Tae Bo is the brainchild of world karate champion Billy Blanks, who developed it around 1976. The name stands for the following: T=Total; A=Awareness; E=Excellence; B=Body; and O=Obedience. Tae Bo is a blend of self-defense, dance and boxing set to contemporary music, and requires strength, endurance, technique and focus. According to the American Council on Exercise, it was one of the hottest fitness trend to hit gyms in the early 2000s.
Billy Blanks
Tae Bo's originator, Billy Blanks, was the fourth of 15 children and suffered from dyslexia and a problem in his hip joints. He took his first martial arts class at age 11 and soon began to master the sport and himself. He became an eighth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a black belt in five other martial arts forms. He was a seven-time world karate champion and went on to open his own karate studio. There he developed a blend of tae kwon do with dance moves and came up with Tae Bo Fitness. He moved to Los Angeles in 1989, and soon after, celebrities such as Paula Abdul became some of his clients. In 1998 he released the first Tae Bo workout video.
Tae Bo
The word "tae" means "foot and leg" in Korean. "Bo" is a shortened form of the word "box." The practice of martial arts and boxing helps you develop strength, speed, balance, coordination and awareness. The dance moves provide energy and rhythm to improve coordination and body awareness. The discipline provides a real workout for the heart. According to the American Council on Exercise, kickboxing, a close cousin of Tae Bo, burns an average of 350 to 450 calories per hour.
Cautions
Beginners taking up Tae Bo or any martial-arts inspired exercise should have a solid fitness foundation before attempting it. Even basic kickboxing or the introductory tae bo workout video are best done by exercisers who have above-average endurance, strength and flexibility. The moves and combinations can be challenging and take a fair amount of time to master. Common beginner mistakes include overextending kicks, locking joints when throwing punches or kicking, not listening to the body and exercising beyond fatigue, and wearing weights or using dumbbells when throwing punches, thereby endangering the joints.
Confidence
Tae Bo training teaches you how to respond with speed and accuracy both mentally and physically. You can learn how powerful your body is and how to use it to defend yourself if the need arises. If you should ever find yourself in a bad situation, you will have gained more confidence and quick reflexes to help you respond effectively.
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