Kickboxing is Killing my Hips

jmteeter
jmteeter Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Help! I don't want to stop Kickboxing!!!

Kickboxing has been the best cardio I've ever done. I like it so much better than Zumba, and it keeps me way more in the zone and interested than the treadmill or the elliptical. I love it and I love the teacher, but I go home with incredible pain in my hips. The pain is on the front side of my hip and gets worse if I sit for 5+ minutes and then stand. Last night, I didn't sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time because I would wake up in pain. This morning when I woke up, I couldn't even stand up straight, the muscles in my hips were so tight. I'm stretching afterwards, drinking lots of water, doing all the things I've always been told to do.

Has anyone run in to this? Does it get better, or should I take a break?

Internet searches indicate that this could be a hip flexor issue, but I don't know if it's soreness, tightness, or strain.

Replies

  • DaveP_Fit
    DaveP_Fit Posts: 318
    pain so intense that you can't walk or sleep. that means STOP where I come from. perhaps after you've rested and recovered you can work your way up to the class but it sounds like you aren't ready for it right now. or it may be a terrible class/instructor
  • Fitfully_me
    Fitfully_me Posts: 647 Member
    Help! I don't want to stop Kickboxing!!!

    Kickboxing has been the best cardio I've ever done. I like it so much better than Zumba, and it keeps me way more in the zone and interested than the treadmill or the elliptical. I love it and I love the teacher, but I go home with incredible pain in my hips. The pain is on the front side of my hip and gets worse if I sit for 5+ minutes and then stand. Last night, I didn't sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time because I would wake up in pain. This morning when I woke up, I couldn't even stand up straight, the muscles in my hips were so tight. I'm stretching afterwards, drinking lots of water, doing all the things I've always been told to do.

    Has anyone run in to this? Does it get better, or should I take a break?

    Internet searches indicate that this could be a hip flexor issue, but I don't know if it's soreness, tightness, or strain.


    Consult your doctor
  • Demon676
    Demon676 Posts: 11 Member
    Definitely take a break. Nothing is worth pain that wakes you up and prevents you sleeping.

    Once you've rested and are no longer sore, try the class again, but do NOT go full force in any of it. Focus instead on getting the movement right. Knowing what a rough breakdown of the exercises you did that caused the pain would be helpful for determining the issue. I would suspect that the way you are kicking is wrong, ask your instructor how to kick properly and make sure they watch you and correct you.

    See how flexible you are with box splits, and slowly work on that. When stretching with leg swings, look up at the ceiling, it will help to stretch out your body so your leg swings freely without restriction other than meeting your limit. Kickboxing is a hard thing to get into if you are not flexible, as "body kicks" are higher than a lot of people can actually lift their legs.

    My primary suggestion is AFTER you have rested and recovered, work on improving your flexibility, the term "no pain, no gain" is all too common and can push people past their limits and cause damage. Pain should be a mild muscle soreness, but not to the point it hinders general day to day life. My experience is with mauy thai which is a form of kickboxing including elbows and knee strikes, am not certified but have experienced the pain of pushing too hard too soon, but never to the extent you are describing.
  • glreim21
    glreim21 Posts: 206 Member
    I would stop for now until the pain is gone but also talk to the instructor, they may be able to give you alternatives to some of the exercises and recommend different stretches
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    Take a break until the soreness stops then if you want to try again. - start with super low intensity and take breaks. You do not have to keep up with the class. Go at your own pace.. Slow down. As you get used to it.. try adding in a higher intensity move one at a time. This will tell you if it's a specific kick or motion that is hurting you or just over all over doing it. I started kickboxing super slow.. I do super high intensity now.. As in I add more moves to what the instructor has the class doing. The only time it hurts is when I over do it.

    Make sure you stretch before class. Not too much unless you warm up on the treadmill first. I usually run for 5-10 minutes prior to taking class and then stretch. Warm muscles are safer to stretch then cold ones. hip flexor stretch is important for kick boxing. Ask a trainer to show you the proper form so you don't hurt yourself doing it.
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    It sounds like you're not pivoting enough when you go to throw a kick. I have issues like that in martial arts if I fail to pivot correctly (plus, I'm not 18 anymore). Double check with your doc though.
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
    I have hip flexor pain too, it got really bad after I ran my first 10K, so that I couldn't walk properly. My trainer recommended foam rolling them. It's something you can look into, and ask the instructor about.
  • JSPictures
    JSPictures Posts: 13
    You may need to modify some of the moves until your hips heal up. It also may not be your hips at all-- perhaps a pinched nerve in your back? I have had that issue before. How is your back?
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    Is BodyCombat or turbo kick available for you to try? Also punching and kicking, but no contact with bag. This may make you like the concept a bit less, but could be an alternative
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    Squat
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,976 Member
    Many people who kick try to do it without pivoting their feet and leaning away from the kick. For instance if you do a right roundhouse kick and keep the left foot pointed straight (12 o'clock with relationship to the body), it directly puts stress on the hips. Turn your left foot at 10 or 11 o'clock, lean to the left and now do the kick. You should feel instant relief on the hip when doing it this way.
    Don't stand straight up on any kicks including front kicks. You should lean the opposite direction of the kick.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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