Kickboxing Workout for Kicking Power & Flexibility

When it comes to building strong, lean, and flexible legs, kickboxing is one of the best sports and training workouts you can do. In order to effectively strike and kick with your legs, you have to first generate your power from the ground up. There’s a reason why you should never skip leg day, and today Flo is going to show you why. If you want to improve your kicking power and your leg strikes, then this is the perfect routine for you!

FightCamp Trainer Flo Master will lead you through a multi-pronged warm-up routine, three rounds of leg kicking exercises designed to develop your legs into iron wheels, and a cool-down routine to help aid in the recovery process. These exercises will help increase your range of motion and build stronger legs for power kicking. All you’ll need for this workout is a chair.

Blood Flow Warm-Up (2 minutes)

Jumping Jacks (30 seconds)

• Focus on full range of motion and breathing through your nose
• Work at a pace that is comfortable for your fitness level

Advanced: Increase intensity and pace

Bodyweight Squats (30 seconds)

• Focus on slow and controlled movements, making sure your thighs are parallel to the ground

• As you squat, be sure your knees track over your toes
• Squeeze your glutes at the top of each rep
• Keep your hands up in a defensive boxing position for the entirety of the exercise

Modification: If you have bad knees or are just starting out, you can perform sumo squats where your toes are splayed outward at a 120 degree angle

High Knees (30 seconds)

• Begin by effectively running in place
• Be sure to drive each knee up past hip height toward your chest
• Focus on keeping your hands up in defensive boxing position for the entirety of the exercise

Modification: If you have bad knees or are just starting out, you can march in place at a slower tempo

• Focus on raising your knee up past your waist
• Keep your hands up in a defensive boxing position

Bodyweight Lunges (30 seconds)

• Perform alternating bodyweight lunges
• With each lunge, the knee of your back leg should “kiss” the ground
• Make sure that your front knee does not extend over your front toe
• Focus on explosively pushing off the ground as you return to stand

• Keep your hands up in defensive boxing position

Advanced: Increase intensity and pace

Rest (15 seconds)

Dynamic Warm-Up (2 minutes)

Inside Leg Swings (30 seconds)

• Assume a fighting stance, with your right leg in front and left leg in the back, keeping your hands up in a defensive position
• Starting with your left leg, perform an inside leg swing, as if you were trying to trace a circle

• If you are starting in orthodox stance, your right leg would be in the back and make the inside circular motion
• Come back to center and switch stances
• Perform the opposite motion: inside leg swing with opposite trail leg
• Continue for 30 seconds

Outside Leg Swings (30 seconds)

• Assume the same fighting stance as the Inside Leg Swings
• Starting with your left leg, perform an outside leg swing, as if you were trying to trace a circle by kicking your left leg up and over to the outside

• If you are starting in orthodox stance, your right back leg would make the circular motion
• Come back to center and switch stances
• Perform the opposite motion: outside leg swing with opposite trail leg
• Continue for 30 seconds

Kickbacks (30 seconds)

• Stand tall with your knees slightly bent
• Shift your weight onto your left foot
• Kick your right leg backwards towards the sky while simultaneously reaching down towards the ground with both hands
• Return to stand
• Shift your weight onto your right foot
• Perform a kickback with your left leg
• Continue alternating legs for 30 seconds

Rest (1 minute)

Round 1: Front Kicks, Front Kick Pulses, Front Kick Holds

Front Kicks (Left/Right) (10 reps each)

• Begin by holding onto a chair with your right hand for stability; your left hand will remain raised in a defensive position
• While balancing on your right leg, raise your left knee towards your chest, slightly past hip height, to a 90 degree angle
• Front kick: Shoot your left foot out forward towards an imaginary target
• Hold this straight leg kick position for 2 seconds
• Return your knee to a raised position

• Your leg should be at a 90 degree angle
• Continue front kicks for a total of 10 repetitions
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Switch legs and repeat for 10 reps of the right leg

Rest (15 seconds)

Front Kick Pulses (Left/Right) (30 seconds)

• Begin by holding onto a chair with your right hand for stability; your left hand will remain raised in a defensive position
• While balancing on your right leg, raise your left knee slightly past hip height, to a 90 degree angle
• Front kick: Shoot your left foot out forward towards an imaginary target
• Hold this position and pulse your straight leg up and down for 30 seconds
• Return your leg to the ground
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Switch legs and perform right front kick, hold, and pulse for 30 seconds
• As you get tired, you may find that your leg is slowly dropping; fight hard to try and keep your leg parallel to the ground, and remember to breath throughout the movement

