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Hey friends, it's Lizzie! Nobody warns you that the hardest part of a kickboxing class can be your hair. A ponytail that slides during round one, a hair tie that snaps mid-kick, bangs in your eyes on every roundhouse. After ten years of training, I have a system, and it's boring in the best way. Here's what actually stays put, from the gym to the range to the pickleball court.
The high pony, and the tie that holds it
For kickboxing it's a high ponytail, every time. High because a low one whips your neck on kicks and gets caught under the shoulder when you turn. The tie is the whole game: a normal elastic slides by round two. The only kind that has held a full class for me, round after round, is a coil-style tie, and it's worth keeping spares in the side pocket because they migrate. They also don't leave a crease, which matters when I film after class.
Braids for sparring days
On sparring days a pony is a handle, and even in light rounds it swings into my face when I slip. Two braids, or a single French braid, keep everything flat and out of the way, and they survive a mouthpiece, headgear if your gym uses it, and a sweaty session. It takes five extra minutes and it's the one hair decision that changes how a round feels.
The bangs problem
For class, keep the front pieces back with soft ties or a soft headband approved by your coach. Hard clips and pins can be uncomfortable or hazardous during contact work, so save the claw clip for after training and follow the gym’s rules.
Golf and pickleball: visor or hair bow
Outdoors it's a different job: sun, wind, and the fact that I'm usually being photographed. At the range it's a visor, which keeps the sun out of my eyes on the backswing and my hair out of my face, or a hair bow with a high pony. Pickleball is the visor plus the coil tie, because all that running around is hard on a ponytail. I wrote about the golf side in what I actually wear golfing in Florida heat.
Bleached hair and sweat
Real talk: sweat plus sun is not kind to bleached hair. What helps is not washing it every training day; a rinse and a scalp-focused routine on the days between, and a proper wash on the heavier days. A visor can shade your eyes, but it leaves the crown exposed. For hair and scalp coverage, choose a hat that covers the areas you want shaded. Keep ties comfortable rather than tight, especially on fragile hair, and choose a wash routine that suits your scalp and hair. The rest of my hair routine is in my low-maintenance hair care routine.
What lives in the gym bag
- Spare coil ties in the side pocket, because one is always missing.
- A soft headband for fringe days.
- A small claw for post-class, when the pony needs to come down but the hair is still wet.
- A visor for anything outdoors, which in Florida is half of everything.
The mistakes to skip
Training with a low pony and a whiplash neck. Using thin elastics that snap mid-round and send you scrambling across the mat. Bobby pins, everywhere, forever. Copying someone else’s wash schedule when your scalp and hair need something different. None of these are dramatic. All of them make class worse in small ways until you fix them.
If you're just starting
High pony, a tie that holds, nothing metal in your hair, and a headband if you need one. That's the whole starter kit. Braids can wait for sparring, visors can wait for the range, and the rest you'll figure out the first time a ponytail comes loose during a combination you were finally getting right.
Filming days
Real talk: on the days I film a round, the hair decision changes, because a ponytail that looked fine in the mirror can whip across the frame on every kick. High pony, a coil tie, and a headband is the combination that stays out of the shot, and it's also the one that doesn't leave a dent when I take it down afterwards. Braids film beautifully and take five minutes; on a filming day that's five minutes well spent.
What's in the beach bag versus the gym bag
Same ties, different hats. The gym bag has the coil ties, the headband and a claw. The beach and range bag has the visor, a hair bow, and a spare tie for the drive home. Keeping the two bags stocked separately means I never arrive at the range with a headband and no visor, which is a small mistake that ruins a bucket in the Florida sun.
Bleached hair, sun and salt
A hat outdoors is hair protection as much as sun protection, and after a beach walk or a boat day I rinse the salt out even if I'm not washing. Sweat, salt and sun are the three things bleached hair hates most. The routine that keeps it from breaking is boring and it lives in my hair care routine.
The one product I'll mention
Not a product, a habit: think about coverage for outdoor sessions. A visor helps with glare, but it does not cover the crown or most of your hair. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends a wide-brimmed hat to help protect hair from the sun. Choose one that covers what you want shaded, and use shade and appropriate sunscreen for exposed skin.
Your Questions, Answered
What is the best hairstyle for kickboxing? A secure ponytail or braid can keep hair out of your face; what holds best depends on your hair and the class. Use soft accessories your coach approves, and save hard clips and pins for after training.
How do you keep hair out of your face during a workout? Try a secure ponytail or braid with a soft headband for front pieces. Follow your gym’s rules on accessories. Outdoors, a visor can shade your eyes, but a hat that covers the crown gives more hair and scalp coverage.
Should you wash your hair after every kickboxing class? There is no single schedule for everyone. Choose a routine that suits your sweat level, scalp and hair, and get advice if you have persistent irritation or breakage.
🛍️ My Amazon list: Skincare and Hair
The hair and skincare picks from my routine, in one list.
