How Kickboxing Can Reduce Your Stress

Have you ever been so stressed or angry that you wanted to punch or kick something? So you decide to punch a pillow and let out a scream to release all of your frustrations you might have possessed that day.

Unfortunately, everyone deals with stress. Whether it's from the pressure and deadlines from work or simply juggling to maintain a productive and loving household, stress can be detrimental to our overall health. It has a great effect on the way our bodies store fat, sleeping patterns, and many other health risk factors.

To let out all of these pent-up emotions, many people participate in the sport and activity of kickboxing.

Kickboxing is a healthy way to release your stress and frustrations. There is a feeling of empowerment with every punch and kick you make during this high-intensity workout.

So, what is kickboxing?

Kickboxing is a form of martial art that involves both hands and feet as points of contact. It combines multiple types of martial arts such as full-contact karate, Muay Thai, cardio kickboxing, and boxing.

In today's fitness industry, kickboxing has taken the spotlight as one of the best workouts to build muscle and strengthen endurance levels. Although kickboxing reaps plenty of physical health benefits, it also can reduce major stress levels.

Scientifically, our brains produce two neurotransmitters, dopamine, and serotonin, that are in charge of relieving negative emotions such as stress, depression, and anxiety.

These "happy chemicals" can boost our mood and are proven to reduce levels of depression.

However, stress can greatly suppress the production of these two neurotransmitters.

But when we work out and exercise at such high-intensities during kickboxing, we can naturally produce an abundance of these two neurochemicals. It can help counteract the effect of suppressing the "happy chemicals" and leave you feeling mentally refreshed.

Unlike other workouts and exercises, kickboxing allows for the opportunity to exert negative emotions of anger and frustration with every punch and kick you make.

For example, to throw a punch, you drive most of the power from your legs, through the core, and out the arms. Your emotions of stress, anger, and pain all translate and propel your body into exerting maximum force in your punch.

The same goes for each kick you make. Your kick isn't powered only from your legs. You engage the core to maintain your center of gravity and arms to protect and hold the upper-body while kicking. All of the emotions allow a powerful kick to be made.

Kickboxing produces an abundance of physical benefits such as gaining lean muscle, burning fat and improving your cardiovascular health. But unlike a lot of other workouts, kickboxing aids in reducing stress levels.

So not only are you fighting to release the stress or pain you might be feeling, but you’re also fighting to feel that sense of happiness you are longing for.

You are essentially fighting to feel better, which counts for a major health benefit.

If you want to find more benefits kickboxing has, you can check out my article here: Kickboxing Benefits

To learn more about all things health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness, you can check out my website here: Fit by Sara Emily

I am a health and fitness specialist who advocates and educates others on living a healthy and sustainable lifestyle!