As we all know, kickboxing is an exhilarating and fun sport that is great for our entire bodies. Although, not following precautionary measures, one could find them more susceptible to injury. Follow these safety tips to reduce your risk to injury.

Stretch
Following our last article, stretching is one of the most vital components of our health. It improves our flexibility, range of motion and muscular and cardio potential. Without stretching, we increase the risk to injury to our muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. This can cause long-term health risks. Stretching before and after a kickboxing workout improves overall health and increases your endurance

Relax
Ask any Sensei and they will tell that relaxation is the key to growth in kickboxing. Tensing up will ruin your form, deplete your energy, and prevent you from reaching your potential. Taking a step back and breathing will help you get into a steady flow, control your center of gravity resulting in more balance and control.

Fuel your Body
Eating a well-balanced diet is essential for your workout. Think of your body as an automobile; you can’t perform in a race without any petrol. Without any food in your system, you do not have any energy to perform and your blood sugar levels decrease significantly. This runs the risk of fainting or passing out. Be sure to always eat a small meal before and after training. Healthy options before include fruits and carbohydrates and for your post-workout, look to recover with protein such as nuts, greek yogurt, or white meats.

Hydrate
In addition to fueling your body with food, drinking water is necessary when training. Dehydration is very common in any sport and can cause many health implications. Remember to hydrate before, during, and after your kickboxing session. Aim to consume 6-8 glasses of water each day.

Know your Limits
Beginners should not be trying step in jumping spinning kicks. Take your time will kickboxing to fully understand the movements and build a foundation to grow from. Overexertion will only lead to injury; not mastery.