I am not a big girl. But at 31, I found myself weighing more than I ever had before. With the gradual slowing of metabolism and gravity working against me, I noticed a little flab, a roll here and there – something that came along with my new marriage (happiness can definitely take it’s toll). So, I was bound and determined to tone up and get healthy.

While visiting my local superstore, I saw a DVD of Tae Bo – you know, the exercise craze spawned back in the 1980’s that had everyone from housewives to men in suits talking – and picked up a copy. I didn’t realize that this muscle-clad man would change my life forever.

My plan

I had a plan – we all do this from time to time and see it fall in the cracks within weeks, but remember, I was determined. First, I would eat sensible meals, which, in my defense, wasn’t hard to do. I love all things green and fruity and my stomach can’t take fried foods, so I was off to a good start. Since diets fail, and most can be very unhealthy if followed through long-term, my no-diet diet consisted of:

• Fruit and coffee for breakfast

• Tuna or ham sandwich and milk for lunch (light on mayo, heavy on vegetables like green leaf lettuce, tomato and onion)

• Grilled meat (chicken and pork, sometimes even steak), salad and milk for dinner

• Water when I was thirsty

If I wanted to snack, I always had a drawer full of fruit, freshly cut vegetables or nuts.

And If I wanted an ice cream cone or brownie, I ate one.

A pretty fair way to eat, really - I never starved.

Then, I would exercise three times a week for at least 30 minutes. That is where Tae Bo came in.

What is Tae Bo?

Billy Blanks created the Tae Bo concept in the mid-1980s – it is a total body workout that combines Tae Kwon Do, aerobics, dance, kickboxing, self defense and yoga.

Each of his routines, which can run anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour – challenges the participating individual to complete every punch, kick and muscle-burning strength move all while never standing in one place too long.

All of these moves help a person increase their flexibility, build muscle and burn calories – you can’t beat that for just an hour out of your day.

The Workouts

Billy Blanks has several Tae Bo collections all aimed for beginner, intermediate and pro skill levels.

I strongly suggest a person to start off with the “Capture the Power” collection – a 2-DVD set. It gives you four great workouts – the first workout provides you with the foundation moves of Tae Bo, the second workout focuses on energy, the third helps you find the Tae Bo strength and the fourth focuses on power.

The foundation workout teaches you the basic kicks and punches that make up a Tae Bo routine. It is very low impact and is basically a “how to” of Tae Bo. The great thing about having the foundation workout is it allows you to move at your own speed – once you have the moves down, you are ready for the Energy workout.

The energy workout is just that – high energy and a lot of fun. Billy and his crew incorporate all the foundation moves into a cardio workout. You will find yourself constantly moving while throwing punches and kicks throughout the exercise routine.

The Strength workout focuses on toning your muscles while keeping that heart rate up in cardio mode. There is a lot of squeezing, flexing and balance techniques that, once you have it down, make you feel strong and ready to take on the world.

The Power workout combines all of the previous workouts into an optimum training experience. You are building muscle, burning calories and focusing on your balance for a non-stop 46 minute interval.

After you have these workouts down, you’ll definitely want to move on to bigger and better things. Billy Blanks has several other collections that keep you upbeat while increasing your Tae Bo skill level.

The Pro’s of Tae Bo

There are several reasons why I like the Tae Bo workouts:

• Billy and his crew teach each class with high energy – which keeps your motivation on the up and up.

• Billy talks to you the entire time, making you feel like you are physically in the class.

• Billy takes some time out to correct class members, reminding you to keep the proper position in order to avoid hurting yourself.

• The class is made up of a myriad of people – not everyone is toned and buff like Billy. This allows you to feel good about yourself, no matter your shape, and the pro’s make you want to work even harder.

• Billy always explains the moves from a beginner’s point of view, and suggests different helping aids – i.e. - using a chair for the harder kicks - until you have your balance down.

• When you have completed a Tae Bo exercise routine, you are exhausted, but you can feel your body responding to the training.

The Con’s of Tae Bo

While the benefits of joining the Tae Bo bandwagon are high, there are some issues with the workouts as well:

• Some of the routines aren’t as organized as they could be. Billy and his crew may do three sets of leg kicks on one side, but only two on the other side.

• If you are balance-challenged, it could take you longer to actually get to a place where you can do the routine in its entirety.

• You never see the crew drinking water – and believe me – you need it.

• You could easily strain or pull a muscle if you do the exercises the wrong way – you must move slow from workout to workout in order to capture all the moves and do them appropriately.

My Six-Week Workout with Tae Bo

So, after six-weeks, the verdict was in – I lost 12 pounds and two dress sizes!

That may not seem like a lot, but after the second week, I gained 4 pounds of muscle. At that point in my workout schedule, my stomach muscles started peeking out, the unsightly fat around my hipbones was disappearing and I had more energy than I did before Tae Bo.

And all this for only three hours a week! Guess who is Tae Bo’ing today?

Suggestions for Tae Bo workouts

If you are interested in taking up Tae Bo to become healthier, stronger and leaner, here are a few suggestions from a true believer:

• Keep a tall glass of water next to your workout area. Drink from it during the few second breaks to keep hydrated.

• Don’t give up – your muscles may be screaming at you for a while after every workout, but that means it is working. If you are too sore, then cut back your Tae Bo to once a week and build up from there.

• If you can’t seem to gain your balance, use a chair for the kicks – but don’t always rely on it. Practice the kicks and stances during other times in the day to get it down.

• If you fall off track (I did for several weeks) don’t stop. Get back to it.

• Purchase the Tae Bo balls once you have the arm moves down – they really do help your arms achieve their optimum workout.

• If you have bad knees or a bad back, this workout may not be for you. Always consult your doctor before trying any new workout routine to make sure you are able to do it.

• When you feel yourself getting bored with the workout, buy a new DVD. It will give you a fresh perspective, and keep you motivated.

Disclaimer: Before beginning an exercise program, one should consult the advice of a physician.

External Links:

• Tae Bo - Tae Bo information and products