avoid injuries in Kickboxing
If you train hard in kickboxing and push your body's limits, you can’t completely avoid injuries. However, there are ways to lower the risk that are suitable for both beginners and advanced practitioners. Here is a basic guide for how to reduce the likely hood of injury in your kickboxing training.
Get strong
We often discuss the importance of strength training. Getting stronger helps you become faster and more agile, allowing you to kick higher. It also greatly reduces your injury risk, more than any other method discussed here.
To fully benefit from strength training, focus on:
Load Management: This is crucial. It's about how much weight you lift and how you lift it. You need to lift enough to see improvements without overworking your nervous system, ensuring you can still train in kickboxing. Remember, strength training supports your kickboxing, but it isn't the main goal.
Technique: Good technique lowers the risk of injury and maximizes strength training benefits. Use a full range of motion to build strength throughout and improve mobility. Always seek advice from a qualified trainer to ensure correct form.
Frequency: Train for strength one to three times a week. While strength training can enhance your kickboxing, it shouldn't overshadow your main training focus. Finding the right balance takes time and guidance for the best results.
Sleep and recover between training sessions
Sleep is essential for recovery. Without enough sleep, you won't get the most from your training and greatly increase your chance of injury. Learn more about sleep and kickboxing in this article. The importance of sleep
Proprioception training
In layman's terms this can be called balance training. It is challenging your awareness of your body in space and can be as simple as balancing on one leg. By doing this type of training you will gain a greater awareness of your body making it less likely that you will lose your balance and twist your ankle as an example.
What doesn’t work
Despite popular belief, stretching, foam rolling, massages and ice baths have very little to no effect on the chances of an athlete injuring themselves. You will benefit more from incorporating a mixture of strength training and proprioception training with proper sleep and recovery.
When should I start incorporating these protocols?
We would recommend doing some form of strength and proprioception training in tandem with proper sleep and nutrition regardless of whether you are doing kickboxing training or not. So start from the beginning of your kickboxing training and reap the full benefits from the start.
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