8 Min Holiday Kickboxing Warm-Up

There’s a slightly brisk feeling in the air. The leaves have changed colors, which can only mean one thing -- winter is here! With cooler temperatures and the holiday season upon us, this holiday-themed total bodyweight routine will get your blood flowing and loosen up those muscles to prepare you for any follow-up kickboxing session.

Holiday Kickboxing Warm-Up

All you need for this routine is a wall that can withstand your bodyweight.

Grinch-y Jacks
(Jumping Jacks + 1 - 2 Punch Combo)
1 minute

• Begin with 10 seconds of jumping jacks

• At the 10 second mark, pause, and perform a 1 - 2 (jab - cross) punch combo

• Continue performing jumping jacks, repeating the 1 - 2 (jab - cross) combo every 10 seconds

• Continue for 1 minute

Down the Chimneys
(Flow Yoga - Stand To Chaturanga To Upward Facing Dog)
1 minute

• Assume a boxer’s stance

• Drop down and place your hands on the ground

• Jump your feet back to come into a high plank

• Lower your body towards the floor, keeping your elbows tight at your sides (Chaturanga)

• From here, begin to push your chest back up, straightening your arms

• Flip your feet so that the tops of your feet are pressed against the ground (Upward Facing Dog)

• Hold for a 2-second count

• Tuck your toes under and shift back to Chaturanga, then push up to high plank

• Jump your feet back up to your hands

• Stand up and return to your boxer’s stance

• Continue this flow for 1 minute

Turkey Trotters
(High Knees + 3 - 4 Punch Combo)
1 minute

• Begin with 10 seconds of high knees

• At the 10 second mark, pause, and perform a 3 - 4 (lead hook - rear hook) punch combo

• Repeat, alternating between high knees and punching for 1 minute

Modifications: To make this movement easier, march in place instead of high knees. To challenge yourself, perform a burpee every other repetition and pick up your tempo when performing high knees.

Santa Squats
(Sumo Squat + Lateral Lunges)
1 minute

• Begin in a sumo squat stance

  • Your feet should be wider than shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed outward at roughly a 45-degree angle

• Squat down and hold

• At the bottom of the squat position, shift your weight to the left and perform a left, side-lateral lunge

• Shift back to the middle

• Shift your weight to the right, and perform the opposite side-lateral lunge

• Shift back to the middle and rise up to stand

• Continue squatting and lunging for the full minute

Rudolph Runners
(Front/Sagittal Plane Leg Swings)
2 minutes

• Come to face a wall and place your hands on it for balance

• Slowly start swinging your left leg side-to-side

• As your muscles begin to warm up, slowly swing it higher with each repetition, attempting to swing to hip height

  • The arc motion of the leg should work up to a 180-degree angle

• Continue for 30 seconds and then switch legs

• Next, turn sideways from the wall, and place your right hand on the wall for balance

• Begin a forward-to-back leg swing, following along the same 180-degree arc

• As your muscles warm up, swing your leg higher with each repetition, attempting to swing your foot up to hip height

• Continue for 30 seconds then switch legs

Elf Kickers
(Front and Roundhouse Kicks - Technique Emphasis)
2 minutes

• Assume an Orthodox kickboxing stance

• For 30 seconds, focusing on technique, perform a roundhouse kick

• As you warm up, increase the intensity of your kicks

• Switch to a Southpaw stance and continue the same kick for an additional 30 seconds

• After the full minute switch back to an Orthodox stance

• Perform a front kick focusing on technique

• As your body warms up, increase the intensity of your kicks

• Continue for 30 seconds

• Switch back to a Southpaw stance

• Perform front kicks for the remaining 30 seconds

There you have it! A holiday-inspired, 8-minute bodyweight warm-up routine that you can do at the beginning of your kickboxing workouts to make sure you are primed and ready to kick your way through this holiday season!

If you loved these exercises and want to see what else the FightCamp Trainers have in store, check out our other YouTube videos, Blog, and workouts on the App. Start your training with FightCamp today!