Kickboxing for beginners: techniques, combos and your first workout

By the founder & developer of Combat Coach · Updated 14 September 2026

Kickboxing is boxing plus legs — and that is exactly where it gets hard. Coming from boxing, you have to relearn range and balance; starting from zero, you juggle four weapons at once. This guide sorts it out: techniques first, then combinations, then a workout you can do today.

What separates kickboxing from boxing

The obvious difference is the kicks. The more important one is range: in boxing you work in punching distance, in kickboxing you have to switch between kicking and punching range — and every switch is a moment where you are vulnerable.

The second difference is balance. Every kick takes away one standing leg for a moment. That is why beginners kick too high, too slowly, and fall out of balance. The training order is always: stand first, kick second.

The basic techniques

The punches

Jab, cross, hook and uppercut work as they do in boxing — with one addition: your guard stays tighter to the head, because strikes can come from below. Drop your hand after a punch in kickboxing and you pay twice.

Low kick

The kick to the thigh, landed with the shin, not the instep. The standing foot pivots, the hip follows, the kick travels through the target. The low kick has the best effort-to-effect ratio in the sport — and it is the first technique a beginner should learn.

Roundhouse to body and head

The same motion as the low kick, just higher. The height comes from the hip, not the leg: lifting the leg up costs you power and balance. As a beginner, kick to the body until hip and balance are solid.

Front kick

The straight kick forward with the ball of the foot — for holding range and stopping an advance. It is the most defensive technique in kickboxing and the one beginners almost always overlook.

Knee

From close range, the hip drives forward while the hands control your opponent's head or guard. Limited in kickboxing, central in Muay Thai.

10 combinations by level

Level	Combination	Focus
Beginner	Jab – low kick	Timing between hand and leg
Beginner	Jab – cross – low kick	The classic: hands open the guard, the leg lands
Beginner	Cross – low kick	Counter-rotating the hips
Beginner	Double jab – front kick	Build range, then stop the advance
Intermediate	Jab – cross – hook – low kick	Four strikes, one rhythm
Intermediate	Low kick – cross	Back into punching range right after the kick
Intermediate	Jab – roundhouse to the body	Changing levels
Intermediate	Front kick – cross – low kick	Break range, then rebuild it
Advanced	Jab – cross – head kick	Finish high when the guard drops
Advanced	Low kick – jab – cross – low kick	Same leg twice; nobody expects the second

Your first 20-minute kickboxing workout

Time	Block	Content
4 min	Warm-up	Jump rope, hip circles, light shadowboxing with kicks
2 min	Round 1	Punches only — jab, cross, hook, easy pace
1 min	Rest	—
2 min	Round 2	Low kicks only, alternating left and right
1 min	Rest	—
2 min	Round 3	Jab – cross – low kick out of movement
1 min	Rest	—
2 min	Round 4	Called-out combinations, free choice
2 min	Strength block	Squats and lunges for the standing legs
3 min	Cooldown	Stretch hip flexors, calves and quads

Common kickboxing mistakes

• Kicking with the instep — the shin is the weapon; the top of the foot breaks.
• Aiming too high — a clean low kick beats a wobbly head kick every time.
• Not pivoting the standing foot — without the pivot the hip has nowhere to go and the kick has no power.
• Dropping the hands — the guard sinks almost automatically while kicking, and that is exactly when the counter arrives.
• Training legs only — kickboxing is boxing with legs, not legs with occasional boxing.

Frequently asked questions

Can you learn kickboxing at home?

Technique and conditioning yes, timing against an opponent no. Shadowboxing with kicks, bag work and called-out combinations take a beginner a long way. For corrections and sparring there is no long-term substitute for a gym.

What is the difference between kickboxing and Muay Thai?

Kickboxing allows punches and kicks, with knees restricted depending on the ruleset. Muay Thai additionally allows elbows and heavy clinch work with knees — hence “the art of eight limbs”.

Which technique should a beginner learn first?

The low kick. It is the easiest to execute cleanly, does not hurt your shin when done correctly, and is at the same time one of the most effective techniques in the sport.

Do you need shin guards for kickboxing?

For partner work and sparring, absolutely. On the bag a well-padded bag is enough; if you kick a lot, condition your shins gradually rather than forcing it.

Read next: Muay Thai for beginners · How to train boxing alone · Heavy bag drills for beginners · Shadowboxing combos · Free boxing timer