Coach Zoe Compare boxing vs kickboxing to see which one is the most effective for your personal fitness level and goals.
Let me begin by saying, both methods of exercise are my favorite way to workout. They both help me maintain peak physical performance while allowing me to de-stress and actually have fun while I workout!
Although boxing and kickboxing are very similar, they do have some differences that can dictate which route you will go.
You don’t want to waste time and effort when choosing your next fitness venture. If you’re anything like me, I hate walking away from a workout that felt like a total flop.
And if you don’t educate yourself, you could easily find yourself in that position.
You want to be thoughtful when planning out your workout routine. Consider your current abilities and limitations, your fitness goal, and what motivates you to stay consistent everyday.
Is boxing better than kickboxing for fitness?
Kickboxing is the better option when it comes to overall fitness as it is better at improving stamina, speed, agility, balance, coordination, reaction time, mobility, power, muscular endurance, and body composition.
However, boxing is better for total beginners because there is less to learn and therefore less risk of compromising technique or intensity.
Both are great methods for improving fitness, but ultimately, kickboxing offers a more balanced form of training between the two.
When we are new to a form of exercise, the hardest (and most important) part is learning and mastering the technique. Information overload can make you feel overwhelmed and get in the way of an effective workout.
Plus, if you are learning too much at once, you will likely compromise either intensity or technique, risking results or possibly injury.
That’s why I recommend boxing for complete newbies. That gives you time to focus on the basics as you improve your conditioning.
Then when you are ready, kickboxing just builds on top of what you will already know.
Kickboxing requires much more work out of the body and will surely be a more balanced workout once you are familiar enough with the techniques.
Kickboxing is more effective at improving balance, reaction time, coordination, speed, stamina, and power due to the bigger, full body movements.
Boxing vs Kickboxing for fitness…
| Kickboxing | Both | Boxing |
|---|---|---|
| -More variety -Better at improving athletic abilities -Higher intensity workout -Requires better overall health and abilities -Improves total body mobility | -Improves overall health and athleticism -Full body workout -Great for reducing stress -Fun & sporty -Can be done with(out) equipment -Builds confidence and empowerment | -Better for beginners -More knee friendly -Less impact -Easier to learn -Can be done by most fitness levels and abilities |
Does boxing burn fat or build muscle?
Boxing is optimal for burning fat rather than building muscle. Although it will help maintain muscle mass and improve muscular endurance, there is not enough load on the muscles to cause significant muscle gain.
My recommendation would be to ensure you are getting at least 2 sessions of strength training per week (being sure to work each muscle group at least once) to supplement your boxing or kickboxing training.
Treat your boxing/kickboxing more like cardio rather than a strength. Although, you can get creative and combine resistance training with your boxing or kickboxing within the same session!
These are some of my favorite workouts. They are a great way to build my strength and boost my cardio within a quick and effective workout!
Like my Full Body Boxing Workout At Home. This at home workout alternates between strength and cardio boxing mini circuits for a total body burn that hits every muscle group. This quick workout routine is what you are looking for when you want to sweat and get stronger in one session.
Is boxing or kickboxing better for losing weight?
All things being equal, kickboxing is better for weight loss as it requires more total body effort and will burn more calories within a session.
However, if you are completely new, boxing will probably be better for weight loss at the beginning. This is because you will have less to learn right away and can focus more on getting a good workout rather than getting held up in the finer details.
Just with any form of exercise, you get out of it what you put into it. As long as you are pushing yourself in each workout and progressing your training over time, you can lose weight with boxing or kickboxing.
The key to weight loss is maintaining a calorie deficit, so be sure to track your intake when trying to lose weight to avoid plateaus and see gradual progress.
Participating in high intensity training like kickboxing or boxing will help you burn more calories within each workout AND will increase metabolism so you continue to burn fat.
Be sure that you are checking your weight in regular intervals (such as once or twice a week) to be aware of how your body is responding to your training.
If you notice a plateau (or no change for a week or longer), then vary your boxing or kickboxing workout routine.
This can be done by adding an extra session each week, varying the duration/intensity of each workout throughout the week, or by varying your equipment like a heavy bag, free weights or resistance bands.
