People come to kickboxing for a lot of reasons, and "I want to get in shape" is the most common one. The good news is that you do not need a separate gym membership to get there.
A hard Kickboxing class is interval training with a skill attached: short bursts of work, short rests, repeated for an hour.
Why it works
You alternate between effort and recovery, which is what makes the hour pass quickly and keeps your heart rate moving. You also spend the hour on your feet, rotating, bracing and balancing — the unglamorous strength that carries over into everything else.
- Calorie burn from interval-style rounds.
- Coordination and timing.
- Shoulder and core endurance.
How to build the habit
Two classes a week, consistently, beats five classes in one week and nothing for a month. Put the classes in your calendar, keep a water bottle in your bag, and treat the first month as practice for showing up rather than a performance.
Fall training notes
Fall is the busiest season for new members — schools restart, work routines settle and people finally book the class they have been thinking about all summer.
- Book your classes for the week on Sunday night, not on the day.
- Warm up for two extra minutes if you have been sitting at a desk all day.
- Keep one rest day after your hardest session — recovery is part of the programme.
Common mistakes we see every week
- Throwing arm punches. Power starts at the floor. If your rear heel stays down and your hip does not turn, you are pushing, not punching.
- Standing square. A bladed stance gives you reach and something to hide behind.
- Bouncing with no purpose. Move with a reason: in, out, or to an angle.
- Skipping the jab. The jab sets everything up. It is also the punch you can throw all night.
A drill you can try between classes
Jab-and-move ladder. You do not need a partner or a bag for most of this, and it takes about fifteen minutes:
- Three minutes: jab, step out at an angle.
- Three minutes: jab, cross, pivot.
- Three minutes: jab, cross, lead hook, reset.
- One minute rest between rounds. Keep your hands up when you are tired — that is the actual training.
Training at ARC MMA in Toronto
We run Kickboxing classes at 382 Yonge St in downtown Toronto, two minutes from College Station. Classes are capped at 20 people, coached from start to finish, and open to complete beginners. If you want to see whether it fits, book a free 1-on-1 trial — you will get a coach, a pair of loaner gloves and no sales pitch.
You can see the full timetable on the classes and pricing page, meet the coaches on the trainers page, and check upcoming seminars on the events page.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does a class burn?
Roughly 500–800 for an hour of honest work, depending on your size and effort. Treat any exact number as an estimate.
Will I lose weight?
Training helps, but food does most of the work. Coaches will happily point you in the right direction without selling you a diet.
Is it good cardio?
Yes, if you keep moving between drills instead of standing and chatting.
Written by the coaching team at ARC MMA. Questions about this guide? Send us a message or call (416) 450-8020.
Related reading
- What Gear You Actually Need for Kickboxing — October 2026 — What gear you actually need for kickboxing and what can wait — a no-pressure buying guide from the coaches at .
- Is Kickboxing Safe? Questions Worth Asking Before You Start — October 2026 — Is kickboxing safe for a complete beginner? A straight answer from ARC MMA coaches in Toronto, plus the questi.
- Kickboxing Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Fix Them) — October 2026 — The mistakes almost every kickboxing beginner makes in the first few months, and the simple fixes our coaches .
Where to go next
Have a look at classes and pricing or book a free trial if you want to try a session. For a wider view of the discipline, the Olympic kickboxing programme is worth following: the Olympic kickboxing programme.