Why Women are Turning to Kickboxing Fitness

Kickboxing fitness is a growing trend among women who want a more holistic and empowering kind of workout. Instead of settling for traditional routines that only focus on losing weight, many women are seeking new workouts that challenge them physically, mentally, and emotionally.

The surge in popularity of MMA-inspired workouts is being driven not only by prime-time visibility of female fighters—such as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, recently featured on Netflix—but also by celebrity endorsements on social media from icons like Gigi Hadid, Khloé Kardashian, and others.

It's clear that boxing and kickboxing-style workouts are moving beyond their traditional roots and becoming more of a broader fitness trend with women leading the charge. What started as niche or studio-based training has now transformed into a mainstream fitness choice, available in boutique gyms, group classes, and even at-home workout platforms.

This expansion shows that women aren’t just dabbling in kickboxing fitness—they’re reshaping the entire landscape of what a modern workout looks like. We see this trend here at 9Round where women make up 60% of our membership base in 2025. What was once considered a male-dominated arena is now a powerhouse for women redefining strength and fitness.

So why are so many women trading in their treadmills for punching and kicking and what makes kickboxing fitness so addictive? Let’s take a closer look.

The Results Speak for Themselves

Above all else, women want their workout routine to deliver results. Boxing, kickboxing, and martial arts workouts are well known for their high intensity and high calorie burn. You burn more calories per hour doing kickboxing fitness (600–800) compared to running (500–650), dancing (400–600), or cycling (450–700).

Why is kickboxing fitness so effective? Because it often falls under the HIIT category, or high-intensity interval training. Similar to how professional boxing matches happen over rounds, workouts inspired by these combat sports guide you through multiple intervals of exercise followed by brief periods of rest. 

At 9Round, our workouts are designed to be fast and effective—just 30 minutes long with nine stations of exercise. You’ll spend three minutes at each station working through various kickboxing techniques and functional exercises, followed by a 30-second active break to catch your breath, recover, and gear up for the next round.

HIIT workouts like 9Round rapidly elevate your heart rate into high-intensity zones, stimulating both your aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen) energy systems. This spike increases calorie burn during exercise and triggers a prolonged metabolic boost afterward, enhancing fat oxidation, cardiovascular efficiency, and overall energy expenditure.

However, a common misconception about HIIT or kickboxing-themed workouts is that they’re all cardio. While it’s true they deliver an incredible cardiovascular challenge, the reality is that these workouts are equally effective at building functional strength.

At 9Round, for example, we combine both bodyweight exercises and traditional weighted exercises (using equipment like dumbbells, medicine balls, or kettlebells) with the resistance of heavy kickboxing bags to deliver full-body strength training that builds muscle and tones while you burn calories.

This combination of cardio and strength training is what make kickboxing fitness one of the most efficient training methods for women. But the physical results aren’t the only reason why women love to punch and kick—the mental benefits of kickboxing fitness are even better. 

Mood-Boosting Stress Relief with Every Punch

Managing stress is an increasing challenge in modern life. The American Psychiatric Association conducted a mental health poll in 2024 that showed 43% of U.S. adults felt they were more anxious than previous years, and 63% of those surveyed reported that “their health” was one of the top things they were anxious about.

Numerous studies also show that women report higher stress levels than men. This gap is often linked to different societal expectations, hormonal influences, and the added demands many women face in juggling careers, caregiving, and other personal responsibilities. Because the connection between regular exercise and mental health is well-established, many women are turning to the gym to help with stress relief.

Physical activity triggers the release of natural endorphins that help elevate your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. A study by ASICS found women who exercise regularly are 67% less stressed and 52% happier than those who are less active.

However, kickboxing fitness elevates the mental health benefits of traditional exercise to an entirely new level. Each punch, kick, and movement acts as a physical outlet for built-up tension, helping to release stress and clear the mind, which can leave you feeling mentally sharper and more focused—even after just one workout.

Beyond the immediate mood boost, regularly practicing boxing and kickboxing techniques challenges both the body and the mind, requiring concentration, coordination, and determination. Successfully completing challenging rounds of high-intensity exercise or complicated boxing combos builds your self-confidence, resilience, and gives you a sense of empowerment.

This combination of mental and physical challenges makes kickboxing fitness a truly unique approach to holistic wellness, offering benefits that extend far beyond the gym and into everyday life.

From professional fighters to celebrities to everyday women, kickboxing fitness is becoming a powerful outlet for both physical and mentally strength. 9Round’s 30-minute workouts with no class times are perfect for busy women who are juggling work, family, and fitness. Try a free workout at on of our kickboxing gyms or check out our on-demand platform, 9RoundNOW, for the most convenient kickboxing-themed workouts.