The word kickboxing brings to mind Jean-Claude Van Damme and low-budget films featuring Asian actors with dubbed-in voices. But for a couple of dozen FHS students, the word kickboxing means one thing:
Exercise.
“I wasn’t interested in the sport of kickboxing,” said junior Katy Dejana. “I go to kickboxing class to stay in shape. It’s a fun way to exercise.”
Kickboxing classes at The Summit meet twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays. Like all the classes at The Summit, it’s free for members and for non-members there are cards to purchase so there isn’t a fee every time. The classes meet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and 6:30-7:30 p.m., usually with anywhere from 15 to 25 participants.
“The diversity of the people in the classes is amazing,” said Dejana, a Summit member. “There are dads and junior high girls next to each other.”
“My mom and I go together,” said senior Tabitha Chamberlin. “It’s something that we both enjoy.”
Each week the participants meet upstairs in one of the aerobics rooms and begin by punching and kicking without bags for about half an hour. Then some participants run laps while others take turns on the bags. Every four weeks the instructor, Kathy Muller, starts a new session. Although similar to aerobics, kickboxing is more strenuous.
“I’ve done aerobics since The Summit opened,” said junior Breanne Schaffer. “I tried kickboxing just for fun. It was a better workout so I switched for good.”
At Big Sky Martial Arts, kickboxing classes take place every weekday in two time slots. Big Sky kickboxing classes are more oriented towards traditional kickboxing, but keeps fitness in mind.
Participants pay a base fee of $45 for gloves, $8 for wraps, and a monthly fee of $52 for unlimited visits. The sessions last approximately an hour.
“The classes are really structured,” said senior Jolene Baker, a Big Sky Martial Arts attendee. “You see the results a lot faster.”
The classes mostly involve punching and kicking. The first 20 minutes are a warm-up of punches and kicks. The rest of the hour consists of punching and kicking bags with emphasis on constant movement.
While the classes mainly consist of women, several men also attend. The minimum age for participants is 17.
“My friend Tracy Anderson and I were watching TV when we saw a commercial for kickboxing,” said Baker. “It looked like a lot of fun so we started taking classes together.” |
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