Rest (15 seconds)

Front Kick Holds (Left/Right) (30 seconds each side)

• Begin by holding onto the chair with your right hand for stability; your left hand will remain raised in a defensive position
• While balancing on your right leg, raise your left knee slightly past hip height, to a 90 degree angle
• Front kick: Shoot the left foot out towards an imaginary target
• Hold your left leg up and straight for 30 seconds
• Return your left leg to the ground
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Switch legs and perform a right front kick and hold for 30 seconds

• Keep breathing and try hard to keep your leg up

Rest (1 minute)

Round 2: Roundhouse Kicks, Roundhouse Kick Pulses, Roundhouse Kick Holds

Roundhouse Kicks (Left/Right) (10 reps each side)

• Position the chair to the right side of your body
• Hold onto the chair with your right hand for stability; your left hand will remain raised in a defensive position
• While balancing on your right leg, slightly lean towards the chair
• Your upper body should now be angled towards the chair at a 45 degree angle
• From here, raise your left thigh up to parallel, with your knee at a 90 degree angle and your left foot trying to touch your glutes

• This will be the starting position for this movement
• From here, shoot your left foot out, pointing your toes towards a target in front of you
• Hold your left leg up and straight for 2 seconds
• Continue for a total of 10 reps
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Switch legs and repeat for 10 repetitions with your right leg

Rest (15 seconds)

Roundhouse Kicks Pulses (Left/Right) (30 seconds)

• Position the chair to the right side of your body
• Hold onto the chair with your right hand for stability; your left hand will remain raised in a defensive position
• While balancing on your right leg, slightly lean towards the chair

• Your upper body should now be angled towards the chair at a 45 degree angle
• From here, raise your left thigh up to parallel, with your knee at a 90 degree angle and your left foot trying to touch your glutes

• This will be the starting position for this movement
• From here, shoot your left foot out, pointing your toes towards a target in front of you
• Hold this position and pulse your straight leg up and down for 30 seconds
• Return your left leg to the ground
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Switch legs and kick and pulse with your right leg for 30 seconds

Rest (15 seconds)

Roundhouse Kicks Holds (Left/Right) (30 seconds)

• Position the chair to the right side of your body
• Hold onto the chair with your right hand for stability; your left hand will remain raised in a defensive position
• While balancing on your right leg, slightly lean towards the chair

• Your upper body should now be angled towards the chair at a 45 degree angle
• From here, raise your left thigh up to parallel, with your knee at a 90 degree angle and your left foot trying to touch your glutes

• This will be the starting position for this movement
• From here, shoot your left foot out, pointing your toes towards a target in front of you
• Hold your left leg up and straight for 30 seconds
• Return your leg to the ground
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Switch legs and kick and hold your right leg for 30 seconds
• Keep that leg up and keep breathing, YOU GOT THIS!

Rest (1 minute)

Round 3: Side Kicks, Side Kick Pulses, Side Kick Holds

Side Kicks (Left/Right) (10 reps)

• Position the chair to the right side of your body
• Hold onto the chair with your right hand for stability; your left hand will remain raised in a defensive position
• While balancing on your right leg, slightly lean towards the chair

• Your upper body should now be angled towards the chair at a 45 degree angle
• From here, raise your left knee up towards your chest, with your knee at a 90 degree angle

• This will become the starting position for this movement
• From here, chamber out, or shoot-out, your left foot perpendicular to your body, toes down and parallel to the floor towards a target directly to your left
• Hold your left leg up and straight for 2 seconds
• Return to starting position
• Repeat for 10 total reps
• Return your left leg to the starting position before returning your foot to the ground
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Switch legs and repeat for 10 repetitions with the right leg

Rest (15 seconds)

Side Kick Pulses (30 seconds)

• Position the chair to the right side of your body
• Hold onto the chair with your right hand for stability; your left hand will remain raised in a defensive position
• While balancing on your right leg, slightly lean towards the chair

• Your upper body should now be angled towards the chair at a 45 degree angle
• From here, raise your left knee up towards your chest, with your knee at a 90 degree angle

