Enrolling your kids in kickboxing will provide a long list of benefits, from keeping them physically fit to helping bolster their self-esteem. Some children may naturally gravitate toward this action-filled sport, while others might initially be tentative about getting hit. It's important to remind your children that any contact they experience will be in a controlled fashion and under the watchful eye of trained instructors. Additionally, if you talk to your children about employing these techniques when they're in the ring, they'll be able to defend themselves effectively.

Keep Your Hands Up

Keeping your hands up is one of the most important tips to remember when competing in kickboxing, regardless of your level. It can be easy for young kickboxers to forget to protect their face with their hands. When you tired toward the end of a round, for example, it's customary to drop your hands a bit. Doing so, however, leaves your head exposed to strikes. Talk to your children about keeping their hands high and, upon throwing a punch, bringing that hand quickly back into the guard position for maximum defense.

Keep Moving

A stationary target is always easier to hit, so encouraging your children to continue moving in the ring can be an effective way to avoid taking unnecessary punches and kicks. Kickboxers should stay light on their toes so that they can quickly move to the left or the right, rather than be on their heels from which movement is difficult. It's generally a good idea to avoid staying in the same position in the ring for more than a few seconds. A kickboxer should throw a combination of kicks and punches at his or her opponent and then quickly move out of the way to avoid being hit with a counter punch or kick. Similarly, upon being struck by an opponent, your child should know to move to make it more difficult to be hit.

Throw Punches And Kicks

It might seem like common sense to throw punches and kicks in the ring, but some novices can be timid to avoid moving out of a defensive position for fear of getting hit. One of the best ways to defend yourself is through striking — when you attack your opponent in this manner, he or she must move into a defensive position instead of striking you. Whether your child is in the corner of the ring and needs to fight his or her way out or in the center of the ring, throwing crisp combinations is a good idea.