Kickboxing is a relatively new form of martial arts that combines the punching moves of boxing with kicking techniques used in martial art disciplines such as karate and Thai boxing. In the United States, kickboxing as a sport grew out of full-contact karate during the 1970s. In the 1990s, Frank Thiboutot, a martial arts trainer, developed Cardio Kickboxing as a fitness program. Imitations soon followed with Tae Bo and aerobic kickboxing.
Origins
Kickboxing traces its roots back 2,000 years to Thailand and a martial arts discipline called Muay Thai, which was originally used as defense against neighboring invaders before long-range weapons such as guns were used in war. Muay Thai was a form of hand-to-hand combat that used the head, fists, elbows and feet as weapons. As weapons became more sophisticated and eliminated hand-to-hand fighting, Muay Thai stopped being used as a form of defense and evolved into a sport.
Modern Kickboxing
Japanese boxing promoter Osamu Noguchi is credited with creating kickboxing in the 1950s. Noguchi traveled the world as a fan and promoter of boxing events. On a trip to Thailand, he was impressed by the martial arts form Muay Thai, which used more body parts than traditional boxing. He decided to combine the disciplines of Muay Thai with boxing and karate to create full-contact karate, which evolved into kickboxing.
Kickboxing in the United States
Bruce Lee's films were the first to introduce the United States to a form of full-contact martial arts. He helped influence karate practitioners who felt limited by the scoring rules and instead wanted a martial arts sport that include punches and kicks. The first World Championships in Full Contact Karate was held in September 1974, in Los Angeles, California. The Professional Karate Association originally governed the sport of full-contact karate and the first fights were held on a traditional karate surface. In the late 1970s, the sport was moved to a ring similar to boxing. In 1976, Howard Hanson, a Shorin-ryu karate black belt founded the World Kickboxing Association. In 1985, when the Professional Karate Association suffered financial difficulties, several promoters and association executives created the International Sport Kickboxing Association.
Cardio Kickboxing
Although Cardio Kickboxing is used to refer to all forms of martial arts fitness, it is actually a protected trade name owned by Thibout. Thibout was a boxer who later learned several forms of martial arts, including karate, taekwondo and full-contact karate. He's been involved in the sport as a coach, promoter and a Professional Karate Association judge. In 1992, he opened the first Cardio Kickboxing studio to teach kickboxing as a form of fitness, and in 1993 trademarked the name Cardio Kickboxing. In 1996, he developed a certification program to train and certify Cardio Kickboxing instructors.
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