If you’re tired of the same old aerobics dance moves, but you’re not quite ready to jump into the full intensity of martial arts or boxing classes, Tae Bo may be the high-impact workout you’ve been looking for. Created in the late 1980s by Billy Blanks, a champion martial-arts guru and high-energy fitness trainer from southern California, this hybrid exercise technique is specifically designed to get the average person interested in fitness again – and to keep them coming back week after week. It combines the cardiovascular rigors of Tae Kwon Do (did you know that martial arts is one of the highest calorie burners among all types of physical exercise?) with the muscle-toning strength moves of boxing – and it also throws in some moves from karate, ballet, kickboxing and hip-hop dance for good measure. Not for the faint of heart, Tae Bo will definitely keep you moving and sweating. In fact, it can burn an estimated 500-800 calories an hour. That’s a couple of hundred calories more than traditional aerobics – not bad. And by combining new and challenging moves from a variety of different disciplines, it lifts the curse of many exercise programs – boredom.
Have you ever given up on an exercise program simply because the moves were simple, unchanging, and just too easy after a while? That’s exactly the problem that Tae Bo aims to solve.
Tae Bo can also get visible results quickly, which is great if that big social event – a friend’s wedding, your class reunion, or an important first date – is looming just around the corner and you’re ready to pull out all the stops to change your look fast. Because the program relies heavily on controlled, high-impact kicks, punches, blocks and other moves that are unfamiliar to an average person or even to a person experienced in traditional aerobics programs, it will stimulate and tone muscles you didn’t even know you had. In addition, the nimble and reactive sparring moves help build your balance, hand-eye coordination, and muscular flexibility as well as mental and physical agility. Its high-energy, combative style can also give you added confidence from the first successful workout onward, changing your whole posture and attitude.
To get started, go straight to the source: Billy Blanks’ original series of video tapes, which includes an instructional demo, a basic workout, an advanced workout, and a condensed 8-minute workout. Originally released in 1998, they are widely available through bookstores, video stores, and in online shops. Organized fitness classes modeled after Blanks’ original program are also springing up across the country, and Tae Bo’s popularity has led to an increase in kickboxing and martial-arts offerings at gyms and fitness centers nationwide. Pretty soon, you’ll join the legions of loyal Billy Blanks fans, those who have discovered Total Awareness Excellent Body Obedience, more commonly known as Tae Bo.