The characteristics of kickboxing are quite varied. For the most part, it involves the striking martial arts and includes punches, kicks, blocks, and evasive maneuvers. In addition, depending on the style, kickboxing may also involve knee strikes, elbow strikes, clinching, headbutting, and even takedowns or throws.

Generally, practitioners use gloves and kickboxing competitions take place in a ring, as it is primarily a sport martial art. A branch of kickboxing called cardio kickboxing, which utilizes the use of kickboxing style strikes almost exclusively for fitness purposes, has also become quite popular in recent times.