Cardio Kickboxing Defensive Maneuvers for Ab Workouts
Cardio kickboxing is going to work every muscle in your body. There are specific moves you can do that will help target particular muscles (or muscle groups.) The shield block (prevents people from kicking you in the ribs) and the slip (avoids getting punched in the face) are crazy good for your oblique muscles and helps improve balance!
But I don’t know how to do those moves!
https://d32bybd4ch3b1c.cloudfront.net/shield-block.mp4 and https://d32bybd4ch3b1c.cloudfront.net/slips.mp4 from Push Ups & Pizza. You’re welcome.
As a trainer (and not a fighter) I want to train both sides of your body so you’re balanced. As someone whose trained with fighters who want you to be balanced both orthodox (right) and southpaw (left) these concepts apply the same way.
I’ll give you 3 combos, do the opposite for even rounds so you have 6 total rounds.
Cardio Kickboxing for Abs Combos
My current timer setting for newer clients is 2 minutes of work and 2 minutes of rest. For intermediates 3 minutes of work with 1 minute of rest. Play with the timers and adjust your speed.
Slip to the right, slip to the left, left hook, right kick
If you’re shadow boxing this and not working with a pad holder or on a heavy bag then you can substitute the right kick with either a right knee or a right punch.
There are 2 valuable pieces of information on this combo – the slips help you shift your weight from side to side to load up that left hook and the spin from the hook helps load up that right blow. Play around with the weight shifts to understand how to get your entire body into what you’re doing.
You can throw the kick shadow boxing but 1 of 3 things will happen – 1) you’ll turn 90 degrees and your feet will be crossed funny so you’ll have to pause and reset. 2) you’ll spin around 180 and will now be facing a different direction (which is fine depending on how much space you have to work with) or 3) you’ll spin all the way around and might get dizzy before the round is over.
Left Shield Block, left punch, right punch, left punch
This one is a bit less natural in terms of weight shifts, although it is a common drill to fire back a kick with the same side you shield block with (left shield, foot barely touches ground, left kick) so the left punch will give you that same feeling.
The shield block will also work your single leg balance and help improve your ankle stability.
Left slip with forward step, right slip, left slip with forward step, right knee
When slipping to the left you can take a small step with that left foot to move you closer to your opponent. So we’re slowly creeping closer to something before throwing that devastating right knee to the body. This round will also maximize your oblique work and get some steps in.
Closing thoughts
Think about your fitness goals and available timeframe for a routine then set a timer accordingly. You can do these with any HIIT timer, an equal work to rest ratio timer, traditional 3 or 5 minute round timers, or even use this as LISS. Move deliberately and track your heart rate switching every 5 minutes between combos. That’ll give you 30 minutes of low intensity work at a desired heart rate.
