What is Crush Kick® cardio-kickboxing?

May, 2002 -- Fitness abounds at a recent Thursday night Crush Kick® class. That's Patty on the right and I'm on the left. The ages ranged from Elena, 10, to ancient (me). Real people getting truly fit. Note: With prior approval, kids may train with us if a parent is also a participant.

Crush Kick® is a spirited, full-body workout blending boxing, Thai kickboxing (Muay Thai) and basic karate movements to the cadence of upbeat music. There is no complicated choreography, and though its roots are in actual fighting, Crush Kick® is designed for fun, fitness and safety. There is no actual fighting or sparring in class.

Crush Kick's founder and designer is Frank Navarro, a 4th degree kenpo karate black belt and full-contact fighter. He was 1997 Jiu-Jitsu Grand Champion of the Unified Martial Arts Federation Competition, a certified U.S.A. boxing coach and Muay Thai instructor, and has choreographed fight scenes in popular martial arts movies.

Crush Kick® is taught across the United States and in some Central and South American nations. All Crush Kick® instructors must pass a performance and written examination administered by Frank Navarro.

Is Crush Kick® for everyone?

With a few exceptions, almost anyone can practice Crush Kick®. It is common to find beginners and experienced men and women of all ages in class. On average, there are more women than men.

Usually, beginning students' common goals are fat loss, muscle firming and improved fitness. Some are already in good shape when they begin, but most are not. A few have undergone surgeries, including back operations. Many "regulars" have made amazing physical transformations. Always, we recommend discussing exercise with your physician before starting any program.

Kickboxing workouts are meant to be challenging. On the other hand, each participant controls his or her own level of intensity, allowing beginners and "old pros" alike to workout at the same time. Beginners are always urged to take it easy and progress gradually. The workouts are organized and structured but the class atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. No one will ever push you to do more than you can handle.

What is the workout like?

The workouts last one-hour. The first 10-minutes are a warm-up, which consists of softly going through the fundamental movements. Then we pick up the pace for varying levels of intensity for 20- to 23-minutes of kicking, punching, bobbing and weaving, much like fighters shadowbox, but with music. A three- to five-minute cool-down, similar to the warm-up, follows.

After a short water break, we begin floor exercises, a 15- to 20-minute period of "boot camp" type exercises, several from the USMC's fitness manual. These are compound movements, proven most effective for building strength, fitness and burning calories. Sometimes we hit and kick focus mitts or bags, but no one is required to hit the bags if they'd rather not. During floor exercises we advise beginners to take it easy at first and build up slowly. For example, if we call for 20 sit-ups, we tell beginners to do only 5 or 10. Mild muscle soreness following a workout is normal, but making people so sore that they don't want to return is not our approach.

The last five to eight minutes of class are a cool-down and stretch. You leave feeling relaxed and invigorated.

Warm-up and cool-down periods are important and we urge everyone to do them.

Common questions:

Q. How often should I workout.

A. To get fit and stay that way requires a minimum of 3 workout days per week. More than 5 days may be too much.

Q. Won't I lose weight faster if I workout more often?

A. Three to five workouts per week and portion control eating are the most effective programs for most people. Over-training is a common mistake.

Q. How long should my workouts be?

A. Not over one-hour. Being in the gym longer than that may be either overdoing it or lingering too much. Keep it short but stay focused. Socialize before or after your workout. Burnout is more common when training borders on obsession. You want fitness to be in your life permanently, not a passing phase.

Q. Should I lift weights?

A. Mixing weights with cardio is the most effective fitness combination there is. Weight training builds muscle and muscle burns calories, even while at rest. Unless you want to be a bodybuilder or competitive weight lifter, twice a week of weight training should be enough. One great combination is 3 days of cardio per week and 2 days of weights. Again, 45-minutes to an hour is long enough for workouts.

Q. Why do I need weights if I do Crush Kick®?

A. Crush Kick® is both a cardio and strength building workout, so, yes, the bases are covered. Still, nothing beats the weights for adding strength and muscle. Many people include both in their weekly format. Just be sure that you get in cardio work at least three days per week.

Q. What about taking other aerobics classes?

A. Great! Mix it up. Do Crush Kick® and also step or other cardio based workouts. Run, swim, power-walk, bike. Variety, sometimes called "cross-training," keeps things interesting.

Q. What about yoga and stretching classes?

A. These come under a different category than either weight training or aerobics. Since they relax rather than purposely stress your muscles (as in weight training) or challenge you aerobically (cardio), they can be successfully added to a 3- or 5-day per week routine without the danger of over-training.

Q. If I workout, can I eat all I want?

A. If you are overweight, you won't lose fat and attain normal body weight by exercise alone. It just doesn't happen. Cutting back on the portion sizes (portion control) is the single most effective way to lose weight. Conversely, increase your portion sizes and you will gain.

On average, overweight people tend to eat too many carbohydrates. But practically eliminating carbs, as some diets prescribe, is overdoing it. Sensible proven programs such as The Zone, Body-for-Life, or Weight Watchers may serve you well.

Sensible eating comes down to: 1) getting adequate protein and fruits and vegetables; 2) eating smaller portions but more frequently than 3 times per day; 3) eating a lot less animal- and trans-fat and "starchy" carbohydrates; 4) no sugar or sugar products; and 5) drinking plenty of water.

Q. Will I learn self-defense in Crush Kick® classes?

A. Though closely related to fighting and martial arts, Crush Kick® is not a self-defense course. However, the fundamentals you learn are technically sound and not merely a lot of jumping around and hand waving just to elevate your heart rate. To effectively use them for self-defense requires practice with simulated attacks and developing the proper mindset that goes beyond the scope of our classes. However, you will learn proper body alignment and movement to deliver effective kicks, punches, elbows and knees.

Q. I tried a cardio kickboxing class and the music was so fast that I got confused and couldn't keep up. Why does it have to be so fast?

A. I don't know which program you tried, but I'm aware that some are much too fast paced. Still, many people are perfectly satisfied at having worked up a sweat, even if all they've been doing is furiously flailing their arms and legs around in some kind of pretend boxing techniques.

Frank Navarro likes to remind us of Fitt's Law: "We become more inefficient at doing things if we attempt to do them too quickly." For example, if you write your name faster and faster it becomes more and more unreadable. The same thing happens to proper workout techniques. Though you may not be there to become a fighter, why not learn proper form and fundamentals?

For that reason, the music tempo in Crush Kick® classes falls into a range between 125 and 135 beats per minute. Navarro found that when it goes above 135 BPM, most people's form starts to break down as they struggle just to keep up. Intentionally or not, that teaches and then reinforces bad form -- and injuries are more likely, too. We think it's the wrong approach, and, believe me, it's not necessary to make students "cry Uncle" to give them a good workout.

--Logan