Cardio kickboxing, a type of martial-arts based fitness class, is one of the hottest workout trends today—but not everyone is doing it safely.

Anything having to do with punching, kicking, in particular, “kickboxing” is “in” this year.

This high energy, sweat-dripping, heart-pumping workout can burn up to 500 calories an hour, toning your entire body while giving you great cardiovascular benefits. But it’s overwhelming popularity has its pros and cons.

Keli Roberts/Kickboxing Instructor
“If this phenonmenon has attracted more people into the gym, great. More people are going to be active. Unfortunately they aren’t at the right condition to start.”

Keli says many enthusiastic exercisers jump into the program without having a base level of fitness first, and their muscles simply aren’t ready for the high intensity workout. The American Council on Exercise, or ACE, says the twisting and kicking motions in these types of workouts are high risk moves that can lead to injuries.

You can prepare your body for the rigors of kickboxing by doing sports specific training drills that mimic the types of movements and strengthen the muscles you’ll be using in the class. For instance, Roberts teaches a circuit-training class designed for kick boxers that includes punching, kicking, jump roping and agility drills. Work at a gradual, progressive pace with a qualified instructor, and you’ll get the gains, not the strains, associated with this popular workout. For Fitness Magazine, I’m Bonnie Kaye.