Kickboxing is a martial art form which is popular in many countries of the world. It is a sport in which fast kicks and punches are used to defeat the opponent. It is also a fun and effective way of improving overall fitness. Self defense is one more benefit of practicing Kickboxing.

Kickboxing is a derivative of many martial arts disciplines such as Thai Boxing, Traditional boxing, Karate etc. Over the years, it has developed its own style in many countries. But most of the moves have developed from Muay Thai or Thai boxing. Kickboxing is now a very popular sport in the USA. Techniques are also borrowed from full contact Karate.

Kickboxing has a wide range of kicks, punches, and knee attacks. Kickboxing was banned in America for many years because of the ferocity of the attacks. Later, the ban was lifted and it became a popular sport across the nation. The 1970’s and 1980’s saw the golden years of Kickboxing in America. Kickboxing was initially popularized in Japan by the Japanese government to counter the growing popularity of Thai boxing. Later, this exciting sport spread to Australia, Europe, and North America. Kickboxing is popular in many countries and it is influenced by local traditions and local styles. It is called as Lethwei in Burma. In Cambodia, it is called Pradal Serey. Japanese Kickboxing is very similar to Thai Boxing but the point system differs. American Kickboxing is derived from Japanese Kickboxing and Full contact Karate. Kickboxing is called as Savate in France where use of shoes is also allowed. Filipino Kickboxing is referred to as Yaw-Yan. The rules of Kickboxing are different for all these different styles from different countries. But all the styles put strong emphasis on head, elbow, and knee strikes.

Basic boxing techniques are also used in Kickboxing. These include techniques such as a rounded punch called Hook, a rising punch called Upper cut, and jab. Kickboxing also include some spectacular kicks such as Hammer Kick, Front Kick, Side Kick, Crescent kick etc. Apart from these conventional kicks, Kickboxing can also boast of kneeing techniques such as Rising Knee Strike, Leaping Knee Strike, and Side Knee Strike etc. Other techniques that are a part of Kickboxing are Drops & Swings, Cross counter, Back fist & Spinning back fist.

Kickboxing is a demanding sport requiring high levels of physical fitness and body conditioning. It takes years of practice to perfect the Kickboxing techniques. Kickboxing also provides aerobic exercise to its practitioners. At the same time, it is a wonderful discipline for self defense. Kickboxing movies have contributed a lot towards the popularity of the sport.