About Tae Bo

Overview

Tae Bo is a workout routine that is basically a cross between martial arts, boxing and dance. Tae Bo creator Billy Blanks said the exercise program was the first to focus on the "Mind, Body, Spirit" philosophy, which has become extremely popular in other routines. More than 85 million Tae Bo videos have been sold.

History

Blanks said the idea for Tae Bo first came to him around 1976 when he was working out in his basement. While training in a mixture of martial arts and boxing, Blanks turned on some music and started punching and kicking to the beat. After becoming tired in just 10 minutes, Blanks realized his routine had potential.

Time Frame

It took Blanks nearly six years to perfect Tae Bo; he began teaching it to others in 1982. The first Tae Bo video was released in 1998.

Benefits

As Tae Bo is an aerobic-type exercise program, it offers many benefits, including improving the cardiovascular system, burning fat and toning the body. Blanks offers different workout programs which focus on specific body parts, such as the abs, upper body and lower body.

Another benefit is the self-defense aspect, which occurs through the constant punching and kicking motions that are performed. Blanks claims that Tae Bo will allow you to respond "mentally and physically with speed and accuracy" in any situation that may occur.

Types

Many different Tae Bo videos available, as Blanks is always looking to improve on previous versions of the program. The latest Tae Bo release, "T3-Total Transformation Training," was released in 2008.

About Blanks

Blanks may be best known for his Tae Bo workouts, but he has an impressive list of accomplishments in other areas. He is a black belt holder in six different forms of martial arts and was a seven-time world karate champion. It was while running his karate studio in Boston that he developed the idea for Tae Bo.

Blanks was the Massachusetts Golden Gloves Champion in 1984 and has appeared in many movies and television shows and more recently began to compose music for his workout CDs.

Significance

Tae Bo has received a great deal of publicity from the number of celebrities who have used the workout routine. Paula Abdul was the first to support the program publicly and others who have followed suit include Lou Diamond Phillips, Goldie Hawn, Neve Campbell and Ryan O'Neal.