JG Kickboxing Review: Cardio Kick & Sculpt 2

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JG Kickboxing Review: Cardio Kick & Sculpt 2

Cardio Kick & Sculpt 2 is fun mix of cardio boxing / kickboxing and higher rep, lower weight strength work. Sometimes I don’t want to go all out and just want a workout that feels good and JG kickboxing is my go to for those types of routines. This workout is a perfect example of that – its more at an intermediate level - so nothing crazy but gets the job done nicely. Then I feel like I had a good workout without being completely wiped out by the end. The link to this video is HERE.

JG Kickboxing is a free YouTube channel that Jackie Kurth, an instructor from Cathe Friedrich’s gym in New Jersey, started when the lockdown came and she was no longer able to teach at the club. She has since continued posting new workouts every week and has over 80 videos in the archive. Jackie offers a great variety of routines that are a mix of cardio (step, steady state, tabata, Hiit etc), cardio and strength or just total body strength. There are also lots of kickboxing workouts, as I think that is her usual speciality at the gym, so if you love kickboxing / boxing you should really check out this channel. I have included the YouTube link to her channel HERE.

What I really like about her routines is that they also always include a nice long warm-up. This is really nice for days when I am feeling rough or just don’t really feel like doing anything, as I know she will ease me in gently and I won’t be doing jacks or burpees within the first five minutes! She also has a really nice calm and professional approach, and is so encouraging, offering modifications along the way, in case they are needed. I also find her quite amusing, at times, as she is just very real so when you are feeling the work, she is too! (As a slight aside she must also have the most amazing baseball cap collection ever, as she usually wears a different one for every single workout!) Her workouts tend to all be around the 40-45 minute mark so they are also easier to fit into your day.

This workout is the second version of this format on her channel and consists of three circuits that each include a cardio section and a strength section. Each circuit is then repeated one more time. The cardio sections vary each time, so the first is just straight cardio, including hamstring curls, high knee runs and vertical mountain climbers, the second is boxing and the third is kickboxing. They are all very easy moves to pick up, as there is no real choreography here, they are just a few punches or kicks put together and repeated. In addition, they are also built up in layers, to give you a chance to learn the moves as you go. You practice a few moves and then add on more. The cardio sections are not super intense but enough to get you sweating and breathing a little harder. They are done for approx. three to five minutes so are not too long but enough to get you moving before switching to strength work. The format of this one actually reminded me of Cathe’s two Live Cardio Boxing Bootcamp workouts, which she posted recently. I love those routines so much and this has a little flavour of those workouts too. (Links to the detailed reviews of those two Cathe Live routines are HERE for Cardio Boxing Bootcamp #315 and HERE for Cardio Boxing Bootcamp 2 #326).

The strength work is quite metabolic and higher rep, with each move done for 15 reps or thereabouts, as sometimes the counting is a little bit off. The moves are all compound exercises, incorporating both upper and lower body so these help to keep the heart rate up throughout the workout. Jackie tends to only use 10 pound dumbbells for any of her strength workouts, as that is what she has at home, however, she always encourages you to use whatever works best for you. Also I think she is trying to make it easier for people who don’t have a lot of equipment at home so that they feel they can also do the routines. Therefore, for me, I often have a selection of dumbbells out for her routines and just use whatever I think works best, depending of the different exercises and anticipated number of reps etc. This definitely seems the best way to get the most out of these routines, as for some moves 10 pounds works well, as you are moving quickly, but for others the pace is more controlled and you can easily heavy up, if you want to. This one is at a more controlled pace but is higher rep so bear that in mind with your weight selections. I did increase on a few of the moves, shown below but for others 10 pounds was fine. Throughout the routine, Jackie provides form tips and encouragement and ends the workout with a nice stretch.

This routine, as with all of Jackie’s, are cued live, as she goes along, with lower level music in the background. Jackie does the whole workout with you in her living room or various places around her house. They are maybe not as professionally filmed as some others on YouTube but I think they are still great workouts and I really enjoy them.

Overall, a nice, more moderate level, cardio and strength workout.

If you are interested in exploring a few more of Jackie’s routine, some of my favourites from her archive are listed below in order to give you somewhere to start (links are all clickable and will take you directly to the YouTube video):

• Cardio Kickboxing (37 mins) – a fun mix of cardio interval & punching / kicking combos

• Tabata Kick & Weights 3 (41 mins) – 6 tabata circuits mixing cardio & strength work

• Kick Strength Intervals 3 (42 mins) – 5 rounds of 3 mins of cardio & 1 minute strength

• Cardio Kick & Standing Abs (33 mins) – nice mix of cardio intervals / kickbox combos with standing ab work in between

• Kick-Hiit-Sculpt 3 (38 mins) – 5 rounds of 2 cardio & 1 strength interval

• Tabata Sculpt 4 (41 mins) – 6 tabata strength circuits mixing upper & lower body

• Total Body Tabata w/ Cardio (42 mins) – 6 tabata circuits – generally 3 sets of strength moves & 2 cardio

• Cardio Kick – Build A Combo 3 (42 mins) – long combo built up in layers with cardio / core in between

• Cardio Kickbox Tabata (41 mins) – all cardio workout – 6 tabata circuits usually 2 punch / kick combos & 2 cardio intervals

• Strength / Cardio Hiit 4 (38 mins) – 5 rounds of usually 2 sets of strength moves (each 1 min) & 1 min cardio

• Boxing, Booty & Abs (46 mins) – cardio intervals mixed with boxing combo & ends with booty / abs on floor

The Workout

Cardio Kick & Sculpt 2 is a cardio and strength circuit workout consisting of three circuits of cardio and higher rep strength moves that are each repeated one more time.

What You Need to Know

(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).

The Moves

Cardio Kick & Sculpt 2 is 45 minutes long. The workout starts with a 9 minute warm-up before moving into the first circuit. The main cardio moves are detailed below and are often built up in layers. These are then repeated for several sets. Cardio moves shown in bold italics below.

Circuit 1

• Hamstring curls / jog / high knee run/ vertical mountain climbers / core twist in sumo squat / jabs in sumo squat / double jabs

• Deadlift & upright row – two 10# Dbs (I used 15’s) – 18 reps (1st set) & 16 reps (2nd set)

Repeat above moves on more time

Circuit 2

• Shuffle / jab & cross / 2 jabs, upper cut, hook & 2 shuffles / 2 jabs, upper cut, hook & 2 cross punches

• Squat & sweeper curl – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) – 18 reps (1st set) & 16 reps (2nd set)

Repeat above moves on more time

Circuit 3

• Shuffle / 2 side knee lifts & 2 shuffles / 1 side knee lift, 1 side kick & 2 shuffles / sumo squat pulses / 1 side knee lift & 2 squat pulses / 1 side kick & 2 squat pulses / 2 side knee lifts, 2 shuffles, 2 squat pulses & step, knee lift / 1 side knee lift, 1 side kick, 2 shuffles, 2 squat pulses & step, side kick

• Overhead press & tricep extension – two 10# Dbs - 13 reps (1st set) & 10 reps (2nd set)

Repeat above moves on more time

The workout ends with a 4 minute cool down and stretch.

Take Action

Try it today! Check out JG Kickboxing YouTube channel HERE.

If you liked this workout, check out my review of Heather Robertson’s: 1 Hr No Repeat Total Body Hiit (68 mins) – HERE.

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