These are the biggest mistakes beginner kickboxers make (and how you avoid them)

Happy new year! Is your New Year's resolution to start kickboxing? Or has that idea been on your mind for a while, and you were simply waiting until after the holidays? Great! Kickboxing is a sport that's easy to get into as an adult. You'll notice progress quickly, even if you have no sports background, and in a short time you'll train your fitness, strength, coordination, balance and focus. You also always train at your own level, without any obligation to compete. Age is therefore rarely a real barrier. Yet at Rumble Store we often hear that beginner martial artists make the same small mistakes, which can sometimes be demotivating. Curious how you can avoid these pitfalls? Read on, because this blog helps you recognise and prevent the biggest beginner martial artist mistakes.

1. You want to go too fast from day one

You'll see this mistake in multiple areas: you start kickboxing and you basically want to do everything at once. As a result, you throw yourself fully into your training from the start. You want to show that you're strong and push yourself to the limit straight away. Of course that's not necessarily a bad thing — there's nothing wrong with going all in — but if you don't know your own limits, you'll feel the consequences:

- Your technique becomes sloppy;

- You get exhausted quickly;

- Your risk of injury increases;

- You have (muscle) soreness after every training session.

Especially in the beginning, strength shouldn't be your focus. It's important to relax and learn the correct technique and timing. By first focusing on control, balance and repetition, you build a foundation that will benefit you greatly later on.

2. You're tense and stiff during training

Beginning martial artists are often stiff during training. Your shoulders are raised, you hold your arms tight and your neck has no room to move. That feels safe, especially if you think you're supposed to be fighting. But that's exactly where your thinking goes wrong: you're not fighting, you're training. Sparring is not a competition in which you have to prove something. It's a form of practice. When you genuinely see it that way, your posture will immediately loosen up. And that's important, because a stiff posture makes you slow, worsens your defence and tires you out faster. The more relaxed your upper body, the faster and more fluid your techniques will become.

3. You're standing in the wrong stance

Many beginners stand too upright, lean too far forward or put too much weight on one leg. That's not ideal, as a poor stance throws you off balance and limits your ability to defend yourself or counter. By keeping your knees slightly bent, distributing your weight evenly and bringing your chin slightly down, you'll stand stronger and move more efficiently.

4. You drop your hands after an attack

After a few punches or a kick, beginners usually drop their hands. It feels natural and comfortable, which means this bad habit quickly becomes ingrained. Later it's hard to unlearn. Not ideal! If you keep your hands too low, you're vulnerable and will unnecessarily take a lot of hits to the head. Train yourself to bring your hands straight back to your cheeks after every attack. This makes your defence more stable and helps you prevent martial arts injuries, especially in the long run.

5. You pay too little attention to recovery

Again that same issue of wanting too much too soon. You're motivated and so you plan multiple training sessions per week. However, if you start kickboxing as an adult, there's one major downside: your body recovers more slowly than when you were a child. Keep that in mind. If you don't take enough rest between training sessions, you'll start suffering from muscle soreness, joint pain and other minor aches that gradually turn into injuries.

Rest days and sufficient sleep are important for every martial artist. After an intensive training session, two rest days (48 hours) are recommended, especially for beginners. Take this advice seriously, because the better you rest between sessions, the more you'll get out of every training.

6. You buy a lot of gear you don't need yet

You want to go all in, we get it. And since you're reading a blog on a martial arts store's website, what we're about to say might sound a little contradictory. But it's true. When you're just starting out, you don't yet need the most expensive gloves or multiple shin guards. Focus on buying a few good basics, such as kickboxing gloves suited to your level, hand wraps, shin guards and comfortable sportswear. That's the right martial arts equipment to start kickboxing safely and comfortably. Extra gear or specialist accessories will come naturally later, once you have a better sense of what suits you and how often you train.

By first investing in what you actually need, you avoid unnecessary purchases and train with equipment that matches your level. Not sure what to get? Then one of our beginner kickboxing sets is a great recommendation.

Starting kickboxing: what do you need to know?

Don't be too hard on yourself if you find that you've fallen into one of these pitfalls. Making mistakes is part of learning, and when you're just starting kickboxing, the most important thing is that you enjoy it. If you see too many obstacles, you'll have less motivation and you're more likely to give up. That's why the most important thing to know when you start kickboxing is: we all had to start somewhere.

Are you looking for kickboxing essentials for beginners but not sure what you need? Then visit Rumble Store in Houten. In our spacious store, our experienced martial artists are ready to give you honest and straightforward advice. That way you'll start your kickboxing adventure with confidence and enjoyment.