I started working out with Billy Blanks way back in the beginning of his career. I bought his very first workout video set. While I cannot say that I have not consistently done Tae Bo after all these years, I have certainly done it off and on ever since that first video set came out. I have also done probably every video and DVD that he has done since. I am actually quite the collector of workout DVDs and formerly collected workout tapes.
I love doing Tae Bo, there is something very empowering about it. Tae Bo is not easy for the beginner, and it is certainly not easy if you have not worked out in a while, but after you do it a few times and get the moves down it gets much easier, or if you already know the moves but are out of practice doing the workout just a few times will have you punching and kicking again with confidence.
For anyone who does not know what Tae Bo is it is basically a martial arts type work out. When you do Tae Bo you will be working out to music doing kick boxing, and boxing type moves. You will do front kicks, back kicks, side kicks, you do jabs, hooks, and uppercuts and you will do them all in a routine along with other moves. I highly recommend that anyone who is out of shape or a beginner to not go full out on the kicks the first few times. Do not try to kick as high or as hard as they do on the DVD only kick as high and as hard as you are comfortable doing. Out of control kicking or pushing yourself beyond your limits, will not benefit you, you will only end up injured and that is not going to help you at all.
Billy Blanks has put out many different DVD’s and VHS tapes. More recently he has added some workouts that he calls “Boot Camp” work outs. The very term “Boot Camp” lets you know that you are in for a quite a work out, and things are not going to be easy on you. Personally I think if you are new to Tae Bo, new to working out, or out of shape that the Boot Camp series is not the place that you should start. In fact I would recommend starting with Billy Blanks Get Ripped II Basic Workout. This one came out in I believe 2001 so you will very likely have to buy it on the used market, but this DVD will help you to learn the moves, and get comfortable with them before moving on to more advanced Tae Bo workouts.
There are several different Tao Bo Boot Camp workouts. I will give you the titles of the workout and brief descriptions of a few of them. I will do the rest in a separate article at a later date.
Cardio Boot Camp Live: This is a workout where Billy works out with a large group of people. The actual taping is done at Venice Beach with Venice Beach in the background. With this workout you will be doing the basic Tae Bo moves, but in an intense fashion. You will also be doing strength training exercises. The strength training exercises are done using Billy Bands, which are like your standard stretchy exercise bands. This DVD is 30 minutes long.
Billy Blanks Boot Camp 1: This is a combination of traditional Tae Bo moves and military exercises, such as the duck walk and burpees (remember those from gym class?) There are actually two different workouts on this set, one is more cardiovascular and the other has more defense and toning moves. This work out is meant for those who are in at least an intermediate fitness level. The workout also includes interval training. One of the workout is 35 minutes long, and the other is 54 minutes long.
Billy Blanks Boot Camp 2: Get your dose of classic Tae Bo moves along with your basic jumping jacks, push ups, and squats. DVD running time is 55 minutes. This was not my favorite I felt like I was back in gym class. If you like traditional callisthenic type exercises you might like this one.
Billy’s Boot Camp Elite: This is a set that contains 4 DVD’s and also includes rubber resistance bands “Billy Bands.” The bands are extra effective because each one of them weighs one pound in the grip. Workout 1 is a solid total-body program. The first half is all fat burning cardio lots of high-energy punches, kicks and jabs. The second part of the work out shapes your upper and lower body. The second workout is all muscle-toning; it also targets your arms, legs and buttocks at a slightly higher intensity. The routine creates resistance by using the bands in specific configurations. Workout 3 perfectly complements the other programs. It’s a fast-paced ab-toner that includes both standing and floor exercises. The fourth DVD is a bonus DVD that is meant to be used when you are short on time, it is only 8 minutes long. The first work out is not too bad for beginners. The videos are 42, 43, and 28 minutes respectively.
These are just some of the boot camp workouts, as I stated above I will detail more of them in a later article after I have had a chance to do them again so that my details of the actual work out will be more detailed and fresh in my mind.
Doing Tae Bo is an excellent way to get a good work out. It is very empowering and when you get in to the zone with it you feel very powerful. When I am in full Tae Bo mode and am doing it consistently for a while I always feel really good. When you do Tae Bo for a while your body feels great. I find myself wanting to just kick my legs up for no reason, and seem to walk with more confidence. Tae Bo is also an excellent calorie burner I always lose at least a couple of pounds when I do it consistently. You will also become a lot more flexible when you do Tae Bo. You will get more tone, and lose inches. Tae Bo is an excellent core workout as well. You will constantly be reminded of your core when you are doing Tae Bo, you will feel it especially in your waist.
Billy Blanks has a wide variety of work outs to choose from weather you choose one of his more military like boot camp DVD’s or one of his other Tae Bo DVD’s you are in for a good work out. Keep it up and you will see and feel remarkable changes in your body.
