Cannot get my heart rate up during kickboxing- what am I doing wrong?

T

TurquoiseEyes

Cathlete
I'm fairly fit in a general cardiovascular or muscular sense, but I'm not what I would consider advanced by any stretch of the imagination. I can jog easily enough, but a world-class runner, I'm not! I do step aerobics on a 6-inch platform and believe me, I stay in my aerobic zone almost all the time. I'm a big girl, so me working out on a 6-inch step might be more equivalent to what thin people do on an 8-inch step in terms of impact, calorie expenditure, and heart rate. Nonetheless, I have no reason to believe any cardio workout Cathe would put out should be too easy for me to get aerobic benefit from. Even Basic Step gets me in at least my lower-end aerobic zone on a 6-inch step, for example.

However, I can't seem to get much cardiovascular effect when I try her kickboxing DVDs. I've got no other instructor's workouts to compare them to, but I'm assuming that KPC and KickMax are supposed to be at least intermediate-level kickboxing workouts. Does anyone else have this issue, or am I some kind of anomaly here? I really do squat as deep, kick as high, and punch (or whatever the upper body part is) as hard as I possibly can with good form during the moves. I focus on engaging my core. I try to keep my scapula retracted when appropriate, so that I'm putting some pec and lat muscle into the upper body portion. I can feel it some in the leg muscles, maybe a little in the core, but my heart just won't get into the aerobic zone. I notice the ladies working out in Kick Max are just drenched in sweat, while I've barely got a "glow" afterwards. I sweat like a pig during step aerobics, four-limb, jogging, or hi-lo! :D

My mind gets disengaged after 30 minutes or so of kickboxing because I'm just not feeling it! If I'm doing something wrong, please tell me what it is, as I'm at a loss! I want to like this activity as an alternative cardio type to stepping or hi-lo, but at this point I'm ready to give up...Thanks for your thoughts in advance! :)
 
I use weighted gloves for kickboxing and it certainly works for me. But I do agree with Kickmax - my heartrate is not very high during that portion of the workout either but it certainly is during those plyo drills after!
 
jamie vaughn said:
I use weighted gloves for kickboxing and it certainly works for me. But I do agree with Kickmax - my heartrate is not very high during that portion of the workout either but it certainly is during those plyo drills after!
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I don't have weighted gloves, but I have little 1.5 lb. soft wrist weights that I could hold in my hands or wrap around them and use for the same purpose, I think. I'll try that next time. Thanks for the tip. And yeah, the plyo drills should definitely get me, too! I need to stop being a chicken and actually include all of them, LOL. I know there can be a break-in period where kickboxing doesn't feel like another leg workout in and of itself, so I'm keeping that in mind. Much as I love step, tons of it can start to take a toll on my hip flexors and quads, so I'd like the kickboxing as an alternative which work my muscles differently. Preferably, cardio that is also not detrimental to my strength gains with weight-training. And if the kickboxing gets rid of some more stubborn cottage cheese-esque stuff on my lower half, all the better. :D

It can be tough to balance all of those needs out, but Cathe's cardio IS more fun than standing on a Stairmaster or treadmill. :)
 
To be honest, I don't love Cathe's kickboxing for that reason. And I love Cathe! Have you ever tried turbo fire? That will get and keep your heart rate up as well as burn a lot of calories. I think it's more fun too!
 
I also have 1 lb strap on hand weights. When I do kickboxing I give it my all. You can easily cheat your way through it. So when I punch and kick, I focus on form and moving the proper way. You can really feel it in the upper body and torso area. The kicks work my butt and legs. I've been working out for over 20 years now and FOR ME kickboxing can be a total body sweat fest!!!!! I also LOVE kickboxing. You may find that it's simply not for you.....and that's ok. What matters is that you enjoy what you're doing so that you KEEP working out. I love Cathes rock out knockout!
 
One of my pet peeves is kb workouts that only primarily punch while your feet stay mostly on the ground. For me to get my heart rate up, I need to be moving more than just a bob and weave or a few jacks. I like the ones where you are kicking and moving lots MORE than punching. Patrick Goudeau "Kickbox Burn" is a good one. "Turbo Fire" as mentioned above is another. "Combat" by Les Mills is really good. Susan Chung is full of kicking.
 
