Is Kickboxing Only for Guys?

Written by Jeff Campbell in Kickboxing Last Updated November 15, 2022

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Most of the kickboxers portrayed in the media are guys. And it can be intense and brutal. But there are plenty of female martial artists. However, some women still wonder is kickboxing only for guys?

Here’s what I’ve seen in classes:

Kickboxing is not only for guys. But most martial arts classes will typically be 70% men, and kickboxing is often no different. And kickboxing classes that are exclusively fitness-oriented are often mostly women. But kickboxing is not gender-specific in any way and is practiced by both sexes.

In general, there are probably more men participating in sports than women.

This, I suspect, is a remnant of some of the cultural expectations about gender roles. But things are changing pretty fast.

In this article, we’ll explore: whether women are more likely to be injured doing kickboxing than men, who are the most famous female kickboxers, and if kickboxing is good for females. We’ll also check out whether kickboxing makes your thighs big or reduces your breast size.

Finally, we’ll look at how long does it take to get in shape with kickboxing.

Let the fun begin…

Are women more likely to be injured doing kickboxing than men?

Women are more likely to be injured doing kickboxing than men. Having a wider pelvis and a smaller ACL both contribute to a higher injury rate for women compared to men.

But let’s explore that in greater detail.

Women have a wider pelvis than men. Thus, their thigh bones angle more downwards than men’s, resulting in a slightly different angle of alignment of their lower bodies from the knee to the ankle. (source)

The knee joint experiences more stress relative to men’s, and the inside of the knees face more stress. This can trigger ACL (Acute Cruciate Ligament), one of the most common injuries. Women’s ACL is smaller, making them more prone to tears. (source)

Another factor that increases the likelihood of an ACL tear in women is the intercondylar notch (where the ACL passes through the femur). It’s narrower in women.

They also have lower muscle mass. This exposes their ligaments and tendons to injuries. Studies show that women, on average, have 52% of the upper-body strength and 66% of the lower-body strength of men.

And, they also have less hamstring strength relative to men. It’s not enough to balance the quadriceps, resulting in an imbalance that can easily lead to ACL tears.

Kickboxing vs. MMA, which one’s better?

MMA is better because it is a more well-rounded sport, and it almost always involves kickboxing.

But, it’s more ideal if you’re thinking of competing professionally, while kickboxing is awesome for fitness and has some self-defense applications. In a recent article, I shared more reasons why MMA is the way to go.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Who are the most famous female kickboxers?

The most famous female Kickboxers include Lucia Rijker, Janet Todd, Stamp Fairtex, Chuang Kai Ting, Victoria Lipianska, Alma Juniku, and several others.

How about we get to know a few things about some of these famous female Kickboxers?

Lucia Rijiker

Lucia Rijiker, a professional Kickboxer and boxer (a Dutch fighter), has been described as “the most dangerous woman in the world”. Her records are stupendous: 37-0 (25 K.O’.s), and she’s got 5 world titles to her credit.

Janet “JT” Todd

Janet Todd, an American, as of the time of this writing, is the current ONE Kickboxing Atomweight champ. An aerospace engineer who is also a two-time Pan-American Muay Thai champ.

Stamp Fairtex

Stamp Fairtex hails from Thailand. She has held the championship for ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World and ONE Atom weight Muay Thai world.

Chuang Kai Ting

Chuang Kai Ting, a Chinese, is the first woman to win a ONE Super Series world title in a super-intense, five-round bout against Yodcherry Sityodtong. She is an inspiration to a lot of young women, having survived a highly challenging childhood to become a world champ.

Is kickboxing bad for your knees?

In a recent article, I explained why it’s not bad for the knees. Properly practiced, it can make the knees stronger. The following are some of the themes I also explored: how to protect your knees, kickboxing’s effects on your joints, and exercises to avoid if you’ve got bad knees.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Is kickboxing good for females?

Kickboxing is very beneficial for females. It helps strengthen muscles, lose weight, tone the body, and is a full-body workout. It’s also great for stress relief. And, perhaps much most importantly, it equips women with powerful self-defense skills. 

(source)

As I hinted at earlier, Kickboxing is not gender-specific. It’s practiced by a lot of women because of the many benefits it offers. Let’s check out 2 key benefits.

Self-Defense

Even though no one prays for it, violence is a part of everyday life. And, sadly, women are often victims.

This is why many women pick up kickboxing because it equips them with simple and actionable skills they can employ to defend themselves if they, unfortunately, find themselves in situations where they are being assaulted.

Many women recognize that it’s smart to be proactive about acquiring these skills seeing as no one knows when the need might arise or where. There are cases where it comes from the most unexpected quarters.

Health and Fitness

Smart folks do not take their health for granted.

This is why many flock to Kickboxing because it is a full-body workout. On the surface, you’re simply using your hands and legs as you punch and kick.

The truth is, to do that effectively, you’re harnessing power from your core and different parts of your body. You’ll not only lose weight, but you’ll also be stronger and fitter in time. You’ll also feel less stress and become more confident.

Does kickboxing make your thighs big?

Kickboxing does not increase the size of the thighs. It does increase the size of the leg muscles, but over time, practitioners start to experience weight loss and firmer muscles. So while the thighs won’t get significantly larger, they may become more muscular.

In fact, because it is a full-body workout, other parts of your body would respond similarly. Having said that, it’s a function of one’s body type and nutrition.

Most women who exercise intensely do not have bigger thighs, and yet, we also know one or two women who “bulk up” in that area of the body when it should have been an even-body tone.

On average, what happens is that you lose weight and have that lean and mean physique most Kickboxers have.

But, if you notice that your thighs are getting bigger, you could talk to your instructor or personal trainer. They should be able to suggest some effective drills that would help you tone up your thighs.

What’s the best martial art for women? 

In a recent article, I explained why BJJ or Krav Maga is the best. But, if you would like a less violent art form, I said to go for Tai Chi or Karate and to consider Aikido instead if what you would prefer is something more profound and spiritual.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

How long does it take to get in shape with kickboxing?

Practicing kickboxing three times a week should start to produce results within 4 to 6 weeks. That is especially true if no strenuous exercise was being performed previously. Improving the diet simultaneously can speed those results.

This is because at each training session, in addition to learning self-defense skills, they are having a full-body workout to boot. Fitness experts estimate that practitioners can burn about 900 calories at each Kickboxing session!

Say you’re thinking of signing up for Karate or Kickboxing, which one’s better?

Go for kickboxing. Why? It’s a combination of Boxing, Muay Thai, and Karate. It’s a distillation of the most effective moves in these different martial arts, resulting in a more effective system for defending yourself.

In a recent article, I shared more reasons why kickboxing is the way to go. In it, I revealed the most effective martial art and whether a Kickboxer can beat a Karate fighter.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

What To Expect At A Kickboxing Class | Keltie O'Connor

Conclusion

In this article, we explored whether women are more likely to be injured doing kickboxing than men and who are the most famous female Kickboxers.

In addition to this, we checked out whether kickboxing is good for females and if it makes thighs big.

Finally, we looked at how long it takes to get in shape with kickboxing.

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