Back in the late '80s, seven-time world karate champion Billy Blanks developed a high-impact aerobics workout he called Tae-Bo. His workout melded aerobic dance, kicking-boxing and punching techniques into a strenuous workout that claimed to tone muscles and burn calories. Tae bo is Korean for "leg boxing," and this workout is filled with kicks designed to get the heart pumping. Check with your doctor before trying new exercises.
History
Initially, only those who went to Billy Blanks' Sherman Oaks, California, studio could learn his kick-boxing aerobic routine, but by 1997 Tae-Bo had become something of a cultural phenomenon. Blanks produced a video-based Tae-Bo training program and made frequent infomercial appearances on late-night television as well as occasional talk-show appearances. Celebrities and non-celebrities alike endorsed his program, and by 1999, just a year or so after he went public with his video-based training program, his fledgling fitness empire had grossed over $75 million in sales, according to a March 15,1999, article in "Time" magazine.
Current Programs
Though Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo workout is no longer in the limelight, his workouts are still available, sold as DVDs on the Internet. His original marketing campaign featured four video-tapes that provided an intro to his program, a basic and an advanced workout program. His current DVD library has at least seven different programs, including an introductory basic Tae-Bo program, a program with military-style exercises, an ab-focused workout and several different cardio programs. All the workouts are filled with Blanks' trademark kicks and punches.
Calories Burned
The number of calories you burn doing Tae-Bo depends on your weight and the intensity of the workout. For example, a 140-lb. person doing the basic Tae-Bo program buns about 668 calories in an hour, according to FatBurn.com. A 180-lb. person burns about 859 calories in an hour. The advanced program burns an additional 100 to 130 calories. If you do an hour-long Tae-Bo workout daily, you can lose as much as 6 or 7 lbs. a month, so long as you maintain a healthy, balanced diet that does not contain excessive calories.
Benefits
The Tae-Bo programs put you through a rigorous aerobic workout that burns calories, increases strength, enhances muscle tone and promotes fitness. Doing at least 30 minutes daily of a moderately intense aerobic workout enhances your immune system, clears your arteries and strengthens your heart and lungs, reports MayoClinic.com. Done routinely, aerobics reduce your risks for varied health problems, including certain types of cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Disadvantages
Tae-Bo programs are not necessarily appropriate for all consumers. If you have been leading a sedentary lifestyle, your are over 50 or you are unfamiliar with the kicks, punches and moves, the program may be a bit too rigorous for you. At the very least, practice the kicks and moves before doing the 60-minute workout.
Linda Shelton from "Shape" magazine told "Time" that Tae-Bo does not provide adequate warmup or cool-down. She noted that many moves are repeated often without modification, posing a risk of overuse injuries.
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