home is by Shadowboxing. Essentially, Shadowboxing is solo training; meaning, you’re practicing your Martial Arts techniques without a partner. As well as training Kickboxing without any equipment.
Shadowboxing can be a simple fun workout where you’re exercising your punches and your kicks. Conversely, Shadowboxing can be a deeply focused aspect of your training.
At this point, I’d like to breakdown some of the subtle nuances of how to Shadowbox correctly.
Shadowboxing
It should be noted that there’s basically 2 ways to Shadowbox
- To practice your form
- Mentally replicate the actual sparring experience.
Firstly, let’s talk about Shadowing as a training method to perfect your form. This is the most common way people Shadowbox. By throwing your fists and your feet through the air, you’re also being mindful of your head positioning, hip angle, elbow position, heel position – everything. You’re focusing on everywhere your limbs need to be to throw the perfect punch or kick.
Shadowboxing as a way to perfect your form is absolutely essential and is one of the best ways for beginners to get good fast.
However, as soon as you feel comfortable, you need to start coupling your defensive moves with your offensive techniques. As a result, what you need to do is visualize an attack from your imaginary partner. In your mind’s eye, you’re seeing a punch flying at your head and you’re parrying or weaving the punch and then coming back with an attack of your own.
Unquestionably, this is very difficult. To do this right, you need deep focus and a vivid imagination. Along with the fact that it just feels weird at first 🤣
Nevertheless, Shadowboxing were you’re fighting an invisible opponent is the next best thing to actually fight a real opponent! Luckily, if you’re natural day dreamer and you have a creative imagination, you’ll excel at this type of training.
Earlier, I pointed out that there was two ways to Shadowbox. One way was for form. A second way was to imitate sparring.
Now, let’s look at some common mistakes that people make when they Shadowbox.
When you’re Shadowboxing, you shouldn’t be able to see your hands. Sounds strange however, starting at your hands as you punch is a common mistake most beginners make.
Ultimately, if you can see your hands when you’re Shadowboxing, then your hands are too low. Plus your chin is too high and you’re training to punch a little kid. 😳
Conversely, if your chin is down then your hands should be around your eyebrows. And thus, above your line of sight.
Further, if your your chin is down when you punch then you’re hitting your target without seeing your fist make impact. If you can directly see your fist hit your target; then your chin is up too high.
Punching without seeing your hands will take some practice. As well as keeping your chin down when you strike. However, this is the reason why you’re training Kickboxing at home. So that you can get as much practice in whenever you can. You’re not just limited to when you find time to go to the gym or when there’s a class scheduled
Furthermore, you want to extend your punches fully.
When we are practicing on a heavy bag and when we’re training on focus mitts, there’s a target that stops our strikes. Clearly, you want to fully extend your punches so that you achieve the maximum extension of your reach and power. Unfortunately, completely extending your punches isn’t immediately obvious.
By fully extending your strikes, you’ll be readying yourself to follow through with your punches so you’ll be reaching maximum power. Furthermore, you’ll be ensuring that you’re not going to hyperextend your elbow or dislocate your shoulder by punching wrong.
In addition, make sure that you’re also fully extending your kicks.
You want to reach out and extend your kicks as much as possible.
Unquestionably, extending your kicks fully will allow you to fight with the full capacity of your reach and distance. Thus, making it more difficult for your partner to land a counter strike.
Most importantly, as you Shadowbox, you need to ensure that you’re doing it correctly.
First and foremost, let’s look at ways to perfect your fighting stance.
Kickboxing Solo Training: Fighting Stance
Just roll up a big sheet of paper to make a tube.
And then put your forehead on one end of the tube and brace the other end against a wall.
Kickboxing Solo Training: Straight Punches
Kickboxing Solo Training: The Foot Jab
In addition, to further perfect your Foot Jab, try kicking over a stack of kicking shields. Of course, if you’re training Kickboxing at home, not everyone has a stack of kicking shields in their living room; but, you can just kick over a chair or a coffee table instead. 😊
When you’re practicing your Foot Jab by kicking over an obstacle, you’re ensuring that you’re chambering your knee.
Notice how my knee draws up to my chest so that my foot can clear the stack of kicking shields. By practicing your Foot Jab by kicking over an obstacle, you’re ensuring proper form for your kick.
Another cool way to train Kickboxing at home is to build up balance and accuracy of your Foot Jab by having your foot go in between two legs of a chair.
This exercise really burns out your legs and builds up stamina for your kicks.
Try to go back and forth between the two legs of a chair for as many times as possible before you lose your balance or your legs burn out!
The next progression to this exercise is to go in a figure 8.
Point your toes and focus on keeping your balance. And be sure to change directions on your figure 8 pattern occasionally. This exercise is super tough, even for the most advanced Kickboxers.
Keep at it and this exercise will build stamina and dexterity in your kicks!
Kickboxing Solo Training: The Side Kick
Earlier, we talked about kicking over an obstacle – like maybe a chair, a coffee table, or in my case, a stack of kicking shields 😊
Let’s take that same drill and steer it towards helping us train our Side Kick. A key component is having a powerful Side Kick is the chambering of your knee. Your knee needs to come up to your chest first before you drive into your target.
Thus, by kicking over an obstacle, you’re ensuring that your knee chambers first before you kick out to strike your target.
Once you’ve mastered chambering your knee for the Side Kick, try alternating a right kick and a left kick against a wall.
Keep in mind that this is more of a Back Kick but it still has a similar execution to the Side Kick.
Besides working on chambering your knee for your Back Kick, you also want to focus on having a perfectly straight trajectory for your kick.
For your Side Kick and for your Back Kick, you want to focus on ensuring that leg moves perfectly straight.
A great way to train at home is to use a wall as a guide to show you that your leg is as straight as possible.
Furthermore, for kickboxing solo training, you can also use a chair for practicing your Side Kicks
The first drill is to to go side to side between to legs of the chair. This drill really burns out your glutes. Plus, it’ll give your Side Kick the accuracy it needs to land when you’re sparring.
The next drill you can do on a chair for your Side Kicks is the figure 8. Earlier, we did this drill for the Foot Jab. At this time we’re doing to do this drill for the Side Kick. Keep in mind that it’s essentially the same drill except your foot is on it’s side.
Training Kickboxing At Home: The Hook Kick (Roundhouse Kick)
Look at the kick at the end of the combination below. This is the Hook Kick. Also called the Roundhouse Kick. Note the extension on the kick. At the moment of impact there’s a stretch in both the right leg and in the left leg.
To establish a full extension on your kick, try standing with your chest close to a wall. And then, lift and extend your right kick and then your left kick. This drill really helps reinforce the importance of extension and reach for your kicks.
That’s all I’ve got for now!
Enjoy 😃:
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You’ll learn:
- Detailed fundamentals
- Advanced combinations
- Punching and Kicking defense
- Effective counter attacks
- Solo and partner drills
- How to use training equipment
- Safe Sparring progressions
- Winning fight strategies
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