Is Kickboxing Good For Self Defense?
In today’s world, the trouble you hear on the news is becoming more and more frequent. This can make anyone feel quite unsafe if a situation was to happen.
Street fighting or violence is something that should never be condoned, but sometimes it is an outcome we may not be able to control and punching someone should only be done with no other option.
So, below we ask and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about using kickboxing as self-defense.
Is kickboxing good for self-defense?
The short answer is yes. This is because almost any martial art or combat sport will definitely help for self-defense and each discipline will teach real life scenarios.
Kickboxing is a combat sport which teaches you how to correctly punch and kick to be able to fight competitively. However, taking up kickboxing only for self-defense may not be the best choice as you may have to practise sparring and contact. Also wearing protective kickboxing equipment will not be the same as in a real attack.
In kickboxing, you will practise routines and drills and blocks repetitively so this will naturally come to action in self-defense.
Will cardio kickboxing help for self-defense?
In short yes, in cardio kickboxing you are still practicing all the punches and kicks you would do in a normal kickboxing class but without the contact.
Cardio kickboxing is more for a fun workout. These moves are still teaching you how to punch and kick properly, your strength and power will improve and your fitness will be much better which will still benefit you for self-defense.
But with cardio kickboxing, in a real life situation it might not be as effective as you may flinch and your reactions to block and counter the attack won’t be natural for you.
Can I use kickboxing techniques in self-defense?
Yes, this is because many kickboxing techniques can be used to disable your attacker quickly. These moves are relatively basic in the kickboxing world and can be used to give yourself time to flee and call for help.
Some kickboxing moves can even be used to block an attacker and counter with power to knock your opponent back.
Also, as touched on above, keeping up your overall fitness will always put you in better standing too.
What will self-defense teach me that kickboxing can’t?
Although kickboxing is a great way of starting out your self-defense journey, one major downfall is that kickboxing doesn’t teach grappling or any groundwork.
The other main issue with kickboxing is it won’t prepare you and help defend against knifes or other weapons.
Kickboxing is also a competitive sport and doesn’t really take into count real life or street fighting. These techniques can only be taught in self-defense classes and are more focused on the types of attacks you might come across in your day-to-day life.
So, what should I do?
We would always recommend taking kickboxing up for anyone as it is a fantastic sport that can really hone your fitness as well as your self-discipline.
However, if your primary objective in learning kickboxing is self-defense, there are perhaps other fighting styles or martial arts which will be more appropriate for these real-life situations. MMA could be considered better than kickboxing for self defence as it involves grappling and choking techniques as well as stand up striking, something that maybe needed in a real life situation.
Read our full article about the different martial arts here.
Kickboxing is a very effective fight form and if you’re in that type of situation, which hopefully you never will be, you will always be glad that you’ve learned the moves to potentially defend yourself.
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