Everybody Fitness: Kickbox Challenge

Kickbox Challenge is a cardio kickboxing workout by trainer Dana Pieper. I discovered this workout when looking for kickboxing workouts, hoping to find something new. I found it with Dana! But unfortunately she doesn’t have a huge library of workouts to start hoarding. She does have 2 other DVDs which I am probably going to buy now. Kickbox Challenge is an hour long cardio kickboxing class and it moves nonstop. It is done in class format. Dana’s background exercisers are regular people, not trainers (similar to a Cathe Live class). Plus, this class can be done low impact and it will still be intense. I did do all of her power ups, but even when you do the power ups (power ups are when she adds impact to intensify) she doesn’t do them for long periods of time. The majority of the class is low impact and it is intense. I was in my peak heart rate zone (according to my FitBit) 50% of this workout.

Here is the set up for this workout. After the warm up, you grab 3 pound dumbbells and you do weighted boxing drills for 11 minutes. Then you set the dumbbells aside and the remainder of the workout is kickboxing cardio drills and, like I said, it moves nonstop. I wore my weighted gloves for this workout and about halfway through I began to question the wisdom of that decision. My arms were burning–especially after the dumbbell drills. On her website, Dana also has a Q&A about her workouts, to determine if they are for you. The gist of it is, they are for everyone–modify if it’s too hard! She does show modifications.

This is a fun and intense cardio kickboxing workout that will also condition your entire body.

Kickbox Challenge is 66 minutes; 3:30 minute intro in which she demonstrates form, 7:30 minute warm up and 2 minute cool down/stretch. The workout is chaptered so you can skip over the intro. Equipment: 3 pound dumbbells. Here is a clip of this workout.

After the warm up, grab your light dumbbells. You will do the following dumbbell drills for 11 minutes.

1. Stand with legs wide and do alternating front punches
2. Holding DBs at hips, pivot legs side to side
3. Repeat #1
4. Repeat #2 but add a punch with your pivot
5. Front punches but to a pattern–quick, quick, hold; add a pivot to the hold
6. Repeat #1
7. Pivot to one side and hold, doing punches to side with one arm
8. Pivot to side and punch, return to front with knee pull
9. Knee pulls only
10. Cardio lunge side to side with “down blocks” (pressing DBs down as you lunge)
11. Alternating taps backs with tricep kickbacks
12. Pulsing squat; add a hop
13. Repeat #1
14. Repeat #7-9 on other side of body
15. Stationary taps while pushing DBs in front of you then overhead
16. Shuffle to side + upper cut
17. Fast single arm upper cuts
18. Jab + upper cut
19. Alternating upper cuts
20. Shallow squats w/ wide tricep kickbacks (out to side of body); squats change to 2 squat steps side to side (no change in arm movements); add one knee pull after 2nd step
21. Alternating knee raises while pushing DBs overhead with arms in front of you and palms facing you
22. Repeat #19
23. Repeat #17 on other arm
24. Repeat #18 with other lead arm
25. Repeat #19
26. Shallow squats w/ wide tricep kickbacks
27. Wide fast feet; slowly push DBs out to side of body so arms are in a T and hold for a few seconds then slowly pull DBs back in while continuing fast feet; speed up arm movement and continue fast feet but wide then narrow in time with arms
28. Wide plie squats with jumping jack arms
29. March in place while holding DBs overhead; lower DBs so they are directly in front of you (straight arms); add alternating knee raises; add pulling DBs down to waist with each knee raise
30. Fast jog while pumping arms/DBs

Set DBs aside, towel off and get a drink of water (about 15 seconds). The next 42 minutes is nonstop cardio kickboxing without any equipment.