Everyone makes the same handful of mistakes in their first few months of kickboxing. Knowing them ahead of time saves you weeks of confusion.
None of these are reasons to feel bad. They are just the usual bumps.
The usual suspects
If you recognise yourself in two or three of these, you are exactly where a beginner should be.
- 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.
- Going 100% every round. Pace yourself. Technique falls apart when you redline in round one.
The one that matters most
Compare yourself to the version of you from last month, not to the person next to you. Progress in Kickboxing is uneven: weeks of nothing, then a jump. The people who stick around are the ones who stop keeping score every session.
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
Is it normal to forget techniques?
Completely. Your body learns slower than your head. Repetition fixes it.
Should I train through soreness?
Muscle soreness, yes — sharp joint pain, no. Tell a coach either way.
How do I stop feeling awkward?
You do not, at first. The awkwardness fades somewhere around week six.
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.
- The First Kickboxing Techniques You'll Learn (and Why) — October 2026 — The first kickboxing techniques our Toronto coaches teach beginners, in the order you learn them, and why they.
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.