Kickboxing fat-loss circuit

How it works

This quickfire workout uses Tabata training, a method developed in Japan that trains your body’s aerobic and anaerobic systems at the same time. Doing the circuit under Tabata rules will burn fat and improve your VO2 max (the maximum volume of oxygen that you can use duringexercise). It will also induce excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which gives your metabolism a boost after your finish exercising and encourages further fat loss. At the same time you’ll strengthen the muscles that block and punch, and teach your body to operate at peak performance.

In Tabata training, you perform each exercise by counting time rather than reps. Do as many repetitions as you can in 20 seconds, then rest for ten seconds. Repeat this a total of eight times. Rest for two minutes before moving on to the next exercise.

Time per session
35 minutes

Calorie burn
450

What you need
A 5kg medicine ball.

Start
Warm up with five minutes of jogging and fast shadow-boxing to get the blood pumping to your muscles. Include punches, kicks, elbows, knees, blocks, evasion and footwork.

Finish
End with five minutes of skipping and some stretching, then repeat the whole shebang.

Click on the links below to see each exercise.

Exercise 1: Medicine ball burpee
Exercise 2: V-sit
Exercise 3: Medicine ball grab and knee strike
Exercise 4: Fist press-up
Exercise 5: Frog jumps
Exercise 6: Lunge to jab combo