When looking to build your upper body strength, perhaps among other exercises, trying kick boxing wouldn’t be a bad idea as it will help you a great deal in defining your upper body muscles. Do not be deceived by the name, which will probably convince you into believing that this has nothing to do with your upper body. On the contrary, it is actually a strength-building activity for your whole body and strengthens the heart muscle. Previously believed to be a martial arts activity, it is now becoming a very popular form of strength training.

Building the Back

The back is the most important area of our upper body and needs to be strong to hold our body upright. When young, back strength might come naturally, but as you age, signs of a weak back will begin to appear. You need to prevent that from happening by building your back muscles, which is key to gaining strength in that part of the body. A stronger lower back is relied upon for a wide range of movements. By doing twists, bends and turns in kickboxing you will actually be doing a favour to your back. It is recommended that you start light in order to avoid injury.

Building Abdominal Strength

The abdomen is the toughest area to build, but is also the most important area in our upper body and cannot be ignored when it comes to strengthening the upper body. Stronger abs will certainly make your body movement a lot easier. For strengthening the abdominal muscles you need to twist, turn and bend. A knee-up kick in kickboxing is an excellent way to strengthen the abs, so make the best use of this kick and alternate legs for better results.

Building Shoulder Strength

Shoulders are also a very prominent area of our upper body and need to be given attention when building the body for strength. During regular aerobic exercise, the upper back and shoulders mostly get neglected; however, it is imperative that you focus on these areas if you want to build the upper portion of your body. In kickboxing you need to use precise and calculated movements, and repeat them when building the shoulder and upper back strength. Always remember to alternately extend the arms.

Building Arm Strength

By engaging in kickboxing regularly, you will be able to strengthen the arms as they are used for carrying out the punching movements. After a short period of time you will start seeing positive results, both on your arms and in your stamina. You don’t need to work specifically on your muscles, and just need to let them develop naturally with exercise.