What is Tae Bo fitness?  

 

It is an exercise that teaches a person how to communicate with their body. It is the combination of self awareness and control of martial arts, the focus and strength of boxing,and the grace and rhythm of dance.

A typical one hour class consists of a series of jabs, punches, kicks and steps, choreographed in a series of eight-count combinations.

The word TAE means foot and leg in the Korean Language. BO is shortened version of the word BOX. 

It was discovered by accident in 1976 by Billy Blanks  

When training, using the classic techniques from Boxing and martial arts, he was training to the original "Rocky" theme song and started punching and kicking to the beat.Within 10 minutes he was exhausted. He then realized if he was tired, being one who worked out for hours at a time 7 days a week, he was definitely on to something. Thus Tae Bo fitness was born. 

Tae Bo was designed as a different type of aerobic and cardio workout concept which is focused on the soul, mind and body and so the benefits of Tae Bo are both physical and mental. Tae Bo has been characterized as an excellent cardiovascular workout with very good distractions.

Because of the movements it involves, Tae Bo is effective in toning and defining the body's musculature. It can also improve one's balance, flexibility, coordination and has cardiovascular benefits. The benefit of a good cardiovascular workout was the first thing Blanks noticed when he inadvertently created Tae Bo in 1976 and it is still one of the top selling points of the program. According to Blanks, the cardiovascular benefits are a result of the dance moves added to the already high-energy workout.

The Tae Kwon Do aspect of Tae Bo provides self-awareness, self-confidence, and familiarity with martial arts. Martial arts combined with punch-boxing and dancing connects the mind and body by teaching mental acuity, physical strength, mental coordination and accuracy, and speed.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect about Tae Bo is its proven calorie burning effectiveness. An hour long Tae Bo workout will burn 500 to 800 calories, compared with the 300 to 400 calories burned with a more conventional aerobics class. If a healthy diet is followed, the burned calories should translate into weight loss. As it is an aerobic and cardio workout, Tae Bo helps its practitioners work out more sweat and lose weight at a faster pace when working out constantly during a week.                         

  

Tae Bo is also thought to lead to a better grasp of self-defense methods by kicking and punching that are done during a workout program. While Blanks says he hopes Tae Bo users are never put in a spot where they will need the self-defense training, Tae Bo will give them the skills and confidence to deal with potential trouble.

Tae Bo can also help with developing a positive sense of self-esteem. As with any form of exercise, it can promote "positive mental health as indicated by relief in symptoms of depression and anxiety," as stated in a study on the effects of exercise on mental health by Arizona State University researcher Daniel M. Landers.