Cardio kickboxing burns only 350 to 400 calories an hour, despite original claims that it could burn as many as 500 to 800.

In a study conducted for the American Council on Exercise (ACE), exercise physiologist Len Kravitz, Ph.D., with researchers from the University of Mississippi, measured the heart rate, caloric consumption, oxygen consumption and ratings of perceived exertion for each of four kickboxing concentrations: upper-body predominant (think uppercuts and jabs), lower-body predominant (think roundhouse kicks), upper-lower combinations and conditioning moves (footwork combinations with jabs). The study participants (15 women who weighed an average of 135 pounds) predictably burned the most calories performing the demanding upper-lower combinations. However, contrary to original estimates, which suggested cardio kickboxing workouts could burn between 500 and 800 calories per hour, the researchers found that most participants could expect to burn an average of only 350 to 450 calories in an hour-long class.

Is it possible the study participants simply weren't working hard enough? Not likely. According to the ACE's chief exercise physiologist, Richard Cotton, the problem lies with overestimating the workout's fat-burning potential for the average person. "Realistically, only a very large person exerting an above-average amount of energy for an extended period of time would be able to burn calories at the previously estimated levels," he explains.

Christine Ekeroth, who coordinates all of ACE's studies and edits the organization's publication ACE FitnessMatters, also notes that it could take new cardio kickboxing students a while to burn calories even at the reduced rate, because the classes are fairly advanced. "There's a learning curve before a person's going to burn a significant amount of calories, because it can be a little difficult to master the movements," she explains. However, Ekeroth says you should start slowly rather than going for the burn right away, because the workout demands that "you put your body in positions it's not accustomed to," and you need to learn the mechanics of the moves first or risk muscle and joint injury.

"There are workouts that get the job done more efficiently."

Ekeroth hopes the study's findings don't deter potential cardio kickboxing converts. Participants are still working at 75 percent of their maximum heart rate, "which is in the range to burn fat and get an excellent cardio workout," she observes. If a super-duper calorie blitz is what you're after, there are workouts that get the job done more efficiently. For that purpose, Ekeroth suggests cross-country skiing and fast running.

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