I agree that KPC and KickMax are more intermediate. Have you tried hardstrikes? That one is a little more cardio intense - the drills are scattered through it in a way that just seems to work. I, like the others wear weighted gloves (my lifting gloves with about 0.5 - 1 kg in each). Kickboxing is a great antidote to all those other forms of exercise where your legs and arms are working under contraction - the extensions involved in kicking and punching really help ease tensions and stretch out the limbs. It seems to slim my legs (could be my imagination, though!)

Right...I'm off to do Cathe's latest live kickbox....
 
I love kickboxing/boxing workouts. Wearing weighted gloves does make a big difference. I find the Cathe live kickboxing/boxing workouts more "cardio" intense than most of her kickbox dvds, except hardstrikes and rockout knockout, love those 2 dvds. But tlc93 is right, you have to focus and put in the energy effort to get your hear rate up. But if you don't like it, I wouldn't bother with it.

Justine, how was the latest kickbox/leg blast live workout? I haven't tried it yet.

Kim
 
kim, it was another great live workout- about half an hour of combos with a few cardio drills, then onto legs.....which were like rwh lower body circuit! At first I thought I was going to breeze through the class, but I was pooped by the end!
 
I agree about the weighted gloves. I use them always, whether I'm boxing or kickboxing. It's the only way to get sweaty.
 
According to me done as-is Cathe's KPC , Cardio Kicks & Kick Max work as a major fat burner only if done till the end.
They begin with slower pace, targeting to create muscle memory about proper form when executing the moves. The second segments are combos targeting to keep the heart rate in the lower range of the training zone, and to (try to) practice the motions while using proper form. During the last, "blast" segments one is expected do give her all - and these are sweat producing indeed :).
I believe that these workouts would work better for burning calories if the blast (HIIT) segments are done before the combos. Try it :)

I also use 1lb /0,5 kg wrist weights. Hard Strikes is fun and effective!
 
exercise-lover said:
One of my pet peeves is kb workouts that only primarily punch while your feet stay mostly on the ground. For me to get my heart rate up, I need to be moving more than just a bob and weave or a few jacks.
Click to expand...

Kim,
Your quote above is interesting... i did kickboxing segment from 4DS this morning. It does last 30 minutes and when
i reach the end, I always wish Cathe designed a longer one. There is a short sequence of jab, hook and upper with feet standing on the
ground. Then cathe inserted some jacks in between which I think helped in keeping the heart rate high. Have you ever tried it?

I know you are into boxing, kickboxing workout. What do you think of tabata's on heavy bag.
Do you think a heavy bag is worth investing in?

Thanks;)
 
nckfitheart2009 said:
Kim,
Your quote above is interesting... i did kickboxing segment from 4DS this morning. It does last 30 minutes and when
i reach the end, I always wish Cathe designed a longer one. There is a short sequence of jab, hook and upper with feet standing on the
ground. Then cathe inserted some jacks in between which I think helped in keeping the heart rate high. Have you ever tried it?

I know you are into boxing, kickboxing workout. What do you think of tabata's on heavy bag.
Do you think a heavy bag is worth investing in?

Thanks;)
Click to expand...
My husband had a heavy bag when we first moved in together 18 yrs ago, so I've always had one and have no idea what the cost is for one. We have one that hands from the ceiling on large hook. I prefer Cathe's heavy bag bonuses from Rockout Knockout first then from MMA Boxing second. I find the tabata one from Hardstrikes not as "fun" or core focused. I do have the 4DS dvds but don't do them much, not sure why. After doing a lot of Cathe's live kickboxing, she is almost always moving her feet like a little march without going high impact, so now I find I do that in most of her workouts now without even thinking about it.
 
I absolutely love my heavy bag. I have had it now for a couple of years and it is one of my favorite exercise equipment. I do all of Cathe Live and most of her dvd's using the heavy bag instead of shadow boxing along with her. No problem getting my heart rate up!
 
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