The most effective way to consistently lose weight is to vary these principles (frequency, time, intensity, type of exercise) throughout your workout plan.
Lucky for you, I have a 4-Week Kickboxing Workout Plan that you can download for FREE that does all of the programming for you! Full-length workout videos for everyday that you can do at home.
With a wide variety of kickboxing AND boxing workout videos that sometimes include weights, bands, or calisthenics to mix it up and help you maintain balance.
And if you need some help with your diet, head over to my Meal Plans and choose one that fits your goals and needs best to stay on track for serious weight loss results!
For more weight loss tips, check out my posts, Get Dramatic Results By Boxing For Weight Loss and How Cardio Kickboxing Gets You Killer Weight Loss Results.
Boxing vs Kickboxing for weight loss…
| Kickboxing | Both | Boxing |
|---|---|---|
| -More variety so more likely to stay consistent -Higher intensity/more calories burned -Challenging even for more conditioned fitness levels -More full body muscular stimulus | -Full body workout -Great for reducing stress and promoting better sleep habits -Should be supplemented with strength training -Require healthy eating habits and a calorie deficit for weight loss -Can be done with(out) equipment | -Better for beginners -More knee friendly -Less impact -Easier to learn -Can be done by most fitness levels and abilities -Requires less recovery time |
What burns more calories, boxing or kickboxing?
All things being equal, kickboxing will burn more calories within a session because it requires more work through the full body.
Boxing is still an effective method for weight loss too. However, there is less work required from the lower body. And more muscles worked at a time = more calories burned.
Is kickboxing good for belly fat?
Kickboxing is great for burning body fat because it boosts metabolism and helps you burn more calories after your workout.
Keep in mind that you cannot choose where you will lose fat from your body. However, as you gradually lower your total body fat percentage, you will see loss of belly fat too.
Does boxing burn belly fat?
Boxing is effective at reducing body fat when combined with a calorie deficit. As stated above, you cannot choose where you will lose fat from but will eventually see belly fat loss over time.
How long should I box to lose weight?
You can expect to see weight loss in as little as 1-2 weeks when boxing for 20+ minutes at a time, at 3 times per week, and combined with a calorie deficit.
If you are looking to lose 10 or more pounds, it will take at least 4 weeks to see these results from boxing.
Remember that weight loss is not often linear, and usually varies week to week. So stay consistent and track regularly. To see sustainable weight loss progress, opt for a daily calorie deficit of 500-1000 calories to lose 1-2 pounds per week.
And be sure to gradually adjust your workouts to increase in intensity, duration, or frequency to continue adaptations.
What is harder to learn boxing or kickboxing?
Kickboxing is harder than boxing to learn because there are more techniques involved and require more balance, coordination, agility, and reaction time.
As with any form of exercise, be sure to take time to develop a good foundation of high quality movement with proper technique before taking on a higher training load.
Should I do kickboxing or boxing?
If you are a complete beginner, have lower body limitations, or lack balance, boxing is the way to go. If you are familiar with either discipline, have no physical limitations, and are at a higher athletic ability, kickboxing will offer more challenge to you.
However, I am a firm believer that anyone can participate in boxing or kickboxing (as long as they are cleared by their doctor first!) with the right coaching and demonstration.
If you are a beginner or looking to hone in on your skills, check out my Complete Boxing & Kickboxing Tutorial! Filled with clear instruction and demonstration of all the movements you will need to stay fit with either discipline.
And you can be sure the technique is sound, because I am an experienced MMA fighter with years of martial arts practice under my belt (pun intended!).
Plus, I will break down the “fitness” aspect of each movement so you know how to maximize your results in every workout.
To see the benefits of each to decide which one is right for you, read my posts, Why Boxing For Women Should Be Your Next Fitness Obsession and What is Cardio Kickboxing & How to Get Started at Home.
But to be completely transparent, I think both methods can be a serious game changer to most workout routines and help you take your fitness to the next level.
Unless you have specific limitations, why not include both into your workout routine? You can alternate them into your regimen and reap the benefits of both!