• This will become the starting position for this movement
• From here, chamber out, or shoot-out, your left foot perpendicular to your body, toes down and parallel to the floor towards a target directly to your left
• Hold this position and pulse your straight left leg up and down for 30 seconds
• Return your left leg to the starting position before returning your foot to the ground
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Switch legs and repeat this kick and pulse for 30 seconds

Rest (15 seconds)

Side Kick Holds (30 seconds)

• Position the chair to the right side of your body
• Hold onto the chair with your right hand for stability; your left hand will remain raised in a defensive position
• While balancing on your right leg, slightly lean towards the chair

• Your upper body should now be angled towards the chair at a 45 degree angle
• From here, raise your left knee up towards your chest, with your knee at a 90 degree angle

• This will become the starting position for this movement
• From here, chamber out, or shoot-out, your left foot perpendicular to your body, toes down and parallel to the floor towards a target directly to your left
• Hold your left leg up and straight for 30 seconds
• Return your left leg to the starting position before returning your foot to the ground
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Switch legs and kick and hold for 30 seconds

Rest (1 minute)

• Shake it out
• Do mini hip circles to loosen up

Cool Down

V-Sit Stretch

• Sit on the ground with your legs stretched out in front of you
• Spread your legs apart as far as you can, forming a V-shape with your toes up towards the sky
• Keeping your back straight, reach out toward your left foot and hold the stretch for 15 seconds
• Focus on slowing your heart rate and breath in through your nose and out through your mouth
• Return to upright
• Switch legs and hold the stretch on your right side 15 seconds
• Return to upright
• Walk your hands out straight in front of you and reach forward as far as your can while keeping your hands in contact with the ground
• Hold the stretch for 15 seconds
• Return to upright

Seated Torso Twist

• Remain seated on the floor and stretch your legs out straight in front of you
• Cross your right foot over your left leg, draw your right knee toward your chest, and squeeze
• Turn towards your right to open up your chest
• Place your right arm on the ground for stability and hold your right leg with your left arm
• Hold the stretch for 15 seconds
• Return to seated sitting position
• Switch legs and hold the stretch for 15 seconds
• Return to starting position

Butterfly Stretch

• Remain seated on the floor and bend your legs so the soles of your feet are touching each other
• Draw your feet back towards your body as far as you can
• Keeping your back up and straight, gently bounce your knees up in down for 10 seconds
• From there, gently push down on your left knee for 5 seconds
• Switch and gently push down on your right knee for 5 seconds

Bonus Challenge For Intermediate & Advanced Levels

Intermediate

During each round, as you move from the kick repetitions, to the pulses, to the holds, instead of resting for 10 seconds and switching legs, perform all kicks on your left leg first before switching to your right leg. You can do mini 2-second shake-outs between each kick style.

Advanced

Same format as the intermediate, but without any rest at all. Go from kick repetitions, to pulses, to holds with zero rest or shake-outs, NO putting your leg down on the ground!

There you have it, FightCamp Trainer Flo Master’s T3 Kickboxing workout designed to do some leg torchin’, hip strengthening, and iron-leg making all at home! These exercises will help you improve your kicking strength and flexibility, not just for kickboxing but also for taekwondo and other martial arts. Try incorporating this leg day routine into your training split at least once a week--any more and you won't be walking straight the next day!

If you enjoyed these exercises and want to see what else Flo Master and the FightCamp Trainers have in store, check out our other YouTube videos, blog articles, and workouts on the App. Start your boxing and kickboxing training with FightCamp today!

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The Author: Jerry Randolph (aka Flo Master) grew up in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Being bullied as a kid, he looked for ways to break away from that narrative and found his way to dancing. He didn’t become just any kind of dancer; he became a BBoy. He became Flo Master. Flo quickly rose to fame as a dancer, performing with superstars like Usher, Ciara, Jennifer Lopez, and Will Smith. Despite this success, he felt that something was missing from his life. He knew that he wasn’t able to defend himself. Flo turned to martial arts and boxing and knew that it was the missing piece to the puzzle. Training with Jeremy Horn, Anderson “The Spider” Silva, and Erik Paulson gave Flo the real confidence that he needed as a boy in Maryland. He took his passion for dance and his love for martial arts and began working in the group fitness industry. His guiding force is to give people what he wished someone had given him when he was coming up; encouragement and empowerment. Flo Master is a Founding FightCamp Coach, eternal entertainer, and father to his two kids, who just happen to be excellent dancers and martial artists. Flo Master is also USA Boxing Coach